Tips & Tools
Getting Organized

Getting Organized

Getting Organized

Preparing for Studying

Before you make a plan to study, think about how much study time is expected of you. Find your syllabus and take a look at how much study time is expected of students during the week. When you know what is expected of you, it will be easier to come up with your study plan.

Planning When to Study

Next, make a plan for the timing of your study sessions. You definitely have other classes, meetings, practices, and rehearsals that you will need to work around, so think about:

  • What are the chunks of time you know you have free that you could use for language study?
  • You will get the most out of a consistent study time, so once you decide on a schedule, block out those times and do not schedule any classes or meetings that conflict with them. There will inevitably be weeks when you have to reschedule, but you have the best chance of achieving an uninterrupted study hour if you treat it like your other academic obligations.
  • If you are available at multiple times of day, think about when your brain works best. In the morning, afternoon or evening? Before or after you eat?

Planning Study Space

During your study sessions, you will need to read, write, and speak aloud. It is essential that you study somewhere you can comfortably speak without distracting others or being distracted:

  • If you usually study in a shared space with friends or roommates, consider relocating for language study so that you have the space to speak freely.
  • If you like to have other study tools available, such as a whiteboard or a desktop computer, plan accordingly.
  • Find out if you can reserve a classroom or a room in the library.

Study Materials

For your study sessions, think of what you will need beyond pen, paper, and your textbook:

  • Will you need a box of index cards to store your flashcards?
  • Do you need highlighters and small sticky notes/tabs to help you find information in your book?

Consider how you will do listening activities: Your listening materials are an essential component of your studying.

  • Are the audio files for your book on a CD or online? If your computer doesn’t have a CD drive, you might want to invest in an external CD drive or use a different computer when you do listening exercises.
  • Depending on the format of your CD, you could also try moving the files onto your computer.

If you use flashcards, take notes, or use other materials online or on your phone, make a plan to keep your devices distraction-free while studying:

  • Turn off notifications on your phone. On your laptop, use a program that temporarily blocks access to websites that take your focus away from your work.
  • Make sure that the time, place, and materials for studying work well together. If you plan to study in a location besides your room, you might need to bring your textbook, notebook, maybe your laptop, and anything else you need with you to other classes and commitments.
  • You will need to make sure the location you plan to study in is free of distraction during the time of your studying. This is particularly important if you live with other people or if you want to study in a shared space.