Having a good structure for your days is crucial for your study success during the mosaic semester. We are happy to help you integrate digital courses and self-study components into your daily routine and make it all work for you.
Daily structure
You will quite possibly be spending a large amount of your free time and your study time in the same space. It is really important to have a clear structure for when you are studying and when you have free time, i.e. schedule fixed study hours in a daily/weekly planner.
Be mindful when you sit down to start studying, rituals can help with this (e.g. putting a sign on your door in a shared apartment that says 'Please do not disturb' or telling yourself 'I'm starting now with...'). Identify time thieves and disruptions, have a notepad ready and write them down. Actively search for solutions to these problems and write them down as well. Are your strategies working or do you need to find new ones?
Study breaks
In order to better internalise what you have learned, schedule study intervals with breaks. Regular breaks allow you to work and stay focused for longer. The ideal ratio between learning and resting is highly individual. It is best to start with one of the following schemes and adapt it to your needs:
- 25 min work – 2 min break
- 45 min work – 5 min break
- 3-4 hours work – 1 to 2 hours break
It is important that you critically question how well your study/break scheme is working for you. Things to do during your study break: move around, get some fresh air, eat and drink, stimulate other senses.
Study environment
Make sure that the place where you study/work has plenty of light and sufficient oxygen. It would also be ideal to create a tidy, structured workspace to avoid unnecessary searching. Define study/work goals for the next day (use a daily/weekly plan). Critically check whether your workplace really meets your requirements. The best thing to do is to take a photo of your workspace and check what needs to be improved. How does your workspace develop over time?
Social activities
Stay in contact with your fellow students, social exchange with other students is just as crucial during the mosaic semester. Form study groups; verbalising what you have learnt gives you the opportunity to check whether you have really understood the learning content (your study group will point out discrepancies and help you work out the kinks).
However, social activities should not be limited to work and study. Host an online games night or a digital dinner, or just meet with your friends to talk. Stay in contact with each other!