Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Naps

When I speak to students about the importance of getting enough and good quality sleep, they almost always ask about naps: are they good? I think they want my permission to take naps because they are unsure or guilty about taking naps.

A nap, almost by definition, is short, and it's not (in American culture) a daily event.

When I ask students how long their naps are, the answer is almost always at least two hours.

That's not a nap; that's a evidence of sleep deprivation. The body is calling out for more rest than what it's being given at night.

And your body, brain, and spirit need enough and good quality sleep on a  regular basis. Your ability to think better and in a more sustained fashion will be improved. Sleep will help you be and stay healthy. And sleep helps you maintain a positive mood. Students who get or start getting better sleep tell me that they feel better about themselves.

Back to naps, if you are getting enough and good quality sleep, a short nap (20-30 minutes) can (according to the Weill Cornell Medical Center) also improve alertness and learning, as well as not interfere with your evening sleep. "Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, find that a[longer nap] clears the brain's short-term memory storage center and makes room for new information. Snoozing for 20 minutes improves alertness and performance without leaving you feeling groggy." (AARP Bulletin, Jan-Feb 2013, pgs 12, 14.)

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Yes and No


If students are social and like to be with ("hang out") and/or help friends, they can have a lot of their time consumed by those activities. As a consequence, there may be less time to dedicate to their studies.

By all means, achieving a balance of studies and friends/social life is important. If you aren't sure if your time is balanced, track it for a day or two by keeping an account or calendar of how you are spending your time. You may be surprised at how much time is spent on your social life.

Simply put (and I heard this from a student the other day), too much social time is essentially saying "yes" to your friends and "no" to yourself.

You can flip that by 1) reminding yourself of your academic priorities and goals and 2) saying "no" to your friends. While that may seem anti-social and not fun, what you are saying is: by saying "no" to others you are saying "yes" to yourself.

Again, it's a matter of balance. An active social life is a very important part of your college and learning (learning from your peers) experience, but too much time spent with friends may negatively impact your academic learning and performance.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

KRP

A student recently shared with me her elegantly simple formula for doing well academically: KRP.
Keep up, review, and practice.