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Hi,
I quit SC2 for a couple months now. Not because I don't like the game anymore, it's just that I have to focus on studying for a couple projects this year. I'll have a couple of exams for a job in Brazil, so I've been trying to study more and more every day. For the past two months I've been studying 3-5h a day, seven days a week, but I know I can do more than that and I want to increase those numbers to 6h/day. It should be easy, but it's so fucking hard.
I've always been someone who has lacked focus when doing stuff. I grasp things quickly, but it's a huge effort on my part to put in the hours. For these kind of exams, it doesn't really matter how smart you are. Sure, it's easier if you are smart enough to understand what you are reading faster than other people, but it's just that it doesn't really require a lot of logical thinking. The disciplines I'm studying are basically Law, Portuguese and (very basic) Math. I study law 70% of the time and the rest is Pt/Math.
My first exam will take place in 2 months, around August. I can't wait for that, would love to do great at it so I can stop feeling like I have no holidays. If I skip a single day, I feel guilty and like if I'm falling behind. I try to watch a couple of motivational videos before I start studying every day, I think they help me focus. Also, I've created an Excel sheet to keep track of how much I've been studying. So far, this month I've only studied 65h, (starting on May 6). My original goal was 150h/month. Although I'm way behind the pace, I'll keep trying to get to that number. Once I hit it, I'll hopefully take one stop further and go for 180h.
My biggest problem is really lack of focus. After each hour I need some kind of break. It should be just 5min, but it ends up being 15, 20 min every single time. I also lose a lot of time browsing internet stuff. That's something I want to cut down a lot. Every time before I sleep I think about all the things that stop me from studying more and promise to myself that they won't happen again, but I keep making most of the mistakes. I've completely stopped gaming during the weeks, as I used to sleep late because of that, and as a consequence I'd wake up later on the next day. I think I have around 12 "liquid" hours to work with during the day, so studying just 25% of that time is really a shame imo (the days I study 3h).
I've tried to schedule something like "3h in the morning, 3h in the afternoon, 3h in the evening". The thing is, it never happens. I always fuck up. Also, I do think that I'm very tired at evening. After I dine, I just can't sit and study anymore, so I'm ruling studying at evenings out. I just need to make better use of my time during morning and afternoon. Apart from studying, I work out 3 times a week and have a part time job, so I always leave some time for that.
I know a lot of people here can study like machines, so I'd like to hear some advice if you read through this far. This blog is not a whiny post at all, it's maybe just another tool to motivate myself. I'd love to write another blog around this time in june and said I studied 120h from June 1st. I'll try and improve in June. Thanks for reading.
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1. Wake up early in the morning (like 8-9), take a shower, eat breakfast, basically get awake (drink tea or coffee, whatever you want basically..maybe juice would even be the best).
2. Set yourself goals for teach day that you have to fulfill and work until you're done.
3. Take minor breaks for food, plug off the internet if it's too disturbing or ban special homepages that you can identify as taking up too much time (basically 4chan, 9gag, teamliquid, facebook and the likes..).
4. When you're done with your goals, go and have fun.
Works great for me, I would suggest that you go shopping regularly so that you always have food nearby that you can eat so you don't waste time for your studying (i.e. you are still not at your goal and hungry, go and make some instant noodles/cereal and eat while reading etc.). You can refresh your supplies when you're done with studying. Good luck with your stuff, hope others can share their methods so I can improve mine as well 
Edit : Maybe the most important thing you need is routine, to have a stable environment where you can get used to (takes a few days maybe to get started, but after some time you should get into 'the zone' or however you wanna call it. Also, try to do some light exercises now and then, I think MightyAtom recommended like 10-20 push ups and stuff. Keeping your body (at least somewhat) in shape is only beneficial to your mind.
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Internet is something i have learned is the bane of my academic career. I know how you feel i am actually scared to do work on the computer now because i know i basically subconsciously open up my browser and go on TL or FB. Agree with drsnuggles, on all his points especially waking up early.
Im not a morning person but i find myself way more productive when i take advantage of the day light hours, im more likely to study with the sun out rather than the darkness.
Good luck and its good you recognize the problems.
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When it comes to breaks it's actually better that you take 15-20 minutes breaks between each hour, 5 minutes just won't do any good, you might as well study without going on a break then.
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When you take a break, don't go on the internet but take a 10/15 min walk. This is really the biggest thing, it's so easy to be like: I will just watch some funny pictures for 5 minutes, and a half hour later you are still watching stupid cat pictures ^^.
