University is all about BALANCE. Those who are able to succeed and surpass university, often exceed in well beyond things university related.
In this blog post, I will share with you my 10 top tips in order to do well in university.
1. Have a calendar printout. The months that I have planned out my life using a calendar vs. those months that I haven't, had not only shown me academic success but also a lot less procrastination. My favourite calendar sheets are from here.
In my calendar printable, I have:
- all the parties that I need to attend,
- all the assignments/projects due in the following month,
- all the tests/quizzes/practicals/exams that are also that month, and
- birthdays/anniversaries/celebrations
By seeing all the events and tasks I need to do or study for, I'm able to see the month at a glance. This also lowers the chances of procrastination considering the fact that I am forced to see how little time I have in between each task. By putting up parties and other miscellaneous celebrations, I also have to do my tasks ahead of time or I will definitely be behind the next day.
2. Most grad schools and jobs that you apply for after university require you to show your extracurricular activities. Many people focus so much on their studies, that when fourth/fifth year comes around, and they need to apply to jobs or grad school, they realize that they are missing a whole section on their resume.
Clubs, organizations and sports teams are a great way to utilize your extracurricular activities. Most grad schools and jobs look for students that are well rounded and most universities have a wide array of extracurricular activities. You can also find many clubs that surround courses as well.
Extracurricular activities not so surprisingly help you to manage your time and also to network with other people-both things which are very important. Personally, I've also noted that extracurricular activities help me stop procrastinating and also stressing less.
3. VOLUNTEER!!
I know that university seems like a hustling and bustling place, but make sure to volunteer (especially on campus)! Volunteering is a great way to get to know people you go to university with, and also extremely self rewarding.
Most volunteer supervisors are also willing to write reference letters, and volunteering also looks ah-maz-ing on your resume. Often times, students don't want to get a job first year since they want to focus on their studies and that's a perfectly reasonable excuse, but volunteering is usually temporary and doesn't cost that much of your time!
4. Now the next tip is something that I as an introvert had to suck up to and get over...office hours. For most students, the only way they can actually get to know their professors is if they go see them in their office hours.
Office hours are a great way to get to know your professors and also ask them certain questions regarding the course material. Remember to use your TA's for the most chunk of questions as well! When professors are able to actually get to know you, they are able to write references that you might need later on for grad school or even jobs.
5. Have a planner!
Now for most students, they buy a planner and stop using it halfway through the semester. Resist that urge (I know how you all feel)!!
Most of the time, small assignments and tasks go over our heads if we don't write them down and a planner is a great way to know what tasks you have for the upcoming day, week, and months ahead of you.
6. The next tip I have for you is an absolute staple.
When you are in university, make sure to carefully plan out your year using the syllabus that's given to you for each and every course (I know it's tedious). For certain courses, this will seem like a task straight out of hell but it's a great way to be organized for the upcoming school year.
The syllabus has been a great way for me to plan out in advance which weekends I'll be staying in, and in which ones I have the freedom of going out.
7. The next way to manage university is by managing your study methods. Most people study the most effectively in the morning, and according to many sources, you also retain more information that way.
Find out if you like studying at home/residence, in the library, or that secret place where there is no one to distract you. Personally, I love certain nooks and crannies across campus and love going to the library as well to study. Remember...everyone is different in terms of how and when they study so do what works for you.
For many students, the transition from high school to university is also a drastic one. This means that certain individuals (she who shall not be named *cough cough me*) think that they can get away with procrastination *insert laughing emoji*.
Procrastination does NOT work in university for anyone, and most first year drop outs will tell you the same thing. Instead, procrastination causes anxiety and can extremely harm one's mental health. By using the methods in this blog post, you should not only effectively reduce procrastination, but also the anxiety you feel regarding school.
Another thing is sticky notes. I know this seems like an old trick of the trade (who even says that anymore...I do) but it's extremely effective. Whenever professors have a PowerPoint with Textbook page references or TA's make certain references, sticky note those pages in advance. Often times, those references will come back on your exams, and this way you don't have to scramble your 900+ page psychology textbook (I'm not joking...seriously) for that one page that you need.
Sticky notes also help keep the price of your textbook higher as no one likes a book that's all highlighted (unless it's a smart person who highlighted the textbook...)
8. Don't binge watch TV shows!! Catch up to those shows that you enjoy in the summer, so when new episodes come out, you ONLY watch those.
Also make sure to keep the amount of TV shows you watch down to 2 or 3 shows...no more *resist the urge*. This way, the maximum amount of shows you watch weekly are 3 (and this should be done in your spare time, when you are done everything)
9. Read your textbook. I know this sounds stupid but a wise teacher in grade 9 of high school once told me that, that is one of the easiest way to get good grades. Reading your textbooks in the beginning of the semester means that when you see the content the second time around, you will attain it a lot easier and more effectively.
This is also one of the easiest ways to get ahead in university. By reading in advance, you don't blank out the second time you see the content (hopefully).
10. The last tip I have for you all, is to get a job. While most people's parents nagged them to get a job, I was of the few whose parents actually did quite the opposite. My parents wanted me to focus on my studies and not be busy with a job.
Remember that everyone has to start from somewhere, and whatever job you get, is a necessity in university (make sure it's part-time though). It's okay to not get a job first year because it's better not to test the waters when you barely passed in high school (*again cough cough me*) but it's a great idea to get a job throughout the rest of your years.
A job is a great way to build up your resume, and also to get reference letters. Many times in interviews, they ask about what learning skills you learned from your previous jobs, and it's an excellent way to show off (if you had a job of course). The reference letters from your place of employment(s) can and usually are used towards grad school.
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So this is my spiel (real word...I know right :). I hope you took something from it, and if you have any additional suggestions, feel free to share them with the rest of us.
Until next time...toodles.
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