Struggling with studies
Hey everyone, I'm Bunny.
I can't concentrate in class or on video lectures. I zone out, my mind starts thinking about other things, and it just wanders. It's really hard for me to keep my brain focused on the class or the video lecture.
I feel like everyone else can concentrate effortlessly, and I’m the only one who struggles with it.
Even reading books feels hard. I’ll be reading, but I don’t really understand what I’m reading. My mind is just moving through the words without grasping anything, even when I try to focus.
Solving sums is also tough. I can solve them, but I’m not fully mentally present while doing it. My mind is still drifting off, thinking about random things.
Does anyone else experience this? Has anything worked for you? Any tips on how to focus better?
Because I can't concentrate, I keep falling behind and end up with a lot of backlogs.
I also procrastinate a lot, and I think it's all connected, the main reason for this is my inability to focus. It frustrates me a lot.
Sometimes, I find it hard to even start studying because I know I’ll probably fail again. It’s really hard to try over and over when I don’t know how to focus.
I sometimes sit down to study, but then I end up procrastinating in the middle of it because I just can’t concentrate.
It feels so complicated and overwhelming. Please, if anyone has been through this or has any tips or advice, I would really appreciate it.
Thanks.
@reliablebunny23
aww I’m sorry it’s so hard, I get it fr cos I often have the same ❤️🫂
as for tips, have you tried the 20min study 5min break thing? ik it doesn’t always work or not for everyone but if you’ve not tried it yet maybe you could? andd try doing exercise you enjoy before hw i think could help but not sure. you can also give yourself a reward when you manage to study for a set amount of time, or get so-and-so thing done :) and if it’s rlly hard, maybe consider asking teachers or a professional of some sort? ilyy ik you can get through this bunny, it’s gonna be okay 🫂❤️🧡💛💚💙🩵💜🩷 huggiiiieeeess you’ve got this!🫂🫂❤️🩹
@Phoenix1234theythem
Thank you so much phoenix. 💗
@reliablebunny23
oh my gosh 3-4 hours is amazing bunny I’m so so proud of you!! already that’s a long time without not being able to concentrate, but the fact you managed to do that is amazinggg :D yay!! and hmm ill get back to you on concentration tips i gtg now (:
@Phoenix1234theythem
Thank you so much Phoenix! 💗
@reliablebunny23
oki sorry it took so long
soo there are youtube channels that are for body doubling (when you have someone else studying at the same time n it could help you concentrate and study/work well) and ofc you can ask a friend to study at the same time as you but u cant talk to each other unless its school related questions :)
and in your breaks for the pomodoro method, you could do some yoga or meditation (if u like that kinda thing, otherwise an exercise maybe) which can help your concentration come back
plus reading your study material aloud can help and so can changing your study method so it seems more "fun" or just something new which will improve concentration
also sleep well before studying :) and don't study in your bed, like some good places are a desk/table orr if you wanna body double without anyone knowing ur doing it (hehe) go to a library or a cafe or park to study, mixing up ur environment is good :) and eat smth healthy as well as drinking plenty of water
i dont remember if you said u do this one, but u could try listening to music, having white noise, or even earplugs
for exercise, it can be yoga or a walk or dance (just dance tends to be fun!)
practice makes perfect, and remember it isnt ur fault, u didnt choose not to be able to concentrate
you've got thiss i believe in you bunny friendo!! :) 💗💗🫂🫂huggiiees
@Phoenix1234theythem
Thank you sm phoenix for all these suggestions. 🫂
I don't have anyone who I can study with, I don't have friends irl.
I can try other things tho (:
Thanks a lot, <3 , *hugs back*
@reliablebunny23
what about meee? :D (ik not irl but we could set up a time to study together n u could also try with other cups friends?) also im sorry :( everybody deserves friends irll <3
huggsss :)
@Phoenix1234theythem
Study group sounds like a cool idea😮
@Phoenix1234theythem
yes that's a great idea, we can study together,
ლ(・﹏・ლ)
thank you phoenix 🫂❤️
@reliablebunny23 I'm also going through the same problem. Can I join your study group, if you dont mind?
@bloom006 Of course you can join.❤️🫂
@reliablebunny23
Hey bunny! I was searching for some study techniques too and found some which works for lots of people but I'm not sure if it'll have the same impact on you. Anyway I'll share them with you (some of them will sound silly but they do work surprisingly)💙
Since you have problem with concentration these are few methods to stay focused:
Set up a small timer(about 15-30 minutes) and try to focus until it's over. It's ok to not being able to focus on the first time, small steps at time and don't push yourself too hard either. You can increase the focusing time once you start to feel like you could handle (breaks are important too since our brain need some time to process all the info we input) and after a successful session you can reward yourself (it can be a candy or a episode of your fav cartoon)
Study with candle - if you have a candle you can lit it up once you start studying and make sure to mark a point on candle for break time and you can study until candle melts completely. (Be careful with fire tho ) and another method is draw some icon (a circle, flower etc) on your hand or on a paper you can quickly see and when you are drawing it think about your goal (like I'll study the first chapter completely today) so whenever you get distracted you will see the icon and remember the goal and go back to work hopefully.
