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With May’s assessment period in the midst your thoughts will no doubt be turning to revision and worrying about whether or not you’re prepared.
Revision is a key part of student life and in between lessons and socialising, you’ll spend a considerable amount of time at your desk.
However, revising in shared student accommodation can have its challenges, particularly if your housemates have a different schedule or attitude to revision than you.
That’s why it’s essential to take some time to create the perfect environment to revise in your student home in Leeds. If you’re looking for student revision advice, you’ve come to the right place. With the right plan you can create a peaceful yet productive zone that will make the whole revision process that little bit easier.
Have a dedicated workspace
As much as sitting on your bed with your laptop might feel comfortable, it’s not conducive to productive study time and you might end up with back or neck pain.
It’s much better to have a dedicated workspace so that there’s a clear distinction between study and free time.
The bedrooms in our student homes in Leeds all have desks and chairs. Make sure your work area is clear of clutter and that everything you need has a home within easy reach. Add a few touches to make it feel like a pleasant place to be, such as a houseplant, artwork or some photos that make you smile.
Position your workspace as close to natural light as you can to help you feel energised and prevent eye strain.
Make a revision plan
This is one of the more obvious bits of student revision advice, but it’s often overlooked. Creating a revision plan will help you stay focused and prevent you wasting time deciding what to do at each session.
Make sure your revision plan is realistic by considering your other commitments and the times of the day when you’re most productive.
Remove distractions
Even the best revision plans can be derailed by a constantly pinging phone. Turn the ‘do not disturb’ feature on your phone and place it on the other side of the room so you’re not tempted to reach out and check it sporadically.
Remove social media apps and news snippets from your search engine’s home screen, leaving only the websites you use for your revision. As an extra precaution, you can block your socials and other sites you find distracting on your search engine or use a dedicated app to help - Strict Workflow utilises the Pomodoro technique of 25 min work / 5 min break and blocks any websites you ask it to during your working time.
Take regular (quality) breaks
Whether you employ the Pomodoro technique or you favour a more fluid approach, it’s important to take regular breaks away from your desk. This means getting up and moving around, and if possible, getting some fresh air.
Don’t use your break time to scroll social media. When we stare at screens or books for a long time we often forget to blink, which can lead to dry and itchy eyes. Taking regular breaks away from screens helps to prevent this.
Agree revision ground rules
Some of us feel more productive in the morning while others like to burn the midnight oil. So, when it comes to revising in shared student accommodation, communication is key.
Whether you come up with dedicated study hours within your house or you agree loud music has to be kept to a minimum during certain hours, drawing up and respecting ground rules during this time will ensure that your shared student accommodation remains a pleasant and productive place to be.
Reward yourself
A productive revision session is worth celebrating! When you hit certain milestones make sure that you acknowledge your achievement and reward yourself for it.
Rewards are a great motivational tool and your subconscious will start to associate hard work with rewards. This could be something as simple as treating yourself to a takeaway coffee, a walk in the sunshine or an hour of trash TV.
Look after yourself and each other
When you’re firmly in the grasp of revision, you can often forget to nurture yourself.
Make sure you eat regular, nutritious meals and move your body as much as you can. Whether it’s a team sport, yoga class or simply a walk with friends, exercise provides a chance to stretch out, relieve stress and release some endorphins!
If you’re in shared student accommodation, take some time to check in with each other. Often, just a quick debrief can relieve some of the stress of revision and help you realise you’re not going through it alone.
If you’re looking for your ideal student home in Leeds, why not browse our current properties or get in touch on 0113 487 1573.