Learning and Studying Resources

Wasting a lot of time online? Pulling too many all-nighters? Time management is key to achieving all your goals whilst finding time for yourself, which is especially important as a university student. Learn how you can manage your time effectively and learn about the different methods you can adopt to make the most out of your time.

Access the Managing Your Time Toolkit   

Additional reading:

• UBC Life blog: Pinpointing and perfecting your productivity zone
• UBC Science Distillation blog: 80/20 - How to Increase Your Productivity by Doing Less

Believe it or not, finding focus is a skill that one can improve on. It's easy to get distracted, especially with everything that goes on in a student's life. Learn how you can avoid these distractions and settle yourself into a rhythm of focus, so that you can study, absorb material, and perform better in school.

Learn about strategies to help you focus better  

Wondering how to build motivation and discipline throughout the school year? Check out this resource guide for tips and helpful resources to stay on track!

Read the Motivation Guide   

Additional reading

• UBC Science Distillation blog: Struggling to Find the Motivation?

It's easy to fall off track and get stuck in a pattern of procrastination. To avoid the stress and anxiety that follows, here are some strategies to help get you started and trick yourself into taking action! Below are some of the best practices you can try out:

• Pomodoro technique: do uninterrupted work for 25 minutes, take a 5 minute break, then repeat 3 times and take a longer 20 minute break
• 5 minutes: You can do almost anything for 5 minutes. Start an assignment, start reading a chapter, review your lecture notes, etc. You’ll find that after 5 minutes, you either want to keep plugging away at it, you’re almost done whatever you set out to do, or you’re really not into it. But at least you took action for those 5 minutes.
• Sounds silly, but put your phone somewhere you can’t get to it: give it to your neighbour in residence, charge it across the room, or turn it off so it’s more challenging to check it. At least keep it out of arm’s reach.

View strategies to help with procrastination  

Additional reading:

• UBC Life blog: A chronic procrastinator's guide to independent projects
• UBC Life blog: Procrastination: It's not what you think it is

In order to perform at your best in university, it's important you take care of yourself and how you sleep. Despite how easy it is to stay up late to study or do homework, you should set aside time for your brain to process the information you're learning. Access the Sleep and Academic Success Toolkit by the Chapman Learning Commons, a 3-video series on how you can apply techniques to improve your sleep and studies.

Access the Sleep and Academic Success Toolkit  

Additional reading:

• UBC Life blog: How to get your sleep schedule back on track—now

Stress is a normal part of the human experience. However, everyone experiences stress differently and stressors are unique to each person. Find information on recognizing signs of stress, managing the stress response, and understanding different types of stressors.

Learn about strategies on how to manage stress  

Additional reading:

• UBC Life blog: Quick ways to de-stress this exam season
• UBC Life blog: Turn panic into power: How to use stress to your advantage
• UBC Life blog: Navigating burnout in my last term at UBC
• UBC Life blog: Stress: What it really is and how to handle it
• UBC SVPRO: Grounding exercises booklet