How to Start Studying in the Summer

by Jessica Yu

​Summer is a long break from one of the most stressful things in a student’s life: school. Activities for summer break often include travelling, going on adventures, sleeping in, and Netflix binging. Why not get ahead for the next school year when you have the time? Sure, thinking about school while still on break sounds kind of depressing, but preparing yourself in the summer and getting into the study mode now will help you ease back into school and reduce stress for the future. If you find yourself running out of shows to watch or are just bored, perhaps consider studying! Here are some tips to help you get started.

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1. Create a “studyblr” blog
   Studyblr (study Tumblr) blogs are part of a community on the social media site Tumblr that is dedicated to studying and anything academic related. Individuals share pictures of their notes, planners, stationary, and give study tips, college advice, and so much more! The studyblr community is very supportive, and anyone can help you get started on your own. Browsing through other people’s posts can really motivate you to plan ahead and be more productive. Many studyblr offer resources and personal experience that can be very useful whether you’re in high school or college!
   
   
   
2. Start planning
   Just saying that you’re going to study or pick up a book isn’t usually going to make you do it. Use a planner or make to- do lists for the tasks that you need to complete, whether it's daily, weekly, or monthly. Writing down what you have to do is more than likely going to make you do it. Be specific in writing your tasks as well. Break down daunting tasks such as “finish summer assignments” into manageable pieces like “complete pages 1-4 of summer assignment”. Making tasks detailed like so will allow you to actually cross it off the list, and make you feel more productive! If you already know your class schedule for next year, start planning the materials you need to buy such as textbooks or prep books.
   
   
   
3. Get ahead on the difficult classes
   If you know that you’re going to struggle in a class next year, get yourself prepared by learning some basic concepts in said class. You don’t need to learn the entire curriculum of a class in the summer, just review the foundation of the subject so you are more comfortable with it. A great resource is youtube! There are channels like Crash Course that teach a wide variety of subjects. It would also be a good idea to check out books about subjects that you are struggling with at your local library.
   
   
   

Although it is a good idea to get into the study mode now, remember that it’s still your summer break! You don’t need to bury yourself in books every single day. Enjoy yourself, and study in moderation.