When it’s dark, cold, and wet outside, it can be hard to feel motivated to study. Here are five tips to help you stay focused and productive during the rainy days ahead:

1. Use your creativity: There are a lot of ways to turn studying into a creative, hands-on activity. For example, if you use flashcards to study, try adding relevant drawings or photos to them. Adding the images will not only cause you to spend more time with each card but will also help your mind associate the information on each card with a visual. These effects together can help you learn the material that you are studying better.
2. Redesign your workspace: Has your desk and the items on it been arranged the same way since you set them up in the fall? If so, think about how you can change the layout. A clean, decluttered space can help you better concentrate on your studying.
3. Study with friends: If you have cabin fever from staying in your dorm, consider organizing a study session with friends. Whether you plan to meet in the College Center, at the library, or somewhere else, there are plenty of places on campus where you can study in a group.
4. Work ahead of schedule: Brighter, warmer days will come, and when they do, you’ll want to enjoy them. Review your syllabi for any large assessments or long-term projects, and then try to get an early start on them if you can. Being proactive now will allow you to be more flexible with your time in the future.
5. Enjoy the natural ambient sounds: The sound of rain played through your phone or computer is nice for studying, but nothing beats the real thing. Study by the window in your dorm or on the porch of Humanities and enjoy the natural sounds around you while you can.