If you are just starting University, congratulations and good luck! There are a lot of new things to take in, from finding lecture halls to learning about completely new topics. As you probably have been told, university studies require much more initiative and self-organization than school. If you’re already a year or two into your studies, one might assume that you’re already a savvy veteran in all things uni, but after a long summer of work, travel or even just leisure, it’s not always that easy to shift back to the study mindset. A lot of back-to-school guides talk about furnishing your student flat or packing your bag and updating your wardrobe. This guide is for planning the academic year—or at least the first semester – intellectually.
1. Plan your courses
You most likely had to register for courses already in mid-August. Still, do you know what courses you’ll be taking in the second period, starting at the end of October? Or what you’ll be doing in the spring? Do you know when the courses for your degree program are available for you—is there a course that is offered only once a year? If none or only a few of the courses offered in your program seem relevant, have you considered looking into courses not part of your own degree program? This could be an opportunity to learn something new about something different than usual, and maybe even spark ideas for new bigger study credit units to include in your degree. If you are thinking of doing a study exchange, also consider looking up application dates and courses you can complete abroad.
For those who suddenly realize they may have picked too many courses, it might also be time for a bit of planning. What counts as too many courses depends on the individual, for example how much time and energy we can spend on homework knowing our other commitments and personal energy resources. Don’t take on more than you can chew—the workload is likely to increase when the final deadlines and exams are approaching, so the number of courses that seems fine at the beginning might later on be tougher. Even if you’ve signed up for a course, there’s rarely any reason for why you couldn’t drop off—talk about it with the responsible teacher. Ask, for example, what the final assignment will be – in terms of schedule, writing a paper typically takes more time than reading for an exam (even though, of course, you should also prepare early for any exams). You can also ask about the next time a course is organized. Unless the course is organized very infrequently or is a prerequisite for something you want to take soon, perhaps you can take the course the next time. This possibility depends a lot on the degree and the course in question.
2. Make a weekly schedule
Ok, so you’ve noted the lectures, seminars and practical sessions you need to take. You might also know what days you have other things going on, like work, hobbies and societies, nights out with friends, new episode of that one weekly-airing series that you have to watch immediately. Don’t try to plan on doing any homework or extra reading during those times, it’s too easy to excuse yourself from responsibilities when they are competing against something you’ve committed yourself to. Instead, plan time for homework outside of those hours. Have an actual dedicated time, so you don’t need to always “find time” for something you knew was inevitable. The dedicated time doesn’t necessarily have to be hours long, just enough to let you look through your lecture notes and do weekly homework.
If you do plan on long and highly productive sessions (such as thesis writing sessions), know your optimal conditions. Home or in the library? Alone or together with a friend? In the morning before lectures or late at night? Don’t schedule an important study session in the morning unless you actually are an early-bird who won’t snooze that alarm until noon!
3. There’s always homework
When the teacher doesn’t specify any homework, you have surely earned some time to relax and do other things. Well, yes, but even so, if you have the energy and time, do your future self a favour and do some homework anyway. If no homework is specified at the end of a lecture, you might still be expected to get working on a previously assigned task, to keep up with the course reading, or just go through your notes to actually internalize the content. For example, if you notice that after the lecture your notes – or the notes you copied from a friend – don’t make sense to you anymore or are missing something, you can elaborate them by going over any available lecture slides or reading up on the topic yourself. You’ll thank yourself when exam week rolls in and you have already prepared.
However, even this advice doesn’t mean you should burn out yourself—know your limits. If needed, it’s completely ok to use that extra leisure to nap, watch tv or catch up with friends. Especially with long-term projects like thesis writing, the “always homework” can be harmful. Yes, you can keep writing eight hours every day, because there is always something more to work on, but eventually you do need to take a break. With projects like this, you have to chunk your work into smaller, attainable goals with individual deadlines and time-plans. Sometimes you may have a thesis seminar do this for you, at other times its on you to do the chunking—at all times, it really helps you out. Thankfully, even by googling, you can find advice on how to chunk writing projects, from term papers to theses.
4. Take care of yourself
Some commitments are easier to escape than others, but it’s fine if you take it a bit slower and maybe take a break. If you need an evening to rest and recuperate, you don’t always have to wait until weekend. Do it today—you may feel better tomorrow. Even if you feel your fellow students have it all under control, ask them how they are doing – chances are you get to commiserate the stressful semester or the seemingly impossible assignment together.
When your family phones you to ask if you’re eating well and getting enough sleep, take their advice to heart. Nutrition and good sleep are essential for your well-being and make it much easier to focus on your studies and any other commitments. And remember it’s not just about the academic. Get active at Unisport, join a society. Even if you’re not an extroverted party animal, you can meet more of your fellow students by joining a society or at events aimed at freshmen or international students.
Have you ever made a New Year’s resolution? Then you know that changing a big aspect of your life is a challenge. Don’t lose faith just because it takes longer than expected or you don’t succeed at first.