When I was in high school, classes were relatively easy. My high school didn't offer AP or IB classes, so compared to other kids, I didn't have to study nearly as much, and my homework load was usually pretty light. At the time, this was the best thing ever. I had time for a job, friends, and school, and it wasn't insanely stressful. Then, I got to college, and everything changed from being easy to being extremely hard. I could barely get from day-to-day without having a migraine, or without having a breakdown out of fear I wouldn't finish my work. Life became an endless cycle of doing homework and napping to keep up with the sleep I was losing. So, obviously, I had to find a solution to my problem.

The first tip I would give to anyone struggling is this: turn off your phone! I would always procrastinate studying by convincing myself I just had to check my phone before starting. This led to being flung down a long rabbit hole of pictures and videos that gets increasingly harder to climb out of the farther you go in. What I would suggest, is downloading an app that restricts your phone access. Personally, I like the app Flora because it penalizes you by killing a virtual "tree" if you use your phone before the time limit is up. There's also a "break" option if you have an urgent text to respond to or need to make a call.

My second piece of advice is to figure out what kind of a studier you are and stick with it. If you need to leave your room to study, leave. If you study better alone, don't be afraid to decline invitations to study with your friends. If you work better in a group, don't be shy and go find people in your class to work with. Most people are looking to group up anyway, and chances are, if they say no, they probably only have a legitimate reason for not being able to, and they're not just saying it to stay away from you.

My third tip to being focused more is to focus in class, and work right after. This is a two-step process, of course, but it makes working much easier. When you go to class, clear all distractions and only use your computer to take notes. You will find that you retain so much of the information if you simply just pay attention and engage with your professor during the lecture. Then, after class is over, go somewhere immediately and work on homework for that class. If you have classes back-to-back, then just work on the information in the order that the classes come in. Going and doing work right after class keeps the material fresh in your brain when answering, and ensures more thorough practice since you already remember so much.

So far, those are the top three things I've learned and taught myself for studying. Of course, I always end up falling short on harder, more demanding days, but that is OKAY! Sometimes, you're going to need to just give up for an hour or two to nap. But what is most important is that you apply yourself, and 99% of the time it's important that you push through those tired moments and get work done, so you can be and feel more productive. Happy studying!!!