5 bad study habits to avoid (written by two
4th year nursing students)
As future health professionals, one of our
roles is to promote the health of the population as well as to prevent the risk
of illness and injury. As nursing students at uOttawa, we can also identify
with your experiences at the University. After completing 4 years of education
and having had a very busy schedule, we can very well understand the difficulty
of balancing student and personal life. This leads us to be more aware of the
good and bad habits that many students have developed throughout their studies.
We would like to share 5 study habits to avoid according to our experiences and
general knowledge. Each of these elements have an impact on one another.
1. All-nighters and lack of sleep:
During midterm and exam season, lack of
time becomes a common problem. Responsibilities, tasks and social activities
often take over, which leaves us with just a few hours to study before an exam.
These condensed hours can lead to all-nighters and over time, can have a
negative impact on our sleeping habits. Our body needs rest before an exam
because sleep helps us process and retain information learned during the day.
This information then gets classified & stored which is really important to
recall certain details when we need to. When we have long study sessions, our
brain can only retain the general basis of the information. On the other hand,
several small study sessions allows us to retain even more details on the
subject being studied.
2. Energy drinks:
Students tend to consume energy drinks to
stimulate their brain, increase energy and improve concentration. Continuous
stimulation of the brain, in such a manner, increases the risk of dependence. Additionally,
energy drinks contain a lot of harmful chemicals that can negatively impact
your health such as cardiac arrest, increased anxiety, insomnia, headaches,
addiction, etc.
3. Junk food:
Lack of time, laziness or lack of knowledge
tends to lead to poor eating habits. Fast food contains many empty calories, high
levels of fat, sugar and salt. The body needs a good source of energy to support its daily functioning. If the
body does not have the proper nutrients to digest, it will tire more, which
will have a direct impact on concentration and studying.
4. Distractions:
The environment is a factor underestimated
by most students. Distraction influences study time and quality of learning. It
is important to eliminate all forms of distractions such as mobile devices,
television, computers, etc. when you are trying to focus on your notes. Be sure
to study in a quiet environment to minimize things that may occupy your
attention.
5. Lack of structure:
Time management is essential in the life of
a university student, hence the importance of creating a weekly schedule. This
allows one to balance periods of study, rest, physical activity, social and
family activities, etc. A table or agenda could be used to structure your
weeks. Good time management will reduce stress, which can promote better
learning during study sessions.
M.F
& N.H