You know those weeks when you have an activity three of the five days after school and don't get home until six o'clock and then you have shower and eat and chat with your family and by the time you sit down at your desk it's already seven. That's when you hope you only have a few things due tomorrow but you look at your planner and there are
fifteen things for you to do. Your heart sinks and you take five minutes out of your homework time to go and get some coffee because you know you're going to have to "开夜车" (kai ye che) as they say in Chinese, a.k.a. stay up late studying.
Well, I had one of those weeks. But instead of complaining, I'm going to give advice for what I do when I have those weeks.
#1: Keep Calm and Number your assignments.
I originally got this idea from one of my friends back in Hong Kong. She's probably the smartest, most motivated person I have ever met. We were talking after netball (a very European sport that most people in the United States haven't heard of) and she told me that when she gets home, she sets out a very precise schedule containing what homework she will do in specific time slots.
I decided to give it a twist and do something similar. Whenever I get home, I number what I'm going to do and set a goal for how much I will get done.
Even though, I admit, this seems like something only super organized people would do, it's not, trust me. I'm definitely not the most organized person in the world (just check my locker) and this really helps me stay on task.
#2: Keep Calm and Drink Coffee
Coffee is vital to finishing homework. The caffeine is great and helps you think that you're awake (after all, coffee is meant for morning...) and it tastes amazing. It gives you that little boost of excitement when you're stuck in a corner staring at a computer screen for hours on ends.
Here's some advice: instead of doing the normal cream and sugar thing, get some of the Coffee House flavored creamer. It adds a bit of spice, and instead of spending four dollars on a drink at Starbucks, you get it for a fraction of the price. And don't forget, it's delicious!
#3: Keep Calm and Stay on Task
I know, I know, you already know this. You've heard it from every teacher you've ever had, and, if your parents are like mine, you've heard it from them too.
But I'm here to tell you that you have to do it. It's not a choice anymore. When you have fifteen things to do in three hours, stop checking facebook, stop texting your friends, stop leaving your desk to do random tasks. Even though these little moments seem like they'll only take a second of your time, they add up. You have to stop.
There is genuine power behind staying on task. Not only do you avoid wasting time, but it keeps your thought process going. What you just did stays in your mind for a few short seconds, and if you get up to do something random, that small amount of information is gone.
According to
the multitasking website, your brain starts to crash after trying to juggle three or more tasks. When you add in socializing to your homework, your brain can't handle it, and it starts to shut down.
#4: Keep Calm and Shut the Phone Off
Following off the previous topic, this is vital. Shutting your phone off is a huge help.
I'm a teenager, I know what there is on our phones - music, games, texting, facebook, messaging, snapchat, instagram, and, of course, iFunny.
When we're doing homework, especially for one of our least favorite classes, we are looking for a distraction. Our phone is the perfect one. We can spend hours on our phone, unaware of the time passing even though there is a little clock in the upper right hand corner.
By turning off our phone, we save ourselves hours of distractions, and get done with our homework faster. Here's a tip: go on your phone once your homework is finished.
#5: Keep Calm and Get Some Sleep
Even though it sometimes seems like you have to stay up late and finish every single thing you have to do, there's definitely some greatness in a good nights sleep. And yes, maybe you won't get those eight hours that you're dying for, but five or six hours is a whole lot better than three.
Not only does sleep make you feel better, but sleep deprivation can cause serious effects on your body. It can lead to depression, paranoia, and hallucinations. It can make you feel cloudy, and by getting more sleep, you'll be much more efficient during the day.
Plus, what teenager doesn't like to sleep?
