Locked in or losing it: Lancaster students tell us how they handle the academic grind

The joy of Michaelmas term has well and truly gone, Christmas has passed, the weather is cold, and we can no longer say “yeah but it’s only the start of the term”.

Deadlines, job applications, dissertation work, and the typical uni work is laying on thick right now. No Lancs student is a stranger to the academic panic that comes with the sheer amount of work needed to pass the year or make it to graduation.

So, in order to procrastinate our own deadlines, we decided to ask the Lancaster student population for their most effective study tips. Hopefully some of these may work for you, or at least help you attempt to enjoy the subject past-you chose to study. Some of you have some good tips, others absolutely need some help.

Actually helpful suggestions

By far one of the most interesting and intriguing suggestions.

Someone commented they award themselves in a point system for uni work, plus points for doing work and minus points for procrastinating activities such as doom-scrolling. It sounds pretty cool and worth a try if you vibe with activities like that.

Another helpful comment was a practice called the 10 minute rule, which after a quick google search basically equates to doing a task you are putting off for 10 minutes and then taking a three minute break. Might be a good one for the more ADHD-prone students. Work can be easily be split if you are listening to songs whilst working – three songs on, one off.

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Another suggestion was setting specific end goals. So if you are prone to writing “uni work” on your to-do list, maybe think about instead writing “an hour of seminar reading” or “reach 1500 words on literature review”. Breaks it down a little, preventing panic and let you build brick by brick towards your overall progress.

Drink?

I mean… whatever helps I guess.

And in the (unlikely) event that anyone from the university is actually reading this, I should stipulate that the library does not permit alcohol to be anywhere in the building. So, no drowning your sorrows in Aldi own-brand vodka guys, at least not on library premises.

But, seriously? This comment suggested the drink of choice as VK. That’s definitely a choice to say the least.

Time and place

A lot of people responded saying that the place you pick ultimately affects your ability to focus. The library can often be likened to the cafeteria scene from Mean Girls, except you aren’t making a decision that will affect your popularity, but rather your quality of time spent studying.

Many responded with warnings to stay away from the B floor plant room, especially on Fridays, as it can often be louder than A floor despite claiming to be a quieter space. Some of you guys were massive advocates of the Reading Room. Reading Room warriors intimidate me. If placing my laptop on the table causes an echo so loud that everyone looks at me, I am leaving straight away.

Another popular one was booking library spaces, but you better be quick about it and book it two weeks in advance to get ahead of the crowd. Also, your lock-in becomes an act of bravery as you sheepishly and overly-politely kick out the study room’s previous occupants.

Music time

Most people have some sort of headphones or ear-pods in the library, but do you ever wonder what people are listening to? We have insight here.

Some confessed to listening to music without any lyrics, such as classical music or soundtracks to video games or films. Personally, the Oppenheimer theme makes me feel as if I am being a genius in my coursework, when in reality it is like a baby forming its first thought.

Someone also confessed to listening to “really bad pop music”, I’m interested to see what we are working with here? Not trying to offend any pop music Stans, but are we talking Now That’s What I Call Music albums? Or a specific artist? I might give this one a go…

Billy no mates

I’m sure we have all done this – it can be good to work with friends, but sometimes you spend more time yapping about gossip and what you are planning to wear on your next night out.

So, to avoid this, someone suggested, staying away from the spots your friends are likely to be in for a more effective lock-in. Plus, you can give yourself a superiority complex about how everyone else around you seems to be chatting with mates whilst you studiously type away.

Someone else mentioned having the company of energy drinks and whatever can keep you focused, not a bad suggestion if you are that way inclined.

Phone privileges revoked

Phones were mentioned… a lot.

They can be both a blessing and a curse, helping us with a quick google search or hot spotting when Eduroam inevitably cuts out.

But they also provide a temptation to exit out of your fifth attempt to read a page on Ebook Central and instead mindlessly consume the brain-rotting TikToks or Reels your mates have sent you (The Lancaster Tab memes excluded of course).

Some suggested putting your phone in “Do Not Disturb” mode, others suggested an app that locks your phone completely. I suppose it depends on how crippling your phone addiction is, and how dedicated you are to the lock-in.

Procrastination station

Finally, many commented what I am sure we have all done: Leaving the essay until last minute until panic forces you to be productively working into the early hours of the morning.

I would be lying if I said I haven’t done an all nighter in the library, and that may or may not be me sleeping under a desk when my essay was due in less than five hours.

Sometimes you can’t control what happens to you, but you can control how you react. That is specifically evident in the comments such as “let the deadline be in four hours” or the more eccentric claim of “give the lock in man in my brain a pound”, whatever helps I guess.

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