How to Optimize Your Homework Sessions Ask any student what one of their least favorite parts about school is, and you’ll probably hear “homework” mentioned more than a few times. Nobody actually enjoys doing homework, however, it does serve a valuable educational purpose. Homework allows students to reinforce whatever concepts they were learning in the classroom, and also prepares them for exams, tests, quizzes, etc., in addition to many other benefits. Whether you’re brand new to the college world, or you’re a senior ready to graduate and move on to the corporate jungle, chances are that you have more homework than you know what to do with. This is one of the many problems that college students face, and it’s only been compounded in recent years thanks to the internet becoming such a major force in society. There’s nothing that’s quite as distracting to a student as the internet. This is especially true in 2020, with nearly all college students having 24/7 access to the internet, social media, entertainment, etc., all from the device that fits snugly into their pockets. Yes, the internet has done wonders for making education more engaging and accessible, especially to students who can’t afford traditional education, however, it’s also developed into one monster of a distraction. It should come as no secret then, that the internet is one of the more double-edged swords when it comes to homework optimization. Below we detail some of the ways that you can take advantage of the internet, as well as some of the ways that you can minimize those pesky internet-based distractions. The World Wide Web As An Educational Resource Many students use the web for learning purposes, but even more, students use the web for social media, movies, TV shows, etc., and lots of them do that while they’re supposed to be studying. This section isn’t about distractions, though. What it’s about is utilizing the internet to your advantage during your homework sessions. For example, if you need help in a special topic that’s tough for you to understand on your own, you can go to the site of Homework Helper or use any number of similar platforms. What’s great about these types of websites is that you can choose from countless tutors and experts to assist you with your homework. It’s sort of like having your very own PhD-level tutor with you 24/7. Simply put, it’s an excellent way to optimize your homework sessions (especially for those classes that are a little more difficult to follow). Cut the Distractions Out of Your Life Not only are distractions incredibly, well, distracting, they’re also a major hindrance to your overall success as a student. How many hours do you spend per day wasting time on distractions? How many of those distractions are on the internet? If you’re anything like 99% of people in this world, the answer to both of those questions is most likely a little sobering. In order to truly get the most out of your study sessions (as well as homework sessions), you need to be cutting away any and all distractions, whenever and wherever possible. This ties into the fact that you should also be studying/doing homework in a dedicated workspace that’s quiet, focused, and free of external distractions. Most students like to go to the library for these reasons, and we recommend going anywhere that you feel can provide you with a dedicated, quiet environment specifically for working on your studies. Avoid places like coffee shops, or busy cafes, because even though other people might be working there, they’re almost always distracting to the point of being obnoxious. Plan Your Sessions Those who fail to plan, plan to fail. That’s how the saying is supposed to go, anyway. For the most part, it’s true. If you don’t have a plan going into your study session, you’re most likely going to waste time floundering around figuring out what to do, what to study, which order to study in, etc. You should never underestimate the importance of a solid plan. Planning allows you to set goals, and figure out how to reach those goals. This is another major tip that most students fail to realize; they’re not setting goals. You should go beyond setting broad goals like “I want to do better in school.” Rather, you should work on setting goals such as “I want to have a 4.0 GPA and ace every single biology test.” That’s a lot more specific, and the more specific a goal is the greater chance you have of reaching it.
