Dear Students,
Just when you are getting down to some serious studying, your phone sends an alert. Actually, your phone is sending you an alert every three seconds as another Snap arrives, your photo was liked on Instagram, or some other notification is pushed to you. Not only are we constantly bombarded electronically, but there are distractions all around us competing for our attention.
When will you get a chance to work on school work? You have to intentionally set aside time. Not just before tests, but every day. Make it part of your schedule. Make it part of your routine. Don't have a schedule? Get one. You can make the best use of your time if you deliberately plan out your week (better yet, your semester).
Finally, do you have too many distractions to make good use of your new found "study time"? Turn off your phone (your computer, your tablet, etc.) and find a quiet place. Where is your favorite place to get away? When I was a graduate student at UT, I would hide deep in the stacks of the Life Science Library, or find a spot in the back of the Chemistry Library, or even sit and drink way too much coffee while writing papers in the Cactus Café all afternoon. Find your space. (And, once it's time to turn your phone back on, let me know on Twitter or Instagram your favorite study spot).
Best,
Dr. Vanden Bout
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