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I don't really know but am interested in answers here too. I'd like reasoning for the answers as well.
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Do you enjoy the line of work you're applying for this job for? If so, then studying for it should come easily to you. If you enjoy it and still can't find a way to study an extended amount of hours, you need to look at your studying method, and whether or not you're attempting to overload yourself with information.
It's not really about how much you study, it's about how much you retain in the time periods that you study for.
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I know the feeling, going for my RN qualifications forced me to pretty much do the same thing.
1) Get up early every single day and keep yourself to a schedule.
2) Eat healthy (avoid snack foods, stick to veggies), drink tons of water.
3) Get LeechBlock for your browser.
4) Don't take breaks every hour, it ruins your focus and you spend 5-10 mins getting back into the groove after each break.
5) Work out, run, swim whatever just make sure you keep active.
6) Take days off, every 5th or 6th day just take completely off and do nothing at all.
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So far advice seems to be fantastic, wasn't really expecting much, but this seems to be a good thread~ lack of focus over extended periods of time is constantly a massive issue with me too and it would be awesome if I could learn some of these important lessons before it's too late >__<
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On May 27 2012 06:28 Aerisky wrote:
So far advice seems to be fantastic, wasn't really expecting much, but this seems to be a good thread~ lack of focus over extended periods of time is constantly a massive issue with me too and it would be awesome if I could learn some of these important lessons before it's too late >__<
I would talk to one of your well accomplished friends actually. They give great advice.
Even a high school valedictorian you barely talked to or that math major on your high school math team who skipped a grade and is now at Harvard. Someone who has traits you know you want.
You can ask for help on forums like college confidential, but as far as I can tell it's filled with high school students and I believe the difficulty of high schools greatly varies so some of the advice is not legitimate.
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Thanks for commenting, guys. I'll definitely try some stuff out and check what fits me best.
On May 27 2012 05:29 Flonomenalz wrote:
Do you enjoy the line of work you're applying for this job for? If so, then studying for it should come easily to you. If you enjoy it and still can't find a way to study an extended amount of hours, you need to look at your studying method, and whether or not you're attempting to overload yourself with information.
It's not really about how much you study, it's about how much you retain in the time periods that you study for.
I do, very much I love learning all the stuff. It's just that sometimes I get overwhelmed with all the information I have to retain.
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I can't imagine studying that much. I think I'd go nuts.
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On May 27 2012 12:25 obesechicken13 wrote:Show nested quote +On May 27 2012 06:28 Aerisky wrote:
So far advice seems to be fantastic, wasn't really expecting much, but this seems to be a good thread~ lack of focus over extended periods of time is constantly a massive issue with me too and it would be awesome if I could learn some of these important lessons before it's too late >__< I would talk to one of your well accomplished friends actually. They give great advice. Even a high school valedictorian you barely talked to or that math major on your high school math team who skipped a grade and is now at Harvard. Someone who has traits you know you want. You can ask for help on forums like college confidential, but as far as I can tell it's filled with high school students and I believe the difficulty of high schools greatly varies so some of the advice is not legitimate.
Wait, do you know me (and/or vice-versa)? Dunno, just the first line; although it's a perfectly fine and likely accurate generalization that I have well-accomplished friends who give great advice, somehow it feels as if you're referring to them as if you're familiar with both them and me?! Please confirm heh, just got this feeling for no evident reason. Reading the entire post again, alright, you almost certainly don't know me and are not implying so, but the first line, maybe just the surety? You sounded certain about that for a good/logical reason, though (you were), so I guess that explains it.
College confidential...yeah...no... I gotcha there, I avoid it at all costs unless I have very specific factual questions only, and even those can get screwed up. It's still a nice tool though, so no harm in using it as long as it's--as you said--not for advice that will probably come out of high schoolers or what have you (not to mention there must be other influencing factors about them of which I am not aware, etc etc). I remember reading your entry on determinism though, dunno why I thought of it just now but I do see your handle around a bit and did remember that blog (those two statements are also without correlation so no idea how that popped up as well); I'm something of a determinist myself.
