Study environment and habits

The study environment

Your study situation is influenced a lot by how well you know yourself. Learn to build on what works well and compensate for any possible shortcomings. If you know the way that you study best, you can influence how your studies go for you. Think back on the feedback you received from previous teachers. Also, try to remember an opportunity when your study techniques worked well or badly. What factors affected you then? Different environments can also provide different signals depending on what we usually do in a particular location, and that may affect you in different ways.

Here are some examples of factors that affect your studies:

• Environment: sound, temperature, light and interior design.
• Sociological: group work or working alone.
• Physiological: exercise, sleep, food and drink.
• Psychological: Are you analytical, reflective or impulsive?
• Emotional: Your motivation for the subject, your ability to work towards goals, short-term or long-term.

Habits

Think about what habits affect you negatively or positively and which you want to keep and which you want to change. Keep in mind that a habit is an automatic process that our brain has created to save time and energy and that it takes time to change habits. Just as we can create bad habits, we can also create good habits, and when we understand what's happening and why, then we can change what's not working. You only have to do something a sufficient number of times for the brain to understand that it's a new habit and something that is to be remembered. Having decided on something and thinking that it is possible are important factors for your success.