Change the Way You Think About Study
How I went from hating study to being a perpetual student
This is my 8th year of tertiary study. If you include school, that’s 21 years of my life spent in education. Of course, when I was 7-years-old I wouldn’t really call what I was doing ‘study’, but however you spin it… that’s a lot of studying! More than that, four of those years were spent in a teaching degree. Not only have I done a lot of learning, I’ve done learning on how to learn. Why does all this matter? Well, I spent a large portion of those years not enjoying what I was doing. Thinking of study as a chore, not engaging in it but whinging about it. But the last few years, I’ve chosen to continue studying because I’ve come to genuinely enjoy it (so much so I’m now doing a PhD).
Perhaps this is something you’ve struggled with. Whether it’s motivation to finish a degree, getting through those last gruelling years of high school, or deciding to do further study later on in life. If I can change the way I thought about study, you can too!
Stop complaining.
I’m sure you hate me already, but hear me out. I do not mean it won’t be hard, and you shouldn’t express those frustrations and struggles. My experience of study has been that everyone in the same position only ever talks about the problems. They whine about the assignments, the content, the lectures, every little thing that makes it what it is. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of complaining right alongside them. But often the reality is, you chose that subject or degree because there was something in it that interests you. Find that thing! You are allowed to be interested in what you’re learning, and talk positively about those things. Everything improves when you realise there’s actually value in what you’re doing.
If there are genuine problems, complain… but to the right person. Give feedback at the end of the semester, talk to a teacher or tutor if there’s an issue, express your struggles with someone you trust.
Start planning.
Planning has, without a shadow of a doubt, changed my life. It’s become my absolute favourite part of my week/morning, and it means I actually do what I plan to do the majority of the time. It means I know when I must complete a task, or when I can allow it to drop to next week’s to do list if I need some time for self care.
The most difficult thing about planning is the self-awareness required. You need to know what is a realistic goal for the way you work. For some, setting aside 2 whole days to do an assignment is perfect. You prefer smashing it out. Others might prefer two weeks, chipping away half an hour a night. You might need to work in the morning vs evening. This bit takes some trial and error. As you realise what you are capable of and chunk up what you need to do into realistic tasks, study seems so much more… achievable!
Make it a priority.
This can be more or less difficult, depending on how many other commitments you have (family, work, etc.). One of the things that made study the least enjoyable, was when I didn’t care about it. When I didn’t care, I didn’t try. When I didn’t try, I didn’t do well. When I didn’t do well, I thought I was no good at it. When I thought I was no good, I decided there was no point in trying. Do you see? It’s a vicious cycle. I don’t mean to say that you should put it above every other thing, but ensure that there is space in your life to prioritise study as needed. If there isn’t, a decision has to be made. You could remove a hobby for a time, reduce an entertainment outlet that eats up time, or consider dropping your study load.
Here’s the harsh reality. A 3-point article is never going to give you all the answers, and I won’t pretend it will. You might need to ask for support if you’re struggling academically, or seek tools to manage anxiety associated with study. Study may not even be the right path for you, which is not a bad thing in any way. But if you know you at least want to try studying, but are struggling with motivation, these are simple changes you can make in how you think about it.
