University of Central Punjab

Psychology Project Report

Title
Major Personal and Academic Factors which Hinder Student’s Studies

Submitted By
Names Roll Numbers
Verdah Zahid L1f22pacs0003
Amna Qaiser L1s22bscs0083
Maisar Malik L1s22bscs0477
Sana Imtiaz L1f18bscs0478

Submitted To
Prof. Saba Javed

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 Table of Contents

1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 3
• Social Media ..................................................................................................................................... 3
• Lack of Motivation and Discipline.................................................................................................... 3
• Poor Time Management .................................................................................................................. 4
• Student’s Seriousness and Attitudes................................................................................................ 4
• Poor Note-Taking ............................................................................................................................. 4
• Friends Circle..................................................................................................................................... 5
• Stress and Anxiety ............................................................................................................................ 5
• Poor Study Habits ............................................................................................................................. 5
• Sleep Deprivation in youth ............................................................................................................... 5
• Poor Health and Nutrition ................................................................................................................ 6
• Financial Issues ................................................................................................................................. 6
• Lack of Resources ............................................................................................................................. 6
• Interruptions and Distractions ......................................................................................................... 7

2. PROCEDURE .......................................................................................................................................... 7
3. RESULTS ................................................................................................................................................ 8
4. CONCLUSION....................................................................................................................................... 13

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 1. INTRODUCTION
Knowledge is the accumulation of information and understanding, acquired through education,
experience, or study. Knowledge can be used to create new ideas, solve problems, and make
decisions. Learning is the process of acquiring new skills, knowledge, and behaviors. It involves the
development of new skills and behaviors through practice, education, and experience.

To learn effectively, one must be willing to take risks, ask questions, and be open to new ideas.
Where knowledge is the accumulation of facts and understanding, learning is the process of
gaining new knowledge. However, knowledge and learning can be hindered by distractions. These
distractions can take away from the time and energy that is needed to learn and acquire new
knowledge. To successfully learn and acquire knowledge, it is important to limit distractions.
Additionally, it is important to have a dedicated workspace to focus on learning without being
distracted by other people or activities. By limiting distractions, we can increase our knowledge
and learning. Let’s have a look on some of the major factors that hinder student’s studies.

• Social Media
Social media has a huge impact on youth today. It can be used for both positive and negative
influences. On the positive side, social media can be used to connect people from all over the
world and help spread knowledge. It can be used to create relationships, find support, and
promote positive causes. It can also be used to build and strengthen self-esteem. On the negative
side, social media can be used to spread false information, cyberbully, and even facilitate criminal
activity. It can also create an unhealthy obsession with appearance and create unrealistic
expectations. Overall, it is important to be aware of the potential risks and benefits of social media
and to use it responsibly. Parents should also be aware of the potential risks that their children
may face and help them to create a safe and healthy online environment. So, social media is one
of the major factors that hinder students on studies because most of the time teenagers find their
soul mate on Instagram or any other social media account so just after a little time breakup
happened most of the time students get depressed and lack of motivation towards studies
happened so it is a major and personal effect on academic.

• Lack of Motivation and Discipline

Lack of motivation and discipline can be major hindrances to a student's academic success.
Students who lack motivation and discipline may lack the dedication and focus needed to complete
coursework and assignments, leading to lower grades and poorer academic performance overall.
Students can combat a lack of motivation and discipline by setting realistic goals for themselves
and breaking them down into achievable tasks. Additionally, students should create a study plan

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that includes regular study sessions, breaks, and rewards for completing tasks. Lastly, it can be
helpful to find a study partner or mentor to help keep students motivated and on track.

• Poor Time Management

Poor time management is one of the biggest enemies of good study habits, especially for students
who have a lot of other commitments, such as work or extracurricular activities. Students who
cannot organize their time are likely to find themselves struggling to keep up with their studies.
Although setting aside enough time to study or not having a plan for studying can lead to
distractions and interruptions. Because of these students can’t focus on class and he/she taking
poor notes due to this lack of understanding of lecture material, resulting in lower grades happen.

• Student’s Seriousness and Attitudes

Students unnecessarily postpone working on school tasks, like studying or writing. It affects
students at all levels and can cause serious issues, like worse grades and lower well-being.
We see that most of the students keep of delaying their assigned tasks like assignments till last
date of deadlines and due to start of work in last night or a day before deadline causes late in
submission or no submission at all. Similarly, students start preparation of exams in last week
before exams or some start preparation on very last day which led to failure or bad grades. Some
of the students miss classes due to which a lot of major and important concepts are missed. Late
comings and early goings also show how much a student is fair with his studies and life goals.
Furthermore, it’s so common among students that the tendency to procrastinate on tasks until
right before they’re due is sometimes called student syndrome and research shows that
procrastination is common among all levels of students.

