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How to Stay Focused in Class

Students listening to lecture in class and trying to stay focused. For many students, their academic workload involves at least 5 lectures a week ranging from 60 minutes to 3 hours in duration. From start to finish, students experience a range of emotions including boredom, hunger, confusion, engagement, and the list goes on. Certainly, with so many thoughts and feelings being experienced while new information is being presented, it can become increasingly easy to lose focus. Lectures provide new information that is sure to help you on class assignments and likely appear on your final exams. In recognizing the importance of your time spent in class, here are tips on how to stay focused.

Turn Off Your WiFi

More often than not, students will bring their laptops and cellphones to class to take notes. This means that they have easy access to the glorious world wide web which is full of distractions. What is the point of going to class if you’re going to spend all of your time on Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter? Remove the temptation of social media by turning off your WiFi and cellphone. If the temptation is too great altogether, try handwriting your notes and leave your laptop in your bag.

Sit Away From Friends

Since you see your classmates all the time, it’s easy to form friendships over your common interests. This is great for your social life, but it may impact your studies if your friends constantly distract you during lectures. Sitting by yourself will allow you to stay focused on new material and you can always compare your notes after to see their perspective on the material as well. If you absolutely cannot avoid sitting with your friends, arrive to class moments before the lecture begins and choose a seat away from them. You can easily blame your tardiness on having to take the first seat you saw available.

Prepare Your Materials

You have a dedicated amount of time per class each week so it’s important to make the most of it. Many professors will post their lecture slides online at the beginning of the year (or at least the day before class) giving you time to review these slides. The course syllabus also allows you to know the reading material related to that week’s lecture. By familiarizing yourself with the material beforehand, you can come to class better prepared with any questions and know which portions of the lecture you will need to focus on more than others.

Pack Some Snacks

When hunger strikes, it’s easy to become irritable, fatigued, and have a hard time learning new information. If you find yourself hungry during lectures and constantly thinking about what you’re going to eat after class, try packing snacks such as a granola bar, crackers with cheese, yogurt, or any other protein and carbohydrate combo that will surely leave you feeling energized and full.

Learning new information is exciting and can be challenging; don’t make it any harder than it needs to be and take advantage of these classes that you have paid for. By removing distractions and coming to class well-prepared, you’ll be on your way to academic success in no time. Know someone who could benefit from focusing more in class? Share this article with them!

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