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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Avoid Procrastination, Enjoy College

You can see your next exam on the horizon. When do you start studying? For some, studying starts immediately after the previous test finished. For others, it’s the day before, some prefer the day of, and the true masters of procrastination can be found studying literally the last few minutes before the test gets handed out. How does that saying go? “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” So how can you prepare for the next exam before it’s too late and actually get the grade you wanted? Here are some study tips from houstonianonline.com to help you stay on track and battle procrastination.
  1. Plan your school work ahead of extracurricular activities. If you spend all your free time pursuing extracurriculars and neglecting the actual education you set out to achieve, then you can’t be surprised when your midterm grade is a D but your extreme Frisbee throw is spot-on. They’re called extracurricular because they are extra, as in school first, play after. It’s a simple concept but there are plenty of distractions. Prioritizing can be an easy way to pick the activities you want to commit to and budget time for studies.
  2. Schedules make it easy. Scheduling your time is a great way to both keep an eye on upcoming project, exam dates, and other academic responsibilities. This makes it easy when planning for a fun outing because you know what’s already ahead of you coming up. When you get your syllabus, pencil in important dates to a calendar or use a schedule/calendar app on your phone. It’s all about seeing into the future so nothing sneaks up on you and you’ll know when you have free time to devote an afternoon to Pinterest.
  3. Provide yourself with incentives. If you’re having a hard time finding motivation beyond your rising GPA and pride in your work, set small goals for your study times and rewards for after. Your reward can be 15 min of TV, a sweet treat, or 10 min to close your eyes and listen to music.
  4. Start studying early to de-stress your life.  If you start studying a couple weeks before the test, you won’t be so stressed the night before.  You will feel more prepared and surer of yourself right before the big day. It’s easy to say you have plenty of time now until the test sneaks up on you and it’s the next day. Do yourself a favor and start early, even a little but stretched over a few weeks beats cramming in one night.
  5. Remember why you’re here.  Everyone starts their pursuit hoping one day to receive a degree.  They want this degree to further whatever great career they have in mind. So our grades should be the most important thing in our life. With that said, remember to have fun and the best way to have fun is to quit procrastinating.
Rue Education understands busy working adults think they don’t have time to go back to school and earn their degree. That’s why Rue Education backs their adult learners up with an Academic Support Team. Hopeful nurses that thought they never had time to earn their RN degree due to their busy family lives and work schedules now have a chance to be RNs. Rue Education also understands that online study can be intimidating, which is why we have academic advisors with you from your first day until you pass your state board exam. You’ll also get support from other graduates that have used Rue’s system.  Maybe you’ve been thinking about earning your nursing degree, and are open to completing it in a new way that works into your busy schedule. Having a little help getting started might be the only thing you need. Give Rue Education a call if you’re ready to transition to RN and see how easy it can be!