• Poor Note-Taking
We see that only a small number of students note down lecture and a few of them make proper
notes, on the other hand some of the students come in class even without a pen and a paper.
Although they listen lectures carefully but when it comes to the preparation of quiz, or the exam,
they have nothing to memorize or it becomes very difficult for them to recall the important
concepts and search material which takes a lot time as they will first find things then prepare
everything but the students who have proper notes he/she will just take out them and prepare in
less time as all the important points are written with hints and examples discussed in class.

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 • Friends Circle
There is a famous Chinese phase;

在家靠父母 在外靠朋友
“When we are at home, we depend on our parents but when we are away from home, we rely on
our friends.”
Whenever our parents are not available to help us, our friends are our best allies. However, our
friends can also be a negative influence on us, especially if they often tell us to have fun rather
than focus on school work and family life.
Social influences: Our friends can make a large impact on how we act, think, and understand the
world. In one study, there are a couple of students who have fluctuating grades because they are
in the same circle of friends. If there are friends with low GPAs, they will lower their grades. In this
scenario, the study focused on large groups and not the impact of one close friend. If we look into
the study, it is safe to say that our close friends will not make a similar impact on our grades.
However, if our close friends suddenly disappeared from us and take up a lot of our time to help
them feel better, it may affect us. Here is another look at how our friends can influence us. Friends
circle negative influence can have a profound effect on one`s success. It is important to be mindful
of the influences we surround ourselves with and to choose our friends wisely. However, if we see
that our friends are becoming a bad influence on our studies, it may be best to look outside our
social circles.

• Stress and Anxiety

Nowadays stress and anxiety are very common due to social media poor self-esteem comparing
oneself to another, relationship issues, etc. These are very common processes that weaken a
student's psychological manner and physical manner.

• Poor Study Habits

Not having a study plan: Most students lack a well-defined study plan, which often leads to
procrastination and a lack of direction. Without a plan, it can be difficult for students to stay on
task and focus on their studies.

• Sleep Deprivation in youth

Sleep deprivation among youth can have a significant impact on their studies and academic
performance. Sleep is essential for restoring energy, consolidating memories, and regulating
hormones. Without adequate sleep, students' ability to focus, concentrate and remember

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information is impaired, making it difficult to learn and perform well in school. Moreover, sleep
deprivation can lead to irritability, moodiness, and an overall decrease in quality of life. This can
further affect a student's motivation to study and complete assignments and tests. Additionally,
sleep deprivation can lead to physical ailments such as headaches, fatigue, and weight gain which
can also take a toll on academic performance. To prevent these negative effects, students need to
get the recommended amount of sleep each night and ensure they have healthy sleep habits.

• Poor Health and Nutrition

Poor health and nutrition can have a significant impact on a student's studies. Poor nutrition can
lead to fatigue, lack of concentration and focus, and reduced energy levels, making it difficult for
students to stay on task and complete their studies. Poor health can also lead to a weakened
immune system, increased susceptibility to illness, and prolonged absences from school. All of
these factors can lead to students falling behind in their studies and struggling to keep up with
their peers.

• Financial Issues
Financial issues can be a major hurdle for students when it comes to their studies. Low income
students, in particular, face challenges such as being unable to afford the cost of textbooks and
other materials, transportation to get to and from school, and even the cost of tuition. Financial
difficulties can also lead to increased stress and distraction, making it difficult for students to focus
on their studies and coursework. For students living in poverty, having to choose between basic
needs and a college education can be a difficult situation. Furthermore, students who are forced
to take on part-time jobs to make ends meet may find themselves struggling to balance their job
obligations with their academic workload.

• Lack of Resources
Limited access to resources such as textbooks, computers, or tutoring services can prevent
students from achieving their goals. Stress Financial pressures can lead to increased stress levels,
which can affect a student's ability to focus on their studies. Many students rely on scholarships
to help pay for college, but not everyone is eligible for these funds. This inadequate scholarship
opportunities can be a major obstacle for students who need financial assistance also Government
grants are often not enough to cover the cost of college for students who need additional help to
pay for tuition.

