A guide to a Lancaster winter lock-in

We’re halfway through Michaelmas term and those deadlines which felt like they were years away are suddenly looming uncomfortably closer. Add in the dark and coldness of the coming winter and things now feel very serious. Luckily, we’ve compiled this guide to prepare you for the inevitable winter lock-in. Remember no matter how far behind you think you are, it’s never too late to turn it around and start getting organised. 

Tidy your room  

This might sound like another way to procrastinate but there’s almost no better way to get into an organised mindset. Make sure you have a tidy workspace in which you can actually focus and work.

Even though we’re calling it a lock-in, you don’t want to feel like you’re actually locked away in a prison. You should feel comfortable and motivated to get what you need to do done. Sometimes doing a bit of tidying and cleaning can actually get you into a productive mood and starting doesn’t feel so difficult. 

Change your environment

Better yet, get out of your room completely. Sometimes a much more effective way of getting into a productive mindset is by moving to a different space outside your home. An added bonus is the chance to get some air and take a short walk. This is an extremely effective way to get your brain working before locking in.

If your deadlines are at the end of your day, try not letting yourself leave until you’ve got your assignment done. Well, within reason, as long as the place you are in allows you to stay of course. Drastic times call for drastic measures.

Plan and make lists  

If you’re a type A nerd like me, you’re probably already familiar with this method. If you’re not, I always find making a list of every thing I need to do in a day each morning the best way to ensure a productive day.

To make it more fun, allow yourself a little treat after you’ve checked something off. This could be something sweet or even just giving yourself a quick break. Plus you’ll have the satisfaction of seeing everything you’ve ticked off at the end of the day. If you don’t fancy committing to this every day, at least make sure you’ve made a note of all your deadlines so you can manage how you’re going to meet them. 

Pack what you need 

Most Read

Here’s an exact breakdown of what happens when a Love Is Blind couple gets divorced

‘Young guys flock to him’: Chris Watts has had multiple relationships with men while in jail

Musician has his tour axed after post supporting ‘stitched up’ Russell Brand

Make sure you’ve packed what you need for every study session. Some things to remember are a bottle filled with water, your charger, computer and headphones. Other useful things include a notepad and pen, study snacks, and obviously your phone, key and wallet.

It’s always so frustrating arriving at the library or wherever ready to lock-in then realising you’ve forgotten something vital. Even worse is when you need to head back home for what you’ve forgotten, wasting valuable study time. 

Get rid of distractions 

Other than the assignments themselves, distractions are your worst enemy when it comes to deadline season. A good way to combat this is moving to a different location where all you can focus on is you, your computer and your assignment. 

However, in most cases the main distraction usually is your phone. In this day and age, I don’t think any student hasn’t had a day where they’ve intended to lock in but instead spent it doomscrolling and procrastinating. Luckily there are some apps like Forest and Kohru which forbid you from accessing certain apps which distract you most.

Alternatively an easier way is to just shove it to the bottom of your bag. Or if you’re at home, put it on the other side of your room, in your bottom drawer or even toss it (gently) under your bed.

Check everything before you submit

So you’ve actually finished your assignments? Remember to double check everything you’ve written before you submit it. Things like correct referencing and formatting seem trivial but do actually matter. Also the amount of times I’ve thought of little improvements while rereading my work is countless. Basically just do not let all your hard work be in vain. 

Know what works for you 

Honestly the most important piece of advice I can give is know what works for you. For example, don’t force yourself to do the pomodoro method if it isn’t effective for you.

If you think the other tips in this guide wouldn’t work for you, you don’t have to follow them. All that matters is you get those assignments done. Good luck!

For more of the latest news, guides, gossip, and memes, follow The Lancaster Tab on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.