Focusing, Focusing… Oh, look, a Fly!
There are so many distractions during a lesson. Boring professors, your friends sending you text messages, so many people in the room are the obstacles that prevent you from sharpening your brilliant mind. Here are some tips for paying attention and staying focused when you need it but don’t want it.
If your professor whispers instead of speaking
If you can’t hear what your professor is saying, just raise your hand and ask him/her to speak a little louder or repeat the last phrase. Tutors know that they have to explain the material or raise their voice to let the students in the back of a classroom hear them. If the problem occurs again and again, try sitting closer to the professor’s desk. Sitting in the front will ensure you to be attentive and stop chatting with classmates. Yes, it is for those who like getting As.
If your friends don’t stop chatting
Find a quiet place or ask for a private conversation with a tutor. It is a good idea to get to the class earlier and take a place in the front. As a rule, students who sit there are also interested in focusing and learning during class. Maybe, your professor and you will succeed in silencing those noisy classmates of yours… That’s good. Wait, no, that’s not it. You can just ask them politely to stop talking loudly.
If the class time is not enough
Even if you sold your soul to a curriculum and took all the possible notes, it might be not enough to get a grade you need. Its okay, the outside time will help. Professors won’t run after you to remind you that you have to work harder because you are responsible for yourself. You can ask a tutor to help you after the class when the hours in it are not enough.
If you didn’t get enough sleep
Students often face the challenge of morning classes. Not to suffer from drowsing, try to get enough night sleep or drink a cup of coffee in the morning. Getting as much sleep as possible is a good idea to keep focused the next morning. Caffeine is good thing when you do not replace your body fluid with it.
If you really need to check your Facebook
But do you need to check it sixty four times per hour? Put your phone in the bag when the class starts and stop refreshing your Facebook profile. You can wait if your girlfriend sent you heart emoji. Your mind will stay more focused on the notes when you stop using your smartphone and laptop as a source of communication during a lesson. Don’t be too attached, or you will become disconnected in the real life.
If there are things that interest you more
When your mind wanders somewhere between thoughts about how you should call your mom and the last episode of “The Big Bang Theory,” bring yourself back to the real world. Practice and special methods like shaking your head or repeating a mantra ‘concentrate, concentrate, concentrate’ might be helpful.
The art of focusing takes time, but it is a discipline you have to deal with. So do your best to master this skill!
