Studying is an inevitable part of the Choate experience, but we can all agree that being productive is sometimes challenging. As if it is not hard enough to manage the homework of five to six classes, most students also balance sports practices or rehearsals and attending several clubs with socializing and having fun. Nonetheless, studying remains a top priority. The following tips and tools make studying more efficient and enjoyable for Choate students.
Change in Venue
The first tip suggests a change in venue. Simeon Levesque ’25 expressed the importance of studying in different places. He explained, “If you’re just grinding away at one location for any given amount of time, it’s going to get monotonous.” For this reason, he highly recommends spending time studying outside of the dorm. The Library, Lanphier, Student Activities Center (SAC) study rooms, and outdoors (when the weather is nice enough) are all great places to get work done while enjoying a change in scenery. When asked how he does this, Levesque said, “I’m an academic weapon. So, I am in the library every night, 7:00-9:30 p.m., and then I move to a different location and just keep studying.”
Study Music
A tool that many Choate students use to study is music. Charlotte Flynn ’25 shared that using her headphones helps her eliminate distractions. She said, “Music is a really great way for me to escape from what’s around me while I am studying.” This can be useful to drown out background noise, to find motivation through the upbeat music, or to make completing an assignment more exciting. “I find that because there are so many different genres of music that I can listen to, it helps to set whatever mood I might be looking for,” Flynn added.
Time Management
Successful study habits involve managing one’s time efficiently. Racquel Welcome ’24 said, “It’s really easy to get overwhelmed with all your work, but if you schedule it throughout your day, it feels much more manageable.”
Using a planner or to-do list is a great way to keep track of tasks, and scheduling time throughout the week to work on long-term assignments can decrease stress and improve quality of work.
Another element of enhancing time management is to start early. This has a wide range of applications, from reading textbooks to writing essays and studying for tests. Even if one works for only a few minutes in advance, starting early can offer an accurate sense of how much work is left to be done and help make a practical and efficient plan.
Ryan Yang ’23 said, “I try to get a first version done quickly, whether it’s a first draft or a skim read of a reading, and I find that splitting the task in half helps me process the information better.” Especially for long-term projects like essay writing, taking a first step at the beginning is proven to make the consequential steps easier, even when the total hours of work end up summing up to the same number.
Every student practices their own study tools and tips, but it is helpful to learn from peers to lower stress levels and increase productivity.
