How to stay focused on studies

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Let's face it: I am a scatterbrain. My issues in college is not being able to keep up with the work, not understanding it and being Homer Simpson like in my studies.

What can I do to succeed? That's all I need to know, that and, who is in the same boat as me?

Ritalin? Seriously.

I'm trying to organize myself with an independent study. I manage to get work done but am always stressed because I think I end up doubling the effort just to keep up. I am doing research and I go into it with a plan, but when I get into the resources I feel like I am standing in a meteor shower with a goldfish net.

What I am doing to get through is:

I sometimes use a timer set to whatever I think I can work for - anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes. I break everything into chunks. If I can study 10, 15, 20 minutes here and there through the day and do that pretty much every day - it adds up.

I write down my priorities and actually put little boxes beside each item to check off as I go. Actually, this is really anal, but I put the boxes in sets of three and then draw a line between them with the word 'next' followed by the next three things. This is how I get through a day each and every day. Sometimes I scratch it out and start over - okay, more than "sometimes". My list might have: 20 minutes anthro review, stretch, start laundry - next - read chapter 5, have fruit snack, make bed - next - do 5 formulas, read next short section, water plants. So, yes. that is boring, but I intersperse some physical stuff with the mental stuff. You can see it adds up. It also pays off. I have *knock on wood* a very strong GPA. Whatever works.

Follow your syllabus and make your readings a priority. I make notes as soon as I stop reading to try to "fix" it in my head. I also keep an ongoing study sheet anticipating test questions and I commit 5 to 15 minutes a day to this. I find doing the readings half the battle because then when you have the lecture it is repetition and helps "fix" the ideas. Just break down the readings. One thing I find that helps, as I am so tactile, is that I do my reading on an elliptical machine. The exercise is good for the brain and I concentrate better. I even pace around the kitchen with my book in hand. You don't have to sit and study. Truth be told, I have sat in a dry bath tub with the curtain closed just to try a different 'spot' to get my writing going.

So, there's a few ideas. Little bits add up. Lots and lots of little bits. Your plan doesn't have to be conventional - have a little fun, too - if you read better hanging upside down off the couch, under a blanket with a flashlight, or with ACDC blaring in your headphones - play around and make the little bits you put together as comfortable as possible. Okay, I'll be quiet now. LM

Hmm.... a good start; that should help me a bit.

I hate it that I am scatterbrained. To me, a lot tend to goes in one ear and out the other.

Did you ever try recording your lectures? If you did this you could go through them later and take notes and keep rewinding if you miss something......though this can be VERY time consuming. You could also use it as a precaution (this is what I used to do) and record all lectures........if you know you tuned out at a certain point in the lecture......go back, find that part in the recording and re-listen to it. Most of the time if I was interested in the subject I had really good (better than average) concentration....I didn't take notes, just relied on my memory and did well (I also suck at taking notes). But some days I would just tune our completely or be completely distracted by something and then instead of missing a whole lecture I'd have a back-up. As for studying...if you tune-out just repeat what you "studied" when you tuned out........repeat, repeat, repeat......it'll get through eventually.

Good idea for recording, but where I am you have to get permission to record classes. Talk to your profs first. You can get a digital recorder pretty cheap that does a fine job. If you are registered with the disability department you may be entitled to having someone take notes for you and access other supports - they may even supply a digital recorder. If you are not registered, I suggest you talk to your profs directly. You might buddy up with a classmate as well - and study groups might be helpful as you are forced into a session of study.

Best of luck - LM