4 Reasons Why it Can be Hard to Revise

Now that the Spring term is in full swing, have you gotten back into a normal routine? If not, it’s important to identify what’s causing this so you can get back to your revision and studies. It’s completely normal to feel anxious and to struggle with motivation, especially during this time of year. Below, we look at 4 possible reasons why someone can struggle to get into a normal, healthy routine, and what can be done about this.

1. Denial

It can be hard to face reality, especially after the hype of the Christmas holidays. It’s extremely common to experience a sense of denial as your schedule fills up once again and your responsibilities begin piling up in front of you. It can be tricky to start revising and preparing for your exams and course work when you feel like this.

So how do you deal with it?

Though revising can be a really daunting thing, deep down, you know that the earlier you start, the better. By starting to revise as soon as you can, you will ease the pressure and have more time for breaks and rest as you go along. Your motivation is more likely to be higher and you will also feel more confident going into your exams, since your brain won’t be racing around and telling you that you didn’t start revising early enough. Studying with friends can also help with this.

2. Procrastination

This is probably one of the most difficult hurdles to overcome. After giving your brain time to relax from your studies, it can be extremely hard to get it back into gear. It’s common to struggle with an intense wave of procrastination, where you physically feel like you can’t and don’t want to get back into revising and studying in the new term.

What can help with this?

Try writing to-do lists and set goals for yourself. It could also be helpful to fill out a timetable for yourself including all of your exams, lectures, meetings and hand-in dates. This can really help get your brain in gear without over stimulating it with hours of revision. Creating lists, timetables and written goals can also help you be more excited about the year and might even give you a kick of motivation. Additionally, the act of finishing a goal or ticking something off gives your brain a healthy dose of success and satisfaction, which then helps you gain confidence and energy to keep going.

3. Panic

Something else you might experience is a sense of panic as you get back into university life and your weekly workload. Sometimes when we first look at our exams, projects and all the work we have yet to do, it can be extremely overwhelming and even disheartening, and it’s then very easy to give up before we’ve even started. Sometimes we don’t start revising early enough or put certain things off unnecessarily, but this is not the end of the world and you can get on top of your studies again.

What should you do?

Similar to the previous issue, it’s massively helpful to sit down and plan ahead. It can be so overwhelming to keep all of your ideas, plans and dates all in your head, so make sure you bring them out either on paper or in digital form. When you have big projects coming up, it can be extremely helpful to create specific plans for that project, whether that’s creating a timeline of events and goals, mapping out your ideas or creating lists to ensure you deliver all of the desired criteria. This applies to exams as well; by creating a revision plan you can ensure that you are revising all the sections that you know are important.

We commonly panic when we haven’t truly assessed our situation, which can then make us feel like our heads are no longer above water. By planning everything out, you can physically see what you have to do and that it is possible to finish it all before your fast-approaching due dates and exam dates.

4. Burnout

Getting back into normal university life can be tiring, so much so that you might feel like you’ve lost all your energy. With the intense workflow and being thrown back into university life, burnout is a common issue. It can be difficult to avoid, particularly when assignments begin piling up without your control and you need to start juggling several things at once.

How do you get through it?

Though burnout is very common, this doesn’t mean there is no way to get out of this phase. Rest is a huge factor. With our busy lives, it’s extremely important to ensure you are taking time for yourself, whatever that looks like. It’s also vital to separate yourself from your work when you are done for the day, whether that’s seeing friends, having alone time, exercising, watching films or taking a walk. Make sure you disconnect from your assignments when you are done, otherwise you could start feeling overwhelmed and uninspired. University work is extremely important and should be a main focus, but people do their best work when they are also taking care of themselves day to day.

Relief and satisfaction

Once you’ve handed in your assignments and finished your exams, you should feel a huge amount of relief and satisfaction. It’s important to remember that the stress and anxiety you feel about your studies is only short-term, and as long as you take appropriate measures to combat the issues listed above, you can definitely make it through your revision. If you feel like you need help, your tutors are also there when you need it, so don’t be afraid to talk to them about what you need to improve on for future projects and exams. Most importantly, make sure you enjoy the good moments; they keep you going through the harder times.

Remove the Stress of Accommodation

A big source of stress for many students is finding somewhere to live during the next academic year. Like with many things, the sooner you get this sorted, the less stressed you’ll be later. You’ll also have a much bigger choice if you start looking now. At Unihousing, we have a number of student houses and studios that are suitable for those attending the University of Birmingham. Fully furnished and fitted with everything a student could need, don’t miss out on finding your ideal student accommodation.