[strugglingteen]

I'm having problems concentrating while studying. Anyone have any tips that could help?

[alicetailor]

Try to develop interest in the subjects by watching interactive tutorial videos and taking up quizzes. This will help you stay engrossed.

[Nike007]

Hello. I hope I'm not too late on this since I just finished my last exam of the year, so I probably am. I'll list 10 types to help concentrate on studying. I'll post the link where I got it from at the bottom.
-Set a routine and stick to it
-Find a good place to study like a quiet place
-Turn off ALL electronics, or get an app that can block certain websites during study periods if a computer is needed
-Establish priorities
-Don't type up notes, handwrite them because you remember more and are more engaged
-Use website blockers, software blockers, and time trackers
-Say "no" to activities that mess up your schedule (like don't go to a party when you should be studying)
-Set reminders to study
-Schedule distractions after a hour of studying (like 10 mins) or a 5 min break every 25 minutes
-Reflect on how much you have accomplished for your studying, and make adjustments if needed

All the above tips were found here: 10 Ways To Tune Out Distractions & Focus on Your Studies

Good luck :-).

[Strive4health]

One thing that's helped me is to be disciplined-- as in very disciplined. Treat your study schedule like a job-- and every time you miss studying, or make a last minute change, impose time on yourself to catch up on studying. Reward yourself from studying by putting in a small amount of money into a piggy bank, like $1-2 each time you successfully stay focused and devote the time. At the end of term, reward yourself with the money by getting a special treat. I find when I reward myself for my hard work, it becomes easier to concentrate because I become fine-focused.

I'd like to ask, are you currently experiencing depressive symptoms? If so, it could be a reason why it's hard for you to concentrate.

[posterestante]

I struggle with much more than just concentration. It helps me indeed if i'm interested in the subject but it's not that simple.

Pomodoro is cool. There are many apps in Google play. My favourite is pomodoro challenge. Also try raise the bar app.

Since yesterday i'm trying Marvel piano premium and it's cool as It seems to put my brain on the right track.

Unfortunately there is nothing better for concentration as to turn off your comp for at least two weeks and be diligent in your concentration training. Instant culture isn't always the solution

[KarenSue]

My suggestion does not respond to your concentration question, but thought I'd share something that helped me study for tests. I had a full-time job, married w/1 child when I went to college, so very busy with lots of interruptions..

I would purchase a spiral bound set of index cards. I would basically use them as flash cards. Ex: Geology. On one side of a card I'd write "igneous rock" and the other side "Rocks formed by the cooling and solidifying of molten materials. Igneous rocks can form beneath the Earth's surface, or at its surface, as lava." and so on, depending on the subject.

I would then carry it with me everywhere. I'd pull it out and read it during traffic or sitting in a long line at the fast food restaurant, etc.

This won't work for some subjects but will for many. That study technique helped me squeeze in studying in small blocks of time.

Hope this technique helps some study, as it did for me.

[Miswimmy1]

Honestly - developing study habits is something that takes time and practice. As someone with ADHD, I am still trying to ingrain good study habits haha Some things that I have found to be helpful:

- Make lists. Just make a huge big list of all the things that you need to/want to get done. It helps to get everything out there where you can see it.
- Prioritize. Take your list and figure out which things have deadlines and how importance each thing is (e.g. you might want to set aside more time to study for next week's exam that is worth 40% of the final grade than the optional homework assignment due the next day that is worth 2 extra credit points).
- Break up each assignment into manageable chunks. I do well when I can move from one thing to another. However, for some people, completely switching gears midway through an assignment is harder than just pushing through.
- Take breaks
- Make sure that you are eating, drinking water, and taking some time to get some fresh air and/or exercise.
- Get enough sleep

[Eleora]

I think over time everyone develops their own habits and way to stay focused while studying.

Removing distractions, breaking up studying into chunks, taking breaks in between those chunks, choosing an environment conducive to studying, and coming up with practice questions are the main ways that I stay focused while studying.

