Study Habits That Actually Work!

Pinterest has SO many little tips and tricks to help with studying- USE THOSE RESOURCES GIRL!

Let’s get real- I’m not the girl waking up at 5 AM to do yoga, sip celery juice, and review 100 flashcards before sunrise. Slam bam heck no ma’am. I’m more of a “drag myself out of bed and open my laptop with one eye still closed” type of scholar 🥲✨

Luckily, I’ve found some study habits that actually help me feel sane, stay productive, and not cry into my notes every night. So if you’re tired but trying (hi, same), grab a drink and let’s do this thing together 🤍

🧠 1. I Study When My Brain Works, Not Just When I “Have Time”

Here’s your permission slip to stop forcing yourself to study at 8 PM just because your schedule says so. If your brain is ✨mush✨, nothing’s going in. Trust me.

Instead, I’ve learned to work with my energy, not against it. For me, my prime study hours are right after class (while it’s still fresh in my mind) and mid-morning after breakfast and scripture study. That’s when my brain is awake and my focus actually exists 😅

🌼 How to do it:

• Track your energy for a week! Note when you feel mentally sharp vs. when you hit a wall. Trying to study at 12am after a soothing shower probably is a great way to confuse your brain after calming it and getting ready to shut it down, then shoving an entire textbook into the schedule 10 mins after....

• Schedule your hardest assignments during your “golden hours.” When you feel most into that college core era.

• Keep easy tasks (like organizing notes or reviewing flashcards) for your low-energy time.

We’re not robots. Some days your best “study block” is 20 minutes with a granola bar and a messy bun. That still counts 💛

🕯️ 2. Romanticize Your Study Time (Yes, Really)

I fully believe in ✨setting the vibe✨ when I study. If I make it cute and cozy, I’m so much more likely to sit down and get stuff done. So I turn my space into a little Pinterest-inspired productivity corner.

🎀 My dream study setup:

• Soft lamp lighting only (no harsh overheads, thank u very much) I'm talking fairy light vibe.

• Lo-fi or classical piano playlist (sometimes my favorite movie soundtracks if I need a mood boost)

• Your go-to drink in a cute glass (hydrated + locked in= making Hermione proud)

• Fuzzy socks + oversized cardigan + clean desk = heaven

• My pens, sticky notes, and laptop all within reach so I don’t go “accidentally clean my entire kitchen” to avoid work 💀

P.S. You don’t need a fancy desk. When I am in my apartment, I'm usually on my bed with a lap desk, or curled up by the window with a blanket. Make it work for you!! Make it feel ✨safe and warm.✨

✍️ 3. I Use the Rule of 3 (It’s a Game-Changer)

Instead of making a 47-item to-do list that stresses me out, I pick 3-4 main tasks per day. That’s it. Three. Prioritizing my projects helps me feel more in control of what I have going on, and makes turning in my work more meaningful knowing I did my best.

📌 Today’s example:

1. Watch biology lecture + take notes

2. Submit my scripture study journal notes

3. Start my art project outline

If I finish those, I’m golden. Anything extra is a bonus star ⭐If I don’t? I still tackled the essentials on time—and that’s what matters.

Little rituals I do to make it feel fun:

• I write my 3 goals on a cute sticky note or in my planner

• I cross them off dramatically with my fave pen (yes, drama is necessary)

• I play a favorite song after each task—just me and the vibes 😌💃

💻 4. My Note-Taking System Is Messy, Real, and It Works

Pinterest notes? Beautiful. My notes? Organized chaos with just enough color and space to make it functional and not ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics 😌

📒 Here’s how I do it:

• During class or videos: I write messy, shorthand, arrows, abbreviations, and all.

• Later that day: I rewrite or type my notes into clean bullet points with little doodles or highlight sections by color (definitions = pink, examples = blue, etc.)

• I use Google Docs for digital notes, and if I’m feeling fancy, I’ll use Notion with aesthetic headers and emoji icons. It keeps me ✨motivated✨

💖 My favorite supplies:

• Mildliners (soft colors = cozy brain)

• Pilot G2 pens (clicky and smooth = dopamine)

• A grid notebook for diagramming things out visually

• Cute sticky tabs to mark where I left off or highlight important formulas

You don’t need perfect notes. You need notes that make sense to YOU!!

🧠 5. I Use Active Recall, Even When I Don’t Feel Like It (which is most of the time)

This method changed my whole study game.

Active recall = testing yourself instead of rereading passively. It’s annoying at first, but it works like magic for actually remembering things on test day.

🎓 How I do it:

• After reading a section, I cover my notes and try to explain it out loud

• I quiz myself using handmade flashcards or Quizlet(use your resources!!)

• I use Notion to make a cute Q&A study page with toggle answers

• Sometimes I teach the concept to my stuffed animals or my very confused fiancé. Don’t judge 😭

You will feel awkward. That’s how you know it’s working. It’s your brain doing reps 🧠💪 Just like going to the gym for the first time after a long vacation feels weird, that's how this will feel when you first start. But trust me- IT'S SO WORTH IT!!

🌈 6. I Take Guilt-Free, Soul-Filling Breaks

Please hear this: rest is part of studying!! If you never rest, your brain never resets—and then you end up crying over a discussion post at 11:57 PM. (Been there many times)

My go-to method is the 50/10 Rule: Study for 50 minutes, break for 10.

💗 Real break ideas (not just scrolling TikTok):

• Step outside and stretch your arms to the sky like a little sunflower 🌻

• Refill your water bottle (Hydration is hot- we love a hydrated baddie)

• Journal a gratitude list or pray. I find taking a moment to walk and pray helps not only clear my mind, but also clear up the anxieties stuck in my heart, allowing me to return to studying fully charged both physically and spiritually.

• Put on one upbeat song and dance it out- that old Taylor Swift song? grab your hairbrush and perform! Benson Boone's new hit? Volume ten, no shame.

• Text someone you love a sweet message- an act of service goes a long way!

• Sit in silence for 2 minutes with your eyes closed and breathe

You are a whole human being, not a study robot. Take breaks that fill you up ☀️

🙏 7. I Invite God Into My Study Sessions

Listen darling. God cares about your tests, your deadlines, and your 3 AM study stress. He doesn’t disappear when school(or life) gets hard. He’s right there with you, cheering you on—even when your brain is mush.

🕊️ Before I start, I say a quick prayer:

“Heavenly Father, help me focus. Help me understand. Help me use this time well, and rememeber the important concepts today to help me continue building my future, with You."

Sometimes I write a little scripture at the top of my study page or listen to quiet gospel music in the background. It brings a peace I cannot explain. Studying with Him changes everything.

☕ Final Thoughts from One Student to Another

You do not have to be perfect. You don’t need 5-hour study blocks or aesthetic notes or a 4.0 GPA to be proud of yourself. You just need habits that work for you. You need rest. You need grace. And maybe a milkshake in a mason jar with a cute straw 🥹💕

So here’s your game plan:✨ Romanticize it📚 Study when your brain’s ready📝 Make a short, realistic list🌼 Set a cozy vibe🧠 Use active recall🛁 Take real breaks🙏 And most importantly, let God be in the process too. He will help you achieve your goals greater than anyone else. Trust Him with your future, and walk in faith.

You’ve got this. I’m cheering for you. Go romanticize your homework like the main character you are 🎀💻📖