Back-to-School Study Tips to Avoid Stress

It’s officially back-to-school season! With the chaos of saying goodbye to summer, getting used to a college workload again, and even moving back into dorms for some, this is a stressful time for any student.

To top it off, all the challenges of college life come rushing back: time management struggles, achieving the perfect balance of school and other responsibilities, and keeping track of all your different courses. For juniors and seniors, they’re trying to figure out how to make the most of their last years in college and finding out firsthand what senior slump really means.

But don’t worry! Recent college graduates have some tips and tools for getting readjusted to college life. Especially if you’re an upperclassman, check out this advice for what can make your final years in college the best of all.

Organize Your Tasks

First and foremost, organize yourself. The start of the semester is the best time to figure out your schedule and get an idea of what your weeks will look like. Whether it be a planner, Google calendar, or other organizational tool, pick a place to keep track of your tasks and deadlines. This should include assignment deadlines, class times, and any other extracurriculars or work commitments you have. Most classes will have a full list of course deadlines in their syllabus at the start of the semester; by writing these down right away, you avoid missing an assignment because you didn’t remember it was due.

Once the semester starts, you’ll also want to organize your study sessions. Set goals and organize your work in order of priority, deciding a good deadline to have each task finished. Natasha Torres Ríos is a research scientist with a Bachelor's degree in biology and Master’s degree in forest resources management. She started her account, Study with Nali, during her sophomore year of college to build a support system for herself and other students. “Breaking down your study goals will help you be less overwhelmed by creating specific and attainable goals,” she emphasizes. “Don’t overwhelm yourself by wanting to finish everything in one sitting, that only leads to burnout.”

Now that you’re organized, you may want to invest in some other organizational tools to keep your brain decluttered throughout the school year. Ara Galang is a graduate from the University of Toronto, with a major in Pharmacology and Physiology. Like Torres Ríos, she started an Instagram account, Study with Ara, to keep herself accountable for her studies and share student tips during the pandemic. “My personal go-to apps in uni were Notion for organization and Notability for note taking!” she shares.

With Notion, you can find organizational templates at a free or affordable price that fit your needs. Notion offers templates for school, weekly or monthly reflection, study sessions, and more. If you’re an Apple user, Notability offers notetaking features useful for a wide range of majors, whether you’re a STEM or art major, or if you have a different focus. With Notability, you can take notes, draw diagrams, or create art, depending on your needs. No matter your major, these are two apps you’ll want to have on your radar this semester.

Avoid Screen Fatigue

The COVID-19 pandemic drastically changed the way students approach their studies. As of 2021, 60% of college students took at least some of their classes online. With online classes comes the challenge of screen fatigue, but there are some tips and technology that can help limit the negative impacts of screen time.

If you struggle with headaches and eye fatigue from long studying periods, adjust the brightness on your computer. If you know you’re going to be on your screen for a while or if you feel your eyes starting to hurt, go to your settings and turn the brightness down. You may also want to turn on the night or warm light on your devices.

Part of avoiding screen fatigue also comes from balance. Activities like reading, taking a walk, or going out can be ways to take a break from screens for a while. As someone who works from home, Galang recommends being intentional about finding time to be offline. “During my work breaks, I’ll try to find screen-less activities to do,” she explains. “On the weekends, I’m often out doing activities, not glued to my screen!”

Time Management is Key

Of the students who work while in college, 63% work more than 20 hours per week. With a range of opportunities available to college students, many people struggle with studying efficiently and managing their time. Along with competing responsibilities like work, a lot of students never learned good time management techniques in the first place: 55% of high school students say that procrastination is a major source of stress.

If this sounds like you, don’t worry: there are a couple strategies and apps that can help you improve time management skills. Torres Ríos’ go-to time management app is Forest. “I’ve used [this app] since I was an undergrad and to this day, I love [it],” she voices. Forest is available for Android and iOS users, and allows you to track time during study sessions and other activities. If you struggle with staying focused while studying, Forest could help you reflect on how you use your time and make adjustments as needed.

