Surviving your 1st Semester

Seven Ways to Make Life at University Easier

1.Keep on top of things: little and often

  • Attend all your classes.
  • Review your notes regularly.
  • Keep up with reading.
  • Ask questions when they arise – don’t wait until the exam is due!
  • Avoid the rush hour: everything is more difficult close to deadlines.

2.Be organised

  • Keep a timetable/diary/year planner.
  • Read and safely file all course documentation.
  • Keep your lectures notes etc. organised.

3.Use the technology

  • Make yourself aware of libraries, computing facilities etc.
  • Thinking about computers, software, internet etc. What technology would help you? What is available?
  • Find your way round the University website.
  • Find out what you can/can’t do online.
  • Find out what software/ programmes you will need to use.
  • Attend workshops/ get help sheets/ practice.

4.Keep in touch

  • Attend classes regularly.
  • Check your university e-mail and BlackBoard regularly.
  • Make contact with your personal tutor.
  • Get together with other students on your course: compare notes, form a study group, comment on each others’ ideas.

5.Take advantage

  • Don’t suffer in silence: let us know if you have queries/ problems.
  • There are no stupid questions.
  • Ask lecturers.
  • Contact your personal tutor.
  • Use student services.

6.Triage: review and prioritise

  • Keep your plan up to date.
  • Be aware of what’s going on.
  • Review lecture notes etc.
  • Be aware of, and implement, feedback.
  • Be selective.

7.Enjoy!

  • Don’t forget to have a life!
  • Make friends – on your course, in your halls, in Student Central, in activities.
  • Get involved: be an academic rep, take part in Students’ Union activities etc.
  • Think about sports, societies etc.

Quiz – where would you go?

Which University Service you would turn to in each of these situations?

(Answers are given at the end.)

  1. Worried you might have dyslexia?
  2. Need help logging on to the computer?
  3. Need a part-time job?
  4. Need an extended deadline on an assessment because you are ill?
  5. Have a query about your fees?
  6. Can’t work because you’re so homesick?
  7. Need support with maths?
  8. Can’t find information on your subject for your essays?
  9. Don’t understand the lectures?
  10. Feel your English language skills need work?
  11. Feel lost and can’t cope with all the demands of your course?
  12. Worried about an interview or job application?
  13. Have a problem with accommodation?
  14. Want some advice on your first draft essay?
  15. You’ve been ill for a large part of the semester and haven’t been able to work properly. You are worried this will affect your performance in exams.
  16. Need a particular book, but it’s not in the library?
  17. You’re terrified about the presentation you have to do for a module.
  18. You’ve been told to reference your work using the Harvard system, but you don’t know what this means.
  19. You’ve failed an assessment and don’t know how to improve for the resubmission.
  20. You’re not happy with the organisation of your course.

Surviving your 1st Semester Quiz Answers

1.Having trouble reading handouts (print too small, blurry etc.)? Disability Service

2.Need help logging on to the computer? IT Help JBP Library

3.Need a part-time job? Career Development Services’ JobShop

4.Need an extended deadline on an assessment because you are ill? Module Leader

5.Have a query about your fees? The Hub

6.Can’t work because you’re so homesick? Counselling/Students Union

7.Need support with maths? Academic Skills Advice service

8.Can’t find information on your subject for your essays? Library website/ Subject Librarian

9.Don’t understand the lectures? Lecturer

10.Feel your English language skills need work? Language Study Centre

11.Feel lost and can’t cope with all the demands of your course? Personal tutor/

Academic Skills Advice service

12.Worried about an interview or job application? Career Development Services

13.Have a problem with accommodation? Warden/The Hub/Students Union

14.Want some writing skills advice based on a sample of your work? Academic Skills Advice

service

15.You’ve been ill for a large part of the semester and haven’t been able to Personal tutor/

work properly. You are worried this will affect your performance in exams Students Union

16.Need a particular book, but it’s not in the library? JBP Library

17.You’re terrified about the presentation you have to do for a module. Academic Skills Advice

service

18.You’ve been told to reference your work using the Harvard system, JBP Library/BlackBoard

But you don’t know what this means. Lecturers/Academic Skills Advice service

19.You’ve failed an assessment and don’t know how to improve for the Lecturers/

resubmission. Academic Skills Advice service

20.You’re not happy with the organisation of your course. Academic Reps/Programme Leader

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Academic Skills Advice service