Study Tips to Start Your School Year Right

Having an organized desk or work area can really help you stay organized. Your environment can make or break your focus, and even the best study tips won’t work if you’re working in a messy station. Here’s how to get organized and create a productive environment: 

Choose the Right Space: Your warm bed is cozy, so your brain associates it with rest, not work. Find a spot like a desk or table where your only job is to study and focus. 

Ditch the Distractions: Put your phone on silent, shut the door, and turn off any background noise. If it doesn’t help you study, it doesn’t belong in your space. 

Cool Lighting: Bright, cool lighting keeps your energy up and your eyes happy. Natural light is great too, but a solid desk lamp works great as well. 

Get Comfy, But Not Too Comfy: You want a chair that’s supportive, not something you can sink into. Comfort helps you focus, but too much comfort leads to zoning out. 

Organize Your Essentials: Keep your tools like pens, notebooks, highlighters, and sticky notes within reach. The less you move around, the more you stay in the zone. It also helps to have some Kleenex^® Trusted Care^® with Ultra Soft on hand; perfect for wiping away spills, smudged ink, or sudden sneezes mid-study session. 

Clear The Clutter: Try using a DIY desk organizer to keep everything on your desk in place; it's a simple tool that can make a big difference to your workflow. 

Remember, your space doesn’t need to be aesthetically pleasing; it just needs to work for you. If it helps you stay on task, it’s already doing its job.

Between classes, tests, projects, sports, and life in general, your schedule can get busy fast. Without a plan, it's easy to fall behind or feel overwhelmed. However, managing your time doesn’t have to be complicated. 

Start by laying out your week. Use a planner, a calendar app, or sticky notes on your wall and block off regular study times.  

Next: time slice! Knock out tougher tasks when your brain’s fresh and break big assignments into bite-sized chunks, so they’re way less overwhelming.

Technology can be your biggest distraction or your greatest ally. Using the right tech tools to keep your brain in the zone and your time on track. Here are some: 

Digital Planners and Calendars: These help you organize your tasks, set reminders for upcoming deadlines, and visualize your week or month ahead. Seeing everything laid out clearly can ease stress and make it easier to manage your workload. 

Time-Blocking and Focus Tools: If you find yourself zoning out during study time, focus timers can help. They encourage concentrated work in short bursts followed by brief breaks which are ideal for avoiding burnout. 

Distraction Blockers: Struggling to stay off social media or gaming sites while studying? Distraction-limiting tools can block access to certain websites or mute notifications, helping you stay locked in when it matters most. 

Note-Taking and Flashcard Tools: Digital tools that let you take notes or create interactive study materials make reviewing easier and sometimes even a little fun. They’re great for organizing information and testing your memory. 

Cloud Storage and File Management: Losing track of assignments or class notes? Cloud-based storage helps keep all your schoolwork in one place, accessible from anywhere, and safe from tech mishaps.

An effective study technique is to train your brain to focus during certain times of the day through routine. Instead of waiting until you “feel like studying,” build it into your daily rhythm (just like brushing your teeth). 

Start by identifying the times when you feel most alert and productive. Then, block out specific time slots in your day for homework, revision, or prep. Treat these sessions like appointments you can’t skip.

Reviewing more regularly can help you lock in the information for a longer stretch; not just for a pop quiz. Pick one day a week and set aside a little time to revisit what you’ve learned. Skim, highlight, rewrite in your own words, or quiz yourself out loud (yes, even if it feels weird). The goal is to turn that fuzzy “I kinda remember this” into “I’ve totally got this.” 

This means that when exam season rolls around, you’ll already have a solid grasp of the material, making revision feel a lot more manageable.

How to do better in school is not only about how hard you study, but also about how well you take care of you. Your health is the fuel behind your focus, your energy, and your ability to retain what you’re learning. 

Sleep isn’t optional; it’s essential, especially before tests or presentations. A good night’s rest helps your brain process and store everything you’ve studied. The National Sleep Foundation recommends between 8-10 hours, which is an ample amount for you to get the rest your body deserves. 

On the other hand, balanced meals keep your energy steady and your concentration sharp. Fuel up with brain-boosting foods and don’t skip meals, especially in high-stress weeks. 

Drink water! Even mild dehydration can leave you foggy, sluggish, and irritable (basically the opposite of study-ready). Keep a reusable water bottle nearby and sip it regularly throughout the day. 

When allergy season hits or cold symptoms sneak up during crunch time, make sure to have Kleenex^® Brand Anti-Viral^† Tissues on hand. These facial tissues are the only facial tissue that kills 99.9% of cold and flu viruses† and feature 3 thick layers with a specially treated blue-dot middle layer. When moisture hits the middle layer, active ingredients work to kill 99.9% of cold and flu viruses† in the tissue within 15 minutes. For whatever happens next, grab Kleenex^®. 

†Virucidal against: Rhinoviruses Type 1A and 2 (Rhinoviruses are the leading cause of the common cold), Influenza A virus† and Influenza B virus† (causes of the flu), Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV — the leading cause of lower respiratory tract infection in children). 

Keep a Kleenex^® On-The-Go Pack in your backpack—perfect for wiping coffee spills, snack crumbs, or allergy season sniffles between classes!