In any event, I'll follow your advice there too though, sounds like sound advice! ^^
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On May 27 2012 16:22 Aerisky wrote:Show nested quote +On May 27 2012 12:25 obesechicken13 wrote:On May 27 2012 06:28 Aerisky wrote:
So far advice seems to be fantastic, wasn't really expecting much, but this seems to be a good thread~ lack of focus over extended periods of time is constantly a massive issue with me too and it would be awesome if I could learn some of these important lessons before it's too late >__< I would talk to one of your well accomplished friends actually. They give great advice. Even a high school valedictorian you barely talked to or that math major on your high school math team who skipped a grade and is now at Harvard. Someone who has traits you know you want. You can ask for help on forums like college confidential, but as far as I can tell it's filled with high school students and I believe the difficulty of high schools greatly varies so some of the advice is not legitimate. Wait, do you know me (and/or vice-versa)? Dunno, just the first line; although it's a perfectly fine and likely accurate generalization that I have well-accomplished friends who give great advice, somehow it feels as if you're referring to them as if you're familiar with both them and me?! Please confirm heh, just got this feeling for no evident reason. Reading the entire post again, alright, you almost certainly don't know me and are not implying so, but the first line, maybe just the surety? You sounded certain about that for a good/logical reason, though (you were), so I guess that explains it. College confidential...yeah...no... I gotcha there, I avoid it at all costs unless I have very specific factual questions only, and even those can get screwed up. It's still a nice tool though, so no harm in using it as long as it's--as you said--not for advice that will probably come out of high schoolers or what have you (not to mention there must be other influencing factors about them of which I am not aware, etc etc). I remember reading your entry on determinism though, dunno why I thought of it just now but I do see your handle around a bit and did remember that blog (those two statements are also without correlation so no idea how that popped up as well); I'm something of a determinist myself. In any event, I'll follow your advice there too though, sounds like sound advice! ^^
Haha, I'm not sure if I know you. I don't think I do but it'd be pretty crazy if I did.
On the topic of my blog. Yeah. I like to think I'm pretty famous around here.
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Hey. I decided to bump it up because I had completely forgotten I made this thread in the first place. Wow it's been 5 years already! Okay so a follow-up on what happened ever since I made this thread. First of all thanks again for all the replies and here we go:
I got the job was applying for and it's still my job up to this day. That exam that was supposed to take place in august (read original post) was "suspended" for an entire year! It only took place in July 21 of 2013. I kept studying that entire year in preparation for that one exam. 2-3 months before the exam I applied for another job (since "mine" was suspended) because the content I'd have to study was very similar. I needed to study some stuff in addition but that was it. I passed the exam but I lagged behind in the "ranking" and ended up being very far from getting the position. It was frustrating back then because how much I was studying.
By the time the exame occurred I was studying about 46 net hours a week and 220h a month. I used to keep track of it on an excel sheet and by the end of the day I liked to check the excel and the graphs. Seeing those graphs going up from 60ha month to 220h a month was almost as satisfying as ranking up in a video game. This was my routine: I used to wake up at 8 in the morning, have breakfast and go to a library to get away from my comfort zone and study. I'd set an alarm to ring 1h03min after each time I started. These '3 extra minutes' were the minutes I allowed myself to "wonder" while I was studying, so in my mind I would be studying exactly 1h. After each period of 1h03 I'd walk for around 10min and restart. And then I studied 3h from 9-12:30, then 3h from 14:30-18:00, and 2 hours from 19-21:15. I used to feel completely spent when I finished. Then I headed back home, "worked" for 30min and went to bed. Repeat. Repeat. That was my routine Monday-Friday. On Saturdays I studied initially 4 hours (just in the morning). As the time passed I increased those hours to 6h. I never ever studied on Sundays.
That routine felt like a job to me. Since I wasn't doing anything else but studying (and a 'part time job' that took 30min a day) I put it in my head that I had to study as much time as someone had to work on daily basis. The best advice that I took from this thread was "take a walk on your breaks as opposed to browsing". Man! What a difference it made back then! After walking I really felt refreshed and ready to study one more hour. I used to never check whatsapp or any sort of social media while I was in the library. That was pretty good too. I got incredibly disciplined over time. I basically only used the internet for real studying. Taking the Sundays off was also very good to me. I could kind of "restart" on the following Monday. Oh and obviously the most important of all at the time: going to the library. As I headed to the library every single day it really felt like I was going out to work and that was the only thing I had to do.
I learned so much at those times. After I got the job I stopped studying like that and I really miss studying daily. Obviously I wouldn't study as much again but we can always improve so much if we take 1-2h daily to study something we truly enjoy. Anyway that I was it. Sorry for bumping the thread but I saw this blog post and felt like giving an update.
I'll upload two pics, one from me in a mission in the rainforest (right before taking off the base) and the other pic is from the rainforest itself, I snapped it while in a helicopter. Ah I'm a federal police officer in Brazil.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/g10edD3.png)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/BJ7ziDj.jpg)
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Pretty sweet. You must have some stories to tell
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EPT
