Three study ‘goals’ inspired by the start of the 25/26 Premier League

Set yourself study goals

Much like your first day back at school, there will be loads of expectations for the new Premier League season. Liverpool will be hoping to retain their title after spending big on new signings including Florian Wirtz, meanwhile challengers Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea will want to claim Premier League glory that eluded them last season. Let's not forget the newcomers, with Leeds, Burnley and Sunderland all hoping that their first season in England's top tier will go to plan.

With that in mind, lets look at three achievable study goals that, with a little bit of effort, could help you meet any expectations you have for the new school year.

1. Make your study varied

Footballers like Mo Salah or Alexander Isak use drills and training techniques to help prepare for big games, this keeps them in top shape by working on different skills. Why not try some of the below tips to switch up your studying and make it more interesting?

• Identify your strengths – If you know you’re great at writing speeches, for example, trade your top tips with a friend who might have different strengths. This is a fun way of helping each other revise and fill any gaps in your knowledge.
• Understanding is key – Every time you read or hear an unfamiliar word, look it up or ask what it means. This will build your confidence and your vocabulary, and prepare you for ‘unseen’ texts.
• Read through past exam papers – Tackle any questions you're unfamiliar with. This will help you understand the style of each question, how much time you have, and how many marks are awarded for each one.

2. Get a good night's sleep

Even professional footballers need to get early nights before big games. Man City superstar, Erling Haaland has a strict sleep routine – getting to sleep by 10:30 most nights. Coming back to school after the summer holidays can play havoc with your routine, especially your sleep, but did you know that sleep can help you study?

A nil-nil draw can send most of us to sleep, but what tips does our expert, Dr Carolina, have for getting a good night's sleep? She suggests turning off your phone and relaxing before bed. 'One big fear that young people have is the fear of missing out; other people are engaging on social media and you are not because you decided to go to sleep. So one thing you could do is talk to your friends and schedule sleep time together.'

3. Take study breaks

Just like footballers take a break at half time, students should take little breaks in their studying – it can actually help you be more productive. Keeping focused while studying can be difficult – with the urge to constantly check your phone, use social media or watch funny cat videos. These little distractions are called 'micro-distractions' and they can make your study sessions longer, less effective, and feel like more of a chore.

So to help stay focused, learning expert Dr Carolina suggests breaking up your study into smaller chunks. 'Plan shorter, more focused study sessions – concentrated studying for 20-25 minutes – and then 5-10 minutes to do whatever you want: check your phone, message your friends, stand up and stretch.' She continues, 'after your distraction time, knuckle back down and re-focus your attention with another round of focused studying. You'll be surprised at how much you get done when you create those more manageable study sessions that allow you to stay focused.'

The three tips above should help you get started with studying in the new school year, but if you want to really smash your study goals, then we've got plenty more tips to help you make the most of your studies, so why not check them out?

If you need support

You should always tell someone about the things you’re worried about. You can tell a friend, parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult. If you're struggling with your mental health, going to your GP can be a good place to start to find help. Your GP can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you’re doing.

If you’re in need of in-the-moment support you can contact Childline, where you can speak to a counsellor. Their lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There are more links to helpful organisations on BBC Action Line.