Author: Lyonne Sophie Harwart

Photos: Lyonne Sophie Harwart

All names have been changed at the request of the interviewees.

Culture and management student Maria tries to incorporate learning into her everyday life in such a way that it becomes a habit. She finds it particularly helpful to structure her day and start studying at roughly the same time. To prepare her brain for the upcoming study session, she has got into the habit of a kind of ritual in previous semesters:

'I always go for a walk before studying, sometimes just a short one. But at least I get a moment of fresh air and stretch my legs. After that, I can concentrate better.

Maria also strongly recommends that you prepare yourself properly before the start of each learning session. This includes clearing the workspace and having all scripts and materials ready. She needs sufficient space for her laptop and the mountain of notes. She collects everything she might need for this learning unit before she sits down to study. This means that her concentration is not constantly interrupted by searching. Especially after a long break from learning, you might look for any excuse to interrupt your learning again. But the key here is to persevere and get used to studying again.

Tourism management student Jana also says that she has resolved to plan more when she starts studying this semester. As a rule, she writes everything down and often asks her fellow students how far along they are in their studies.

I'm not trying to compete with others. I just try to get an overview of where I am in the material. Last year, I let a few things slide, which I want to avoid this year.

For some, the semester starts in a relaxed manner and it's easy to think that you could take your time with the start of your studies. Others are faced with a mountain of tasks right from the start, don't even know where to start and therefore put it off. This requires a balance between a) putting a little pressure on yourself and b) allowing yourself breaks. Jana is also trying to find the right balance this semester, which is still a bit of a struggle so far:

After the vacations, I found it hard to sit down and study again. I first tried to force myself a bit and resolved to study for two hours at a time every day. I did that a few times, but quickly lost motivation. Since then, I've been doing smaller units with breaks and trying to increase slowly.

Leo, also a culture and management student, has also found this semester that starting to learn after the vacations is not always easy. That's why he recommends remaining realistic with your learning goals.

After a month, I've already failed to achieve my resolution to sit down every evening. But then there's something going on at the Maus or the roommates are having a movie night. You're already behind schedule and feel bad. Studying every evening was simply not realistic.

Of course, studying is also about having fun and creating great memories. Especially at the beginning of the semester, there are lots of events that you want to attend. Studying every evening is therefore an unrealistic resolution. However, the subject matter should not be neglected. So how about studying three evenings a week and one day at the weekend to avoid a guilty conscience when you go out with your fellow students. The learning goals are different for every student. It is important to be able to assess yourself and find what works for you.

Leo has nevertheless discovered a tip for starting to study:

Getting away from his desk now and then and studying somewhere else has helped him a lot. Whether it's on the floor, in bed or in the library doesn't matter, the main thing is a change of scenery.

This semester, he has also sought direct support and is meeting up with friends to study together. Not everyone has to study the same thing, but he feels more motivated in company. These tips on how to start studying invite you to try it out for yourself. But are you still looking for the right degree course? Then take a look at our degree programs !