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 • Interruptions and Distractions
Distractions, such as social media, video games, and television, can eat up a lot of a student's time
and energy. When students are distracted by these activities, they are less likely to focus on their
studies, which can lead to poor academic performance. Some distractions and interruptions are
Social media, Technology for gaming etc., Television, Music and Friends.

2. PROCEDURE
The data was collected in 2023, form about 50 university students belonging to different levels of
education and departments using a questionnaire. The questionnaire was firstly designed
according to the requirements of the topic, information and content covered in the class for
identifying the major personal and academic factors that hinder student’s study. It included 10
different multiple-choice questions including different factors like excessive use of social media,
sleep deprivation, psychological factors, style of teaching, financial pressure, student’s attitude
and seriousness that not only involved in education but can also influence and hinder student’s
studies which was the blend of student’s personal and academic factors. The purpose and
introduction about the major factors were explained verbally and the participants were asked to
answer the questions by selecting (tick/encircle) the best option according to them including agree
or disagree or other options as discussed. The response rate was about 98% including 50% males
and 48% females. For the purpose of data analysis student’s department, level of education and
gender were asked.

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 3. RESULTS
1. Do you think stress and anxiety affects your study?

13%

47%

40%

Yes, very badly Yes, but not much No, not at all

2. Financial Pressure affects student’s learning.

8%
10%

47%

35%

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree

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 3. Which of the following factors do you think influence
your learning the most?

23%
32%

27%
18%

Excessive use of Social Media Mental Health Time Management All of the Above

4. How much social media is addicted to you?

32%
45%

23%

Very much Not much Not addicted at all

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5. What do you think is the actual hindrance in student’s
education?

9%
29%
25%

37%

Financial Pressure Students attitude and seriousness Teaching Style None

6. Which one of these causes more distraction from

studies?

7%

25% 37%

18% 13%

Social Media Gaming Friends circle All of the above None

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 7. Student’s attitude and seriousness has effect on
Student’s learning.

6%2%
10%
40%

42%

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

8. Sleep Deprivation is one of the major factors effecting

learning.

8% 2%
4%
40%

46%

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

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9. How much poor study habits like no time management
and no study plan effect Student’s studies?

14%

54%
32%

Very much Not much Not addicted at all

10. Poor health and nutrition affect Student’s studies?

4%
10%
24%

18%

44%

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

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 4. CONCLUSION
There are many factors that can impact a student's academic performance, including social
influences, poor study habits, and external factors such as stress and financial pressure. Friends
can have a significant impact on our grades, and it's important to be aware of the potential pitfalls
of negative influences and to choose our friends wisely. However, it's also important to note that
positive influences can have a great impact on our lives, such as mutual motivation and positive
reinforcement. Poor study habits, such as a lack of a study plan and interruptions and distractions,
can also greatly affect a student's academic performance. It's important for students to have a
well-defined study plan and to minimize distractions in order to stay on task and focus on their
studies. Stress and anxiety can also have a negative impact on a student's ability to learn, so it's
important for students to find ways to manage these feelings in order to perform well
academically. Additionally, financial pressure can also greatly impact a student's ability to learn, as
it can cause stress and anxiety. Similarly, sleep deprivation, poor health and nutrition can also
greatly impact a student's ability to learn. It's essential for students to prioritize their well-being in
order to perform well academically. It's also important to note that student’s attitude and
seriousness play a vital role in their learning. It's necessary for students to be self-motivated and
serious about their education to perform well. The teaching style also play a role in how students
learn and understands the material. Overall, it's important for students to be aware of the various
factors that can impact their academic performance and to take steps to minimize negative
influences and optimize positive ones. By understanding the factors that can affect their learning
and taking steps to address them, students can set themselves up for success in their academic
endeavors.
In conclusion, there are many personal and academic factors that can hinder a student's learning.
These include stress and anxiety, financial pressure, poor study habits, poor health and nutrition,
sleep deprivation, and distractions such as social media and gaming. Additionally, friend’s circles
and teaching styles can also play a role in a student's academic performance. It is important for
students to be aware of these potential pitfalls and to take steps to address them. For example,
developing a study plan, managing time effectively, and maintaining good physical and mental
health can all help to improve academic performance. Additionally, it is important to surround
oneself with positive influences and to choose friends wisely. Ultimately, it is essential for students
to take responsibility for their own learning and to strive for success, despite the challenges they
may face. With the right mindset and approach, students can achieve their goals and succeed in
their studies.

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