College years will always be stressful, even more so for diligent students who take every home assignment seriously. Writing, in particular, tends to stress everyone out. It seems difficult, tiresome, and impossible to get good at. Luckily, there are easy-to-follow, time-tested steps that can make writing and studying in general much less anxiety-inducing. Check them out.
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The closer to the deadline, the more stressful any assignment gets
There is nothing wrong with procrastination; everyone is guilty of it from time to time. But the line between postponing study time for an hour to play video games and starting an important essay mere hours before submission can be thin. If the latter sounds familiar, procrastination may be getting out of hand.
Writing an academic paper right before the deadline rarely leads to a good grade. An easy-to-please professor might give it a passing one, but it is as high as most students can expect to get when they write a 2000-word essay in two to three hours. Someone who decides “it is now time to write my papers” too late cannot expect much.
Writing an important essay or research paper close to the deadline is also extremely stressful. Even the brightest students who can produce an A-level essay twice faster than their peers cannot avoid stressing out once they realize it is an hour before the deadline, but their essay is nowhere near done.
Sure, stress can be helpful sometimes because it sharpens one’s mind for a short while. Some say that the essays they write under stress are their best ones. They are not wrong. But stress is an awful study partner in the long run. It causes irritability, bad sleep, and poor health, among other things. So it is better to avoid putting off a college assignment until the last minute.
Embrace helpful study apps
Even a true technophobe can no longer do without a smartphone, so why not use it? There are tons of amazing study apps that can make writing as well as studying in general much more organized and productive.
- MyScript Smart Note. This note-taking app is exceptional. Using MyScript, students can take any type of notes while leafing through the assigned readings. These notes are also editable and easy to search through. So when it is time to write an essay, all evidence to reference is already at hand.
- myHomework. This one is great for anyone who struggles with self-organization. myHomework keeps all assignments in one place and sends notifications when necessary. One of the users wrote in their review: “myHomework revolutionized how I write my papers and approach homework in general.” And it is a well-deserved compliment.
- Evernote. Evernote is not an alternative to MyScript Smart Note because it is better suited for in-class note-taking. Most students agree that taking notes diligently during lectures helps with all assignments, including essays. Evernote offers a way to optimize the process.
- Grammarly. Finally, every student, wondering “How do I write my papers better?” simply cannot do without Grammarly. Even the free version is excellent for struggling writers; the premium one can do miracles. Grammarly not only fixes simple grammatical errors but also helps writers improve their style. It is a must-have for everyone but especially for ESL (English as a Second Language) writers.
These four apps are a great starter pack, but other honorary mentions include Brainscape or Flashcard Machine for studying with flashcards, CliffNotes for all things literature, and Khan Academy and Coursera for meaningful self-education.
Make the most out of the study breaks
One more common mistake that adds extra stress to students’ writing and studying is the lack of breaks or a poor approach to them. This is one of the reasons why it is not a good idea to procrastinate till the last minute. A chance to take a ten-minute break every hour or so does wonders to creativity and focus. So try not to deprive yourself of this time off because of the rush.
But not all breaks are created equal. Sure, it is perfectly fine to watch a YouTube video. But such a break will not decrease the writer’s stress level. It is basically like no break at all. A much better way to give yourself a rest is to meditate or exercise. Even a short walk is amazing. What matters is that the brain gets to take a pause and relax.
One more tip: Do not make the breaks too long. Sure, it is tempting to turn a ten-minute break into a half-an-hour one, but it will actually be counterproductive. It is hard to get back to writing after a long break. Also, it is easy to forget what your ideas were (even with an outline), so the first minutes after the break can get frustrating and add to the stress.
Get a reliable study partner and trust their judgment
Finally, writing is not unlike misery in that it likes company. A lot of students believe that writing is a completely solitary process, but this is not necessarily true. In fact, getting a writing partner is a great way to decrease stress and have at least a little fun. Writing partners can brainstorm, use each other as sounding boards to pitch new ideas, and spend their breaks doing something active and exciting together.
But if a student’s motivation for getting a study partner is “I want to write my papers without stressing so much,” they should also learn to trust their partner. A lot of writers are too hard on themselves and struggle to take a compliment. Self-criticism is a major source of stress. Trust your partner when they say that your essay is terrific.
Final Thoughts
So studying and writing papers stress-free is doable. Although it may take some time and practice, everyone who wants to become a calmer and more confident writer can absolutely achieve it. Getting a few helpful study apps and improving study breaks are perfect first steps. Then, try to work on procrastination (Solving the Procrastination Puzzle by Timothy A. Pychyl has a lot of great tips) and get a writing partner.
