What helps you get through homework?

[sanddrag]

What helps you get through long hours of homework? For me, it is the Vocal Trance stream on www.di.fm That music gives some wierd kind of energy that surpresses boredome and speeds up time. It is really amazing. And then of course I always get distracted with e-mail, Chief Delphi, and catalogs (boston gear, WM Berg, small parts, mcmaster, etc.)

So, what do you do while doing homework?

[KTorak]

I usually try to play music or something in the background, even though CD, Slashdot.org, and other web sites usually distract me, lol.

[elrabin]

If I really have to do it, that is motivation enough. Times like last night, however, I just pull it out, sit for 5 minutes, then get back on the computer. I do work best when there is nothing else around to bother me (read: bored). When I take my brothers to a scout meeting and wait around, I just pull out some calc.

The best way for me to get work done is just to get out of my room, away from TVs. A CD player is handy for doing math/science, but I can't listen to music when I am doing lit.

[Denman]

usually some sort of classical music helps me concentrate but if its a huge long thing them some rockish music helps me feel hyper and get it done

[Katie Reynolds]

Yo Yo Ma, playing the Bach unaccompanied cello suites gets me through long homework-filled evenings.

[omutton]

I'm supposed to be doing homework right now, but typical me, I pull it out, then do something else. I really have a hard time doing homework around competition season. The days before a regional, all I can think about is robotics, which tends to bring my marks down but it's worth it! I am a procrastinator when it comes to homework, so if I really have to do it, I can perform under pressure!

[Billfred]

What gets me through homework? Depends.

Yesterday, when I had a ginormous project due at 4:45 (with, admittedly, not too much of it done), fear of getting a zero was enough. So I busted my butt and stumbled into the front door of Barnwell College to hand it to my professor at about 4:44.

But usually, I find a nice quiet spot (luckily, if I can't find it in Preston, the library is just across the street), put on some music (whatever is floating my boat at the time), and just go.

[Kiwi_queen]

I have a very short attention span, so for me, the best way to get homework done is to take out two or three assignments and go back and forth between them (that way I can pay attention longer to doing homework, since each assignment is on a different topic). I also play lively music in the background so I don't doze off or let my mind wander too much.

But of course, I do my best work under pressure, so for really important assignments, I wait until the last minute to do it, which I know sounds crazy, but I actually do a better job when I have to do something quickly than when I have a whole lot of time to prepare. (so warning, don't use this method of doing homework unless your brain works like mine)

The best advice I can give though, is to prioritize your assignments. It's important to set aside some time specifically for doing homework - don't just say "I can do it later" because chances are that it won't get done if you say that. Just understand you have to get it done, maybe get yourself a snack to keep on your desk so you don't have the urge to keep wandering around, turn on some music to get you pumped, and start doin that work!

[SteveO]

Monster Engergy drinks, close deadlines, and most of all other people help me get homework done quickly and (sometimes) easily.

[Bemis]

I do my homework in class. I haven't taken my work home for like two years.

[Jessica Boucher]

White noise, actually. I have a wav file of white noise that I loop while I do work. It blocks out the outside noise of my dorm.

No, I wont see The Ring, so don't even ask

[Ryan F.]

USAFA

[KTorak]

To all those people who procrastinate and do well, I think this comes mainly from robotics...you work down to the last minute before it ships since thats when the most brilliant ideas occur (read: 12 am when you have school the next day). I almost always wait to "the last minute" to do stuff and I carry a 4.167 GPA

[nehalita]

music keeps me awake but doesn't motivate me.

what motivates me is knowing that i'd be ashamed with myself if i didn't finish it. i usually don't look for motivation much -- i don't think ABOUT homework, i just do it. thinking about it just takes up more time that i could be using on homework. i don't know if i'm explaining it right. but in essence, our actions are what the world sees, not the thought process behind it. i'm personally with Kristina, i juggle between assignments because it keeps me on my toes and i simply can't CONCENTRATE on an assignment for long.

last minute -- i always end up doing it to a certain degree but i avoid it by all means. this is because this is the way i work: i start slowly, go through the middle quickly, and finish slowly. i find it very hard to start or finish projects but the middle part of it is where i get the most done. so if i ATTEMPT to start the project earlier, then my productive phase will come earlier. that's just how i work. i also make myself deals ("if i finish xxx amt of pages in xxx minutes, i can take a break of xxx minutes"). keeping myself on a strict schedule by the minute works best because that way i don't waste time in the middle. this also means that i hardly ever meet my own expectations but i can always look back at the day and know i've gotten work done.

[zc923]

I start all my homework late night. Sleep motivates me. Led Zeppelin, Queen, U2, and Kansas just ease the the up hill battle.