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How to Make Studying Fun and Less Stressful?

How to Make Studying Fun to Keep You Motivated

Studying for a test or exam can be intense. You will experience study burnout if you don’t try to lighten up and relax during the process. Learning how to make studying fun is an important skill that all students can benefit from. Not only will it make your study times less of an ordeal, it will also help you maintain better mental health. As a result, you should be able to concentrate more and anticipate your test with a better attitude.

1. Play Mood-Boosting Study Music

Studying in dead quiet can be unnerving. Pretty soon you find yourself either paranoid and looking over your shoulder every two minutes, or you wake up with your nose squashed against your textbook. Play some tunes to keep up your spirits while you hit the books. Songs without lyrics are usually the best for studying. Choose a genre that relaxes and doesn’t annoy you. For some people, classical music helps to soothe and inspire. For others, playing video game music with a fun beat that goes on and on is what makes studying enjoyable.

Students in a study group with computersSource: Unsplash

2. Get a Study Buddy

Are you a social person? Then, don’t punish yourself by studying alone. Make studying a group effort. You can find classmates who are studying for the same exam and quiz each other, or you can enlist a friend or sibling to help you study. Choose someone who likes to make you laugh, but make sure the two of you can stay on a topic most of the time.

Here are two strategies to make studying with a friend more engaging:

  • Make a list of questions and answers for your study buddy to quiz you on. Reward each other with food when you get all of the correct.
  • Teach your friend the material. This helps you understand it a new way, and your friend learns something interesting in the process.

3. Feel Comfortable in Your Clothes

Many people overlook this basic tip on how to make studying fun. Wear clothes that you absolutely love. Check out this article about dopamine dressing. It shows how certain styles, colors, and textures change you on a psychological level. You can actually dress in a way that triggers happy and inspiring feelings, making it easier for you to stay focused and happy while studying.

4. Inspire Yourself with New Pens and Pencils

Getting something new is a great way to motivate yourself to do anything, including studying. You don’t want to spend an extravagant amount of money to help you study for an exam, but there are simple little things you can buy for yourself, like writing utensils. Ditch the boring #2 yellow pencils and opt for something more exciting, such as a classically-styled fountain pen, a collection of rainbow-colored marker pens, a quill feather pen, or a big box of sharpened colored pencils.

Student makes studying fun by color coding notesSource: Unsplash

5. Make Your Notes Look Amazing

Do you take notes as part of your study routine? Enjoy the process of writing notes by making it look spectacular and memorable. This can be accomplished a number of ways, including:

  • Use a beautiful style of calligraphy
  • Write headings or important facts in graffiti-style block letters
  • Embellish your notes with visuals and drawings
  • Create a comic strip of yourself studying for the test
  • Color code your notes

6. Turn Study Time into a Fun Challenge

Challenges are a great way to motivate yourself to study more. Challenge yourself to learn all the facts on one page, and then reward yourself with a study break, a snack, or something else that you love. If your studying consists of reading books over a certain period of time, challenge yourself to complete a set amount of pages in a set amount of time. When you reach your goal, you win!

Learn more ways to beat stress during exams.

7. Break Up Your Study Time with Other Fun Activities

If you have a lot to accomplish over the weekend, how do you make studying fun instead of tiresome? Keep study burnout from occurring by breaking up your study time into manageable time periods. For example, spend half an hour studying, and then go for a walk around the block. Return to studying for another 45 minutes, and then make yourself a healthy lunch. Study for an hour, and then watch a new episode of your favorite show. The key is to always return to your studies. This requires a bit of discipline, but it does make long periods of studying easier to handle.

8. Try a Study App

Study apps are created to help you enjoy studying. Find one that makes you smile or keeps you motivated. Here are a few examples:

  • Evernote is great for keeping you organized.
  • Quizlet is widely used and has the potential to make studying easier and more enjoyable.
  • Think in new ways with Xmind.
  • Dictate your notes using Dragon.
  • Help keep track of all your tests and exams with the free Exam Countdown app.

9. Find a YouTube Video that Helps You Understand Challenging Information

Learning styles differ from person to person. Some people study well with pen and paper, others learn better from listening. Utilize the technology that is available to you. There are YouTube videos for practically anything, so if you need a better understanding of Java for your computer science course or you are writing a paper about learning theories for your Master of Education degree, somebody has probably made a video to help you out.

10. Go Old School with Homemade Flashcards

Flashcards are an old-fashioned solution how to make studying interesting. For generations, students have benefited from copying down notes and facts on notecards and using them to quiz themselves. For added interest and fun, choose brightly colored notecards or write with colored markers on plain cards. The process of making the flashcards and the games you can make once they are finished help you remember your material in a fun way.

Now that you know how to make studying fun, check out this article about finding a fun and rewarding career.

If you are looking for an accredited online program to advance your career path, choose University of the People. We offer a number of online degree programs that give you greater flexibility as you learn and cost a lot less than a traditional university. You can reach your educational goals with University of the People.