Are you having trouble focusing in college? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. As a recent college graduate, I had a lot of trouble concentrating in my freshman year of college.
Since I had trouble focusing on assignments and in lectures during my first semester, I got poor grades and I knew something had to change. By talking to other students, professors and doing research, I found some ways to limit distractions, focus in class and get good grades in college.
With that being said, here are 12 useful tips that will help you focus in college.
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12 Ways to Focus in College
1. Limit Distractions
If you find yourself constantly distracted by your phone or other college students while studying, it’s time to limit distractions. Limiting distractions, will have you spending less time studying while getting a lot more done!
A great way to limit distractions is to find a quiet place to study and to put your phone away. It’s no secret that phones shorten our attention spans. So when it’s study time, put your phone away!
During my first year of college, I was addicted to my phone. Whether if it was in a lecture or outside of class, I would always be on my phone.
Once I realized how much time I was spending on my phone instead of focusing in class, I knew something had to change. I began leaving my phone in my backpack before lectures so I could focus and understand what was being taught.
I noticed that when I put my phone away and actually listened in class, homework, projects and tests became a lot easier.
Tip: If you’re constantly distracted by social media apps on your phone, set screen time limitations. This is a great way to reduce the amount of time you spend on your phone.
2. Create a Routine
Creating a routine is a good idea as it will make your college life much easier.
If you can create a routine where you attend class, complete assignments, take care of your mental and physical health and get a good night’s sleep, than you are setting yourself up for success.
In college, going to bed at a reasonable time and waking up early is the first step to focusing more in class and on assignments. These are good habits, because you will feel less tired when you are studying and when you are attending lectures.
If you can get in the routine of spending a couple of hours a day studying and doing homework, you will do very well in college.
Having a proper routine will pay huge dividends later on, as you will be more focused in class and always on top of your school work.
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3. Take Classes that Your Are Interested In
If you’re wondering why you can’t focus in your college course, there’s a good chance that you have no interest in the course material. Many students, including myself, have taken the easy way out by taking a class that seems easy and it ends up being super boring!
I made this mistake a few times throughout college. Every time I ended up regretting it! Having to attend courses that I had zero interest in was a huge waste of time, and it made the semester pass by extremely slowly.
If you have the option between taking a class that you are interested in, but it seems a bit hard, or a class that is not interesting, but seems easy, take the harder class! Trust me!
It’s a lot easier to focus in a class that is interesting, because you will actually be fascinated by the material.
No matter what, you have to attend class. So you may as well take a class that you find interesting.
Tip: Use ratemyproffersors.com if you want to get an idea of what to expect in a class.
4. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique is a helpful tip that has been going viral on TikTok. The Pomodoro Technique is one of the best ways to focus, complete assignments and study for long periods of time.
Here’s how the Pomodoro Technique works:
- Select a task (studying, assignment, project)
- Set a timer (25 minutes)
- Work on your task for 25 minutes
- Take short breaks (5 minutes)
- Every 4 Pomodoros, take a long break (15 minutes)
This technique has been proven to help those who have trouble focusing and studying for long periods of time. The Pomodoro technique can be a serious game changer and crucial to your college success.
5. Stay Organized
Staying organized is a small step you can take that will make focusing on your school work a lot easier. Time block, create a to-do list and write important dates in your agenda so you always know how much work you have to do.
As someone who struggled with organization in high school, becoming organized in college was a real game changer. It made focusing, studying and completing any big assignment a lot easier and I was always prepared for tests.
Here’s a list of items that are great for staying organized in college:
6. Find a Proper Study Environment
One of the reasons that many students have trouble studying is because they don’t have a proper studying. When you’re in a long study session, the last thing you want is other students distracting you.
Whether if it’s in your dorm, at a cafe, the library or the academic focus areas around campus, it’s important to have a proper study space. In college, you are going to spend a lot of time studying. Make sure to find a place where you can concentrate and feel comfortable studying.
7. Surround Yourself with Motivated Students
Surrounding yourself with motivated students is a good way to focus and succeed in college. What I noticed in college, is that students who surround themselves with unmotivated students almost always do poorly.
If you sit with students who want to attend class, focus and learn, you are setting yourself up to do well. Where as if you hang out with students who like to skip class, you will probably end up skipping class and falling behind.
Surround yourself with students who you can ask questions to, who are focused and who want to form a study group. This way you will always have students that you can rely on to help when you don’t understand something.
Related: How to Make Friends in College – By a Recent Graduate
8. Eat and Drink Throughout the Day
A major reason that many students have trouble focusing in college is because they do not eat and drink enough throughout the day. Not eating and drinking throughout the day will keep your energy levels low, which will result in you feeling tired and having trouble focusing.
A good way to avoid this is by having a packed lunch and a few snacks in your backpack at all times.
Tip: If you’re having trouble staying focused in class and you don’t have any snacks, try chewing gum. Chewing gum will keep you alert and it will get you by until you can get yourself something to eat.
9. Learn to Say No
Don’t get me wrong, college is all about new experiences. However, learning when to say no is a huge difference maker. If you’re out partying and staying up late every evening, expect to be tired and to have trouble focusing the next day.
Many students (including myself) get FoMO in college. However, learning when to say no can make a huge difference.
If you’re having trouble focusing in a certain class, make sure that you get a good night of sleep the night before, so you are alert in class. At the end of the day, school is your priority. Therefore, prioritize your school work and then have fun when you are done.
10. Listen to Music or a Podcast
If you are studying or working on an assignment for a long time, try listening music or a podcast. Not only will it make the time pass by faster, but it can tune out distracting noises and help you focus.
I’ve found that listening to genres like lofi, relaxed hip-hip and deep house, are great genres of music to study to.
Tip: If you don’t like listening to music while you do your school work, try listening to brown noise. Brown noise lowers high frequencies and resembles strong winds or the sound of a river.
11. Set Goals
Setting short-term goals is a great way to guide your focus and to hold yourself accountable for the work you want to complete. Whether it’s reading a certain amount of pages, completing an assignment, or grade related goals, setting goals is a really good idea.
When I was in college, a way that I would stay focused and motivated was by setting goals. Setting goals is a great way to apply yourself to the fullest throughout your time in college.
12. Exercise
In college, taking care of your physical health will help improve many aspects of your life. Not only will you look better, but you will feel better. This will give you more focus when you are doing school work.
Whether if it’s going to the gym, going for a walk around campus or playing sports with your friends, exercising is super important.
If you’ve been having trouble focusing, try to do some form of exercise and then get back to work. You will notice an immediate change and you will find it easier to focus.
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Final Thoughts on How to Focus In College
It’s no secret that focusing in college can be a real challenge. If you’ve been having trouble focusing, try some of the tips mentioned above.
These tips are ones that worked for me and countless other students. In college, there are so many distractions, so it can be a hard place to focus. This is why it’s so important to find tricks that will help you concentrate.
Which tip worked best for you? Please let me know in the comments below.