1. Get organised fast
Plan, plan and plan. This is the key to success at Uni. Figure out your timetable as soon as you can, so you feel like you are on top of things. You’ll hear people being dismissive of early Semester classes, but those introductions to subjects are key to you succeeding later in the Semester. You get an overview of what’s coming up in the course, when your assessments are due, when your exams will take place and what percentage of your grade they’ll account for.
There’s a calendar built in to the LMS – make use of it and export it to your calendar on your phone for reminders on-the-go. There are also lots of free study planning apps available like the My Study Life App or the Egenda App.
2. Attend, attend, attend
“the inescapable conclusion is that attendance is a direct determinant of academic performance and attainment”.
Newman-Ford et al. (2008, p. 713) that
Don’t take our word for it, listen to Newman-Ford et al, attending tutorials, labs and pracs and making sure you attend or watch your lectures online will improve your grades. You don’t have to be a pedantic scholar like Martin Prince (Simpsons reference), but showing up will do the world of good at the pointy end of Semester.
3. Stay connected
say hello and have a chat to that person you’ve seen 17 times in class, awkwardly acknowledge, but don’t know their name – they could be a friend for life…
As important as attending is connecting with your classmates, not only is this a healthy social activity that will nourish your soul, getting to know people in your course and keeping in touch with them during Semester will help you to keep on top of things.
We know it’s not easy making friends in the age of every staring at their smartphone before class, but saying hi and reaching out to your peers to ask questions and discuss assignment and exam topics can be an absolute lifesaver for you academically and socially! So say hello and have a chat to that person you’ve seen 17 times in class, awkwardly acknowledge, but don’t know their name – they could be a friend for life… Good luck out there.
Here are some tips.