Originally Posted by KarenSue

My suggestion does not respond to your concentration question, but thought I'd share something that helped me study for tests. I had a full-time job, married w/1 child when I went to college, so very busy with lots of interruptions..

I would purchase a spiral bound set of index cards. I would basically use them as flash cards. Ex: Geology. On one side of a card I'd write "igneous rock" and the other side "Rocks formed by the cooling and solidifying of molten materials. Igneous rocks can form beneath the Earth's surface, or at its surface, as lava." and so on, depending on the subject.

I would then carry it with me everywhere. I'd pull it out and read it during traffic or sitting in a long line at the fast food restaurant, etc.

This won't work for some subjects but will for many. That study technique helped me squeeze in studying in small blocks of time.

Hope this technique helps some study, as it did for me.

i so wish i was told about this one when i was at school.

very useful indeed!

I know of a former classmate who'd make a list of Latin words and their translation and paste it to the wall of the toilet room, so she could read them while doing her business.

[lona3]

Try to imagine how you can use the information in real life, it keeps you more engaged and makes you feel like you're actually studying something useful.

[spondiferous]

okay so, i just can't sit still and have no patience, but i still manage to get straight A's (even at university level). what i can say is, it IS important to have good study habits but to keep in mind that this will look different for everyone. figure out what your strengths are and play them up. for example, i can memorize things for short-term fairly easily. this can be useful for exams. no amount of being interested in something is going to help me remember all of it long term, and let's face it, exams are not based on helping us remember; they're cruel and usual punishment most of the time, unless it's a practical exam or a theoretical exam to test knowledge for a specific trade (i.e. social work, nursing, engineering, etc).

for exams, i usually start making notes. i go through the material that will be tested and write out all the important things in shortest form (shortest form being whatever i will readily recognize without having to read an entire paragraph for) on a separate piece of paper. Depending on time and motivation I may do the entire list at once. Then I go through it a section at a time and memorize it. Sometimes I don't do anything until the day before and morning of, and I study it and go over it in my head over and over and over until it isn't humanly possible to forget. Now, I have OCD, so this works really well for me because that's what my mind does anyway.

for papers/essays, i start as soon as possible. if it's based on literature, i read the book or whatever it is i'm writing on and i just start writing out my thoughts on it (not in first person, of course). i don't worry about quotes or word count or even formatting. i just get words on paper because that's the part most people struggle with. if i'm not satisfied with my thesis i just leave it and go back to it because i find that the process of writing the paper itself actually clarifies the point i'm trying to make and then i can go back and make it a lot more solid afterward. it also helps frame my conclusion. once i have the body i go through the literature, pull out the more relevant quotes and do a bibliography as I incorporate them.

After that it's edit, edit, edit: for clarity, grammar, structure, etc. I use a style guide every time I write a paper;Ii never take anything for granted, I never leave anything to chance. there are learning and writing centres at every college and university and they're free; use them if grammar and structure are something you struggle with. There are also usually tutorials on how to become a better academic researcher/writer. If it's something important and you plan on going far in school, take them. You can't lose.

My biggest challenge is energy, and by extension, motivation. Once I actually get doing it I'm just fine. Most people would balk at my study methods but they work for me. When are you at your most alert during the day? Do your studying then. One suggestion a professor gave the school during orientation, at the first school I attended, was to donate time every day to studying because for each course you take you should be prepared to put in a minimum of three additional hours a week studying/reading (emphasis on 'minimum'). Some classes assign a buttload of reading and it'll be more than that. But just do your best, not someone else's best. If you are really struggling, reach out for help at your school. That's what it's there for.

Basically my point is, I also have a hard time concentrating, and there's no way I could sit down and study every day like some people can. Some days I can do it, some not. This is what works for me. Try a few things out and see what happens.

Hope it helps. Good luck!