5 Tips on How to Get Back into Study Mode

guy in a tiger sweater is sitting at the desk tired

Modified on May 5, 2023

After a long holiday break, it can be difficult to head back to school and all of your classes. If you’re dreading all of the homework, studying, and tests that lie ahead, you’re not alone. Whether you’re in grade school or in a graduate program, many students experience stress and anxiety as they return to their studies after enjoying some well-deserved time off. It doesn’t have to be that way, however. You can enjoy a long break or holiday and then rapidly transition back to school without missing a beat. Here are six great tips on how to get back into study mode.

1. Keep a Little Regimen in Your Break

One way to make the transition back to study mode less stressful is to maintain a tiny bit of discipline during your time off. For example, try to keep a similar sleep pattern while you are on vacation. By the way, here are some great tips from us on how to spend your summer vacation productively.

For example, try to wake up around the same time you do while in school, and don’t go to bed too late, either. Additionally, while you enjoy your time off, avoid excessive eating, drinking, or partying. After all, the purpose of your break is to rest for a bit before returning to the rigors of school, right? You should also try to read and write a little over the break as well.

Keeping your mind sharp and focused while you’re on vacation – even if you do so a few minutes each day – will make it easier to return to your challenging academic schedule once the break is over.

2. Make a Plan

Try to be as proactive as possible when you’re returning to school. As your break comes to an end, take some time to size up the situation. Understanding what will be expected of you once classes start back up – your class schedule, homework, tests, projects, etc. – will help make your return less stressful.

If you’re in high school or college, you should be able to look at the syllabi for your upcoming classes and start adding key assignments and tests to your calendar; many schools even have apps to assist you with this or you can download one from our list of the best planning apps. Once you map out your upcoming semester and understand what’s required of you, it will help take much of the anxiety out of returning to school.

3. Stay Focused

It’s easy to get distracted when you first return to school. After all, you’ve been away for several weeks or longer, and you will be tempted to reconnect and spend time with your friends, go to parties and have fun. While you should definitely enjoy your time at school, make sure you don’t let your social life overshadow your academic requirements as you get back into the swing of things.

Keep your nose to the grindstone for the first few weeks back, so that you get accustomed to your workload again. Once you’re back in study mode and confident in your academic performance, you’ll know when you can ease back a bit and start having a little bit more fun.

4. Maintain a Good Pace

On the other hand, make sure that you don’t burn yourself out in the first few weeks back at school, only to fizzle out late on in the semester. Pace yourself and your workload as you return to study mode. After all, your academic career is a marathon, not a sprint.

Don’t rush to complete all your work in the first week or overwhelm yourself with an intensive work-study schedule. Instead, you should maintain a moderate pace. Try to start working on smaller and easier projects and tasks first, or break bigger ones into parts.

You should also keep your reading and study sessions a bit shorter upon your return, and gradually build up the amount of time you spend hitting the books. Gradually increasing the intensity of your workload will help you ease back into academic life and build up your stamina after several weeks away from school.

5. Find a Buddy

When it comes to getting back into study mode after a long break, don’t go it alone. Instead, find a buddy to study and work with as you transition back to your school life. Having a study partner will help you stick to your schedule at the library and elsewhere and make it easier to get your work done. You both can motivate each other during moments of weakness, which will keep you both on track to complete all of your assignments. Having a friend to check your work, or to explain a complex concept to, may also help you better understand your coursework after a few weeks away on break. Our team can be your study buddy if you need it.

6. Improve Your Environment

There is nothing worse than coming back to a dirty, disheveled dorm room after a long break. Your environment affects your mood, and an uncomfortable environment can really hamper your ability to get back into study mode. As you prepare to return to class, make sure you tidy up your work and living area and organize all of your books and papers. You can also decorate your room following our easy tips to make your place more stylish and cozy.

Ensure your computer and mobile devices are all working properly and take the time to wipe them down as well. Also, you should start out the new semester with all of the supplies you need on hand, and clean all of your clothes and linens, too. You should also consider starting an exercise regimen as you return to school as well; a little physical activity will help you relieve stress and feel better as you return from your long break.

Parting Thoughts: Get Ready to Return to School Now!

Coming back to school after a long break can be challenging, but you can do it! You can definitely enjoy a long healthy vacation and then transition seamlessly back into your classes, well-rested and ready for whatever comes next. Just follow these six helpful tips here, and you’ll shake off the cobwebs and be back into study mode in no time at all. Best of luck as you head back to class!