Another widely used strategy for time management is the Pomodoro technique, which is Galang’s preferred method. “I personally time block my days and set ‘power blocks,’ which are 2-3 hours in length for focus time and I make sure that there is a clear goal to reach within the timeblock,” she describes. “These are separated with little 5 minute breaks in between of course- definitely try the Pomodoro method if you haven’t yet!” she adds.

The Pomodoro method is the practice of separating study sessions with short breaks. The most common approach to using the Pomodoro method is to study for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. After you’ve studied for two hours using this method, take a longer 15-20 minute break to recharge. Pomotodo is another option for an online study timer, if you want to try out the Pomodoro technique.

Study with Peers

Studying alone for long periods of time can be challenging, especially if your schedule includes some online classes. Switch things up by studying with friends! A classic library study session or studying with friends outside can boost your motivation, especially if you’re struggling to stay focused while studying alone.

If you don’t have access to study buddies in person, there are some alternatives. Many study creators like Galang livestream online study sessions for students to join. “Co-working sessions on live streams…seem to boost my productivity when I’m in a slump. I like hosting them on my TikTok and invite my followers to work with me using the Pomodoro method,” she details.

Another way to connect with other students online is through platforms like Study Together. Through Study Together, students can join live study sessions and take breaks with other students. You can also connect with students in your same major through the platform’s chat feature if you need advice or help studying for an exam. If you prefer to study solo and just need a tool to keep you accountable, Study Together also has features for you to time study sessions and set your goals, to help you stay focused.

Utilize the Internet Effectively

Over the past couple of years, there has been a big change in technology that is impacting the way people work: artificial intelligence. Better known as AI, artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT can be used to answer questions, brainstorm a list of ideas, and even write content. Naturally, you’re probably intrigued by this new online tool, but it’s important to understand how you can use AI to help you study- and how you shouldn’t use it.

First and foremost, NEVER try to use AI to write a paper for you. You may think this is an easy solution to getting your homework done, but 1) you’re not learning anything, and 2) teachers will know you used AI. Not only are there accessible systems that can detect signs of AI in content, but AI technology also has a very informal tone, so it probably won’t sound like you wrote it. Secondly, don’t use statistics from AI technology. AI tools don’t necessarily have accurate or up-to-date facts, so numerical information you get from them may be incorrect.

That being said, AI can be a useful tool when it comes to brainstorming ideas for a paper or project. Let’s say you were assigned a paper on an important woman in history. You could ask something like, “who are some of the most influential women in history?” to get ideas about who you could write about.

You can also use AI to further explore a concept you’re struggling with. For example, type “explain how to use the Pythagorean theorem” to get a review of that topic. Some tools even offer AI-generated quizzes on various topics. Finally, AI can be used to help you improve your study sessions. You could ask, “how can I remember what I’ve studied on test day?” or “what strategies can help with test anxiety?”

The best way to approach AI is to remember that AI can’t and won’t do everything for you. Using this technology effectively means knowing how it can further your knowledge and help you work more efficiently.

Using Study Tools to Help You

“You don’t need any fancy equipment or expensive apps to be a great student. Yes, some of it can be a great aid, but there are also free excellent resources out there,” Torres Ríos states. “To be a great student you only need the motivation to learn.”

Torres Ríos is right: you don’t need fancy technology to be a good student. However, there are plenty of affordable or free online tools that may help you stay organized, study better, and be more productive.

Staying driven can be especially challenging for students finishing out their college experience. Galang adds a few words of wisdom for finding motivation in your last years of college. “Senioritis is SO REAL! Create reward systems for yourself, stay on top of your schedule, and try not to let things slip,” she asserts. “The final years are stressful so be gentle with yourself, acknowledge the hard work you’ve put in through the years and finish strong academically!”

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Hailey Dickinson (she/her) is a creator passionate about using writing and digital platforms to build community, make connections, and ignite positive social change. She is a Communications Major with a social media emphasis at the University of Minnesota and will graduate in December 2023.