Teach to someone - imagine you're teaching the things to your students you can either read the chapter to them and ask questions well have to answer yourself to those .(it can even be a teddy bear or imaginary friend)
If it's too hard to focus reading maybe you can write more i heard it helps more even though it consume more time. Just read and try to memorize as much you can from a certain topic and without looking at it again you can blurt it all on a paper and after you're done you can check what you missed and write it somewhere then continue until you get all important stuff correct. (Plus when you make mistakes you remember answer better after correcting it)
And maybe Try to put the complex concept into diagrams. And if you can focus more on audio than visuals you can voice record yourself reading and listen to it later or try audio textbooks.
You can do great friend, you got this. I'm so proud of you for trying 💙
@EnigmaticCat24 thank you so much for these suggestions, tobe (╥﹏╥)❤️
Also, how're you??
I missed you a lot.
Even today, I was not able to study. I wasted one more day. I had made a plan in the afternoon that I would study with breaks after coming back from tuition. I had written the small schedule in my diary. But after coming back from tuition, I didn't feel like studying, and I didn't even want to do anything else at that time.
Today, I sat to study. I somehow took the first step of " beginning" studying.
I have to watch a video lecture so I played it and started to watch it. I spent around an hour trying to watch it. But I could only watch 5 minutes of the video.
Why? Because I was distracted by thoughts again and again, I had to rewind the video again and again, I paused it for a few minutes in between and got so lost in my thoughts.
It is so frustrating and disappointing.
Spending one hour studying and being able to do so less work is so hurtful.
With this speed, I would not be able to catch up with my tution and with other students.
Will I always be a failure?..
People on YouTube say to increase attention span & concentration gradually
But, how long will it take?
I am not able to even start studying most of the days, and when I am able to start it, I quit in between, or I'm able to do so less of it,
how long can I force myself to study with such a poor concentration level
@reliablebunny23
Hi Bunny, thank you for sharing what you’re going through. That sounds really tough, and I can tell how much it’s weighing on you. It’s clear you care deeply about your studies and want to stay on top of things, and it must feel overwhelming to struggle with focus despite your efforts.
You’re not alone in this - many people find it hard to concentrate, and it can feel isolating when it seems like everyone else has it all together. I think it’s a big step to open up about this, and it shows how determined you are to find a way forward.
Sometimes just acknowledging how complicated and frustrating it feels can be a good starting point. Small steps, like changing how you approach a task or breaking things into bite-sized pieces, might help take some pressure off.
If you ever want to share more about what helps, even just a little bit, this community is here to support you. You’re doing something great just by reaching out and expressing how you feel - it’s a step toward understanding and managing this. ❤️
@reliablebunny23
Hello, thank you so much for opening up and sharing what you're going through!
I can totally understand how frustrating it must be to deal with that feeling of your mind drifting off while you’re trying to focus. It sounds really overwhelming, especially when it impacts your ability to concentrate. You're not alone in feeling this way, and it’s okay to acknowledge that focusing can be really difficult sometimes.
It also seems like this difficulty with focus is leading to procrastination and falling behind, which just makes everything feel even more complicated. I just want you to know that this problem is completely valid, and it happens to the best of us! The amount of times I've delayed deadlines this year due to being the master of procrastination is only commendable, but following the '5-minute rule' really helped me -- you sit for 5minutes, set a timer (5mins) and try to begin a task as starting is the hardest part - after you're in the flow of working, you probably will not stop after the 5 minute timer is up! I know you mentioned that you sometimes have a hard time even starting to study, so hopefully this helps out!
Also, could your difficulty with focus be related to other things going on in your life right now, like stress, mental fatigue, or maybe even the way your environment is set up for studying - have you noticed any patterns when your mind drifts, like certain times of day or types of tasks? It could also be helpful to explore if there’s anything in your routine that might help get you into a more focused mindset, even if it’s just small changes.
I’d love to hear more about what’s been working for you and how you’re feeling about your current studying routine. You’re doing your best, and that’s enough! I'm here to listen and offer support as you work through this, so do reach out if you want to talk!
@heretohelpyou1211
Thankyou so much 🫂
I will try the 5 minute rule.
And yes, I think the reason behind my mind drifting can be stress & mental fatigue. A lot of things happened in my life in these recent 1-2 years.
But there's nothing I can do about those problems..
So, I'm just trying to figure out how to concentrate better on studies with or without stress & problems. :/
Thank you so much for supporting me and for the suggestion.🫂
@reliablebunny23
Like they say "C's still get degrees". Academia is a marathon, not a race. Sometimes surviving the gauntlet means reserving your energy when you are low. Don't let it set you back; you haven't given up! Just keep giving whatever you have, and don't forget that you made a commitment to succeed. You didn't commit to burning yourself down.
@FirmWind Thank you so much for your sweet words ❤️🫂
@reliablebunny23
Most welcome