The fifth week of term marks halfway point of first term (where has the time gone?). It’s the time when deadlines are coming at you hard and fast, the word ‘dissertation’ for final years makes you feel a bit sick, and you are wishing you could start over to develop those organizational skills you promised you’d master.
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There’s no point dwelling on the past five weeks, wishing you’d worked harder and got your head down.
Take the halfway point as an opportunity to focus on what you can do now, reflect on the time that has already gone and put measures in place to do better.
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If you are struggling, either mentally or academically, know that it’s okay to be feeling this way. Reach out to people you trust, whether it’s who you live with, your family and friends at home or your academic advisor and seminar tutors. Lean on your support network and the university staff. By letting your tutors know that you may be falling behind, it is at this stage that they can give you guidance about where to go next, rather than waiting until the night before your final exam to realise that you didn’t understand your week one lecture.
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Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Set realistic goals for the second half of term and by the time the Christmas holidays arrives, you will hopefully feel a lot more at ease.