As finals week approaches, Bellarmine Lions are studying more than ever, preparing to demonstrate their knowledge across various media, including tests, projects, and presentations. No matter what these finals look like, they all require intense focus. However, after an entire semester of homework and studying, it becomes increasingly more difficult to sit down and work for hours at a time. For this reason, it’s important for students to either fall back on the habits that best help them stay focused or learn from their peers and try out new ones.
Many senior students voiced that their phone was a distraction while they worked, but cited different methods of overcoming this distraction. Aaron Barnhart shared his strategy for avoiding distraction. “How I stay focused when I’m distracted is I try not to give mind to these distractions—for example, I’ll just put my phone away if I think it’s distracting me…if I hear my family talking in the background, I’ll close my door, stuff like that. I try not to get distracted in the first place, but if I do I’ll take steps around them.”
Senior Gracie Nelson also described how she’s able to stick to a working mindset. “I just try to keep my phone off and maybe have a little sound machine going—just something that can help me focus. If I’m going home and I’m trying to study, I try staying in my school clothes so that I can stay in the school mindset, and I try to work at a desk so I’m not lounging or anything.” Both these strategies are excellent–one of the most important steps in setting yourself up for success is making sure that your environment is suitable for your goals.
Other students explained how they’re able to get themselves in the flow of working and not procrastinate. Cora Ecklund, junior, said that by taking a personal interest in her studies, she’s able to concentrate better. “I’m really motivated to get [my work] done,” she said, “and I really want to understand what I’m doing, which distracts me from being distracted. The whole time I’m doing my work, I’m curious about it, and I want to understand it and get it done so I can do other stuff. So I just think about that the whole time.” Ecklund’s strategy is also essential for information retention as a whole. Not only does taking the extra step to understand content help with eliminating distractions, but it also leads the information to “stick” in the brain better.
Another great tip comes from Grant Nelson, senior, who makes an effort to set deadlines for himself throughout the day: “I stay focused by putting my phone to the side and also planning things during the day, so I basically have to get it done or else I’ll mess up my grades. So, I’ll plan something at six, so I have to be done at a certain time, which gives me a deadline.” This is a great method to avoid procrastination and balance your schedule by prioritizing both work and having fun.
Through these interviews, it was evident that students are well set up for the finals season to come and are beginning to find a study routine that suits them. However, for anyone struggling to do the same, there’s always room for improvement.
