7 Simple ways to get back to study mode after the holiday

The struggle is real. As the holiday wraps up, international students will soon be back on campus. This means no more sleeping in or Netflix (ok, maybe still a bit of Netflix), a lot of assignments, and learning how to get back into study mode.

Does uni sound a million light years away from you? If you're currently feeling like an extra from The Walking Dead, these simple ways to reset your body and mind after a long holiday will help you feel like yourself again.

Get into your normal sleep pattern

Still finding yourself looking at memes or funny videos at 3 am? Time to get back into your normal sleeping routine. This is not going to happen overnight, so start going to sleep earlier and setting the alarm at an earlier time the week or so before you head back to studying and classes. You will find your days are getting longer and you have so much more time to do the things you have yet to tick off before holiday ends.

Stay healthy

You need to put an end to the days of eating junk food in front of the TV. Getting into a healthier diet and lifestyle will help you regain the energy needed for the new semester. Had too much fried chicken during the holiday? Start hitting these markets with the freshest produce to prepare a healthy home-cooked meal. Hardly burned any calories in a while? Be inspired by these cheap ways to exercise in Brisbane.

Set realistic goals for the new semester

Keep yourself motivated by coming up with a list of why you’re studying. Choose a few important study goals, but be realistic. Prioritise what is really important to you this year, and focus on that.

Use a Planner or Calendar

It's time to get serious about studying. When you receive your class schedule, start figuring out when the high-pressure points of the year are going to occur, and think about how you are going to manage the workload. This will also help you know when you have more time to relax, and when you really need to be hitting the books.

Baby steps - gradually increase your study time

As do most things in life, getting back into study mode after a long break takes time. If you try too hard to immediately launch into a five-hour study session, you may find yourself on a fast track to burnout. Ease into it.

Create a better study environment

Declutter your desk, get rid of the junk food wrappers accumulating around the computer (you’re not a high school student anymore, come on) and vacuum once in a while. Nobody expects you to have a totally-clean study environment, but if your study space is too cluttered you can end up losing important documents and wasting time searching for them.

If you still can’t focus, try going outside. Enjoy the natural sounds in Brisbane’s parks, drop into the library or study on location in one of many Brisbane's many cafes.

Find a study buddy

Still not quite there? You’re definitely not alone. A study buddy or a group of friends who are going through the same thing can help when you’re not feeling motivated enough. You don’t have to actually sit together and study the same things, as long as you can check in on each other from time to time to see if you have hit your goals. If you’re struggling to motivate yourself, try motivating someone else and have them do the same for you in return.

If all else fails...

Check out the on-campus resources like student counselling. Don’t be embarrassed, you aren’t the first struggling student they have dealt with and you won’t be the last. What may be a crisis for you may just be a Tuesday to them. Breathe. It’s OK, you can do this.