College is one of the most stressful yet personally rewarding times in one’s life. Here, you get to meet new people, experience a whirlwind of change, and constantly meet a buzz of “What’s next?”
Despite the challenges and social pressures, one constantly overlooked tool is mindful learning. In this article, we will explore what mindful learning is. We’ll get into how you can use mindful learning to explore your education with intention, awareness, and curiosity. Let’s dive right in!
Why You Should Try Mindful Learning
Study techniques like cramming don’t make you better. You can try to take in as many facts as you can into your brain, but that doesn’t mean that you’ve learned.
Tons of notes and all-nighters will not help in long-term retention and understanding. Instead, mindfulness is about harnessing the power of the present moment. That transforms the learning and growth processes.
So, how is mindfulness important for college students?
- It boosts focus: Mindful learning techniques like meditation and breathwork help you eliminate distractions. Thus, you can train your attention to stay present and engaged, which is certainly important for exploring deep concepts.
- You can unlock creativity: Forget rote memorization and embrace critical thinking. With mindfulness, you can connect ideas, explore perspectives, and even generate original solutions.
- Overcome worry and stress: College students constantly stress out over all sorts of things, from looming deadlines to hard exams. Mindfulness techniques such as emotional regulation and self-compassion can help manage stress. You’ll be able to study while steering clear of anxiety, worry, and doubt.
- Actively engage with concepts: Mindful learning is about understanding concepts from their foundations. The student should approach each subject with curiosity and aim to gain meaningful insights. An example is meditating on a lesson and seeing its applicability in your life.
For college students struggling with writing their assignments and are at the point of giving up, there’s an alternative. A university essay writing service can offer superb writing solutions that can complement your hard work. This can open up some time for rest if you’re feeling burned out.
6 Pillars of Mindful Learning
In her book Mindfulness for Young Adults, Linda Weston Yates outlines 12 key principles in the mindfulness journey. Let’s dive into 6 of these pillars:
Be Curious
There’s genuinely no remedy for not being curious about a subject. If the interest isn’t there, it would be difficult to employ mindfulness to understand the subject.
Every lecture, textbook, or discussion should be approached with the mind of an explorer. Ask questions, challenge assumptions, and seek out perspectives beyond your own.
Single Task if Possible
Multitasking is a myth. Lots of college students assume that multitasking equates somehow to productivity.
In truth, you’re just splitting attention over different tasks with less effective results.
Focus all your energies on completing the task at hand, whether it’s researching an essay or creating a draft. Your understanding will be much deeper and broader than if you were multitasking.
Live in the Present
Planning and having a vision of your desired results is great. However, you should learn how to detach results from the actions that lead up to them.
When you focus too much on results, you tend to miss the present and, therefore, are not invested in your actions at that moment.
Actively Listen
Don’t just hear, but listen – to your professors, classmates, and even yourself. Train yourself to give eye contact, shut off your phone during learning, and pay attention when learning. Not only will you discover ideas, but you’ll also build stronger connections.
Manage Your Emotions
Learning and life, in general, aren’t always smooth sailing. Frustration, anxiety, and even boredom are regular kickers for college kids. How you deal with these individually is what matters.
If you’re feeling angry, maybe due to a bad day, just take it in the stride. Resist the urge to lash out. Mindfulness means that you acknowledge your feelings but don’t let them get the best of you.
Mindfulness techniques such as deep breathing and meditation can help you regain calm as you chart a way forward and with clarity.
Remember that inner positive experiences come first from you. You can do little to change your external environment. However, what comes from within is in your power, and you can, therefore, control how it affects your responses and outlook.
Refresh Your Mind
Another common misconception that college students have is that doing more works all the time. Therefore, a student might spend hours in the library thinking that this somehow contributes to them understanding the subject better. This mentality isn’t correct.
Don’t just power through. Every hour or so, take a few minutes to escape studying. A little shut-eye and deep breathing exercises may help. This will help you to go back refreshed, refocused, and ready to conquer your next task.
Putting Mindfulness into Practice
Mindful learning isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Likewise, mindfulness isn’t just for those desperate moments. You can weave mindfulness into your daily college life and make it a habit. Here are some ways to do this:
Start your day with intention
Set a simple intention for your learning, for example, “I will understand the tough concept taught in yesterday’s class”. Or “I will ensure to stick to my schedule today.” Carry this intention throughout your day.
Create a mindful learning space
Declutter your desk, eliminate distractions, and surround yourself with things that inspire you. That might be the difference in your ability to focus and learn effectively or not.
Reflect and relearn
Being mindful means taking time to reflect on your learning process. What worked well? What could be improved? This feedback loop will help you to continuously refine your mindful learning practices.
Join a Mindful Learning Tribe
Your mindfulness journey doesn’t have to be solitary. You can surround yourself with other mindfulness learners and study buddies who share your values and ethos.
There are also school clubs that you can join that teach mindfulness techniques. Likewise, you can connect with online communities that promote mindful living.
Seek Help If You Need To
Part of being mindful is knowing when you’ve reached your limit. If you need help from friends and family, ask for it. Retreat to a space of comfort as you figure out your next move. If you’re too overwhelmed with work, consult a college essay service that can help you amid a crisis.
Wrapping Up
Remember, embrace the present, focus on inner peace, and approach your learning with curiosity. Mindfulness will start working wonders for you. Good luck!
