As the academic year is coming to an end, the amount of workload and stress starts to increase.
As a final year student, this year is particularly important to me, as, like many other courses, the third year takes up the biggest proportion of the grades and one module can easily make or break your final honours. Therefore, in this blog, I will go through a couple of tips that helped me so far stay on track with my work and ensure I am meeting my deadlines on time.
Organising your timetable
One of the most important tips that I could give when it comes to staying organised is having your own personal timetable to mark down all your deadlines and commitments. For example, I have had different modules, societies, AMBS ambassador and other external commitments this semester. In order to highlight what I need to do and what I should prioritise, I always put down everything on my timetable on my phone and separate the different tasks with various colours to give myself a visual aid on the different types of work I have. Furthermore, I also list all my work according to the deadline and urgency as well as how difficult I perceive the work to be, so if I think something might be more challenging than the other, I will also take that into consideration and prioritise accordingly. I feel like having a clear timetable has helped me immensely as I don’t need to constantly worry about whether or not I missed something important and keep my mind at ease.
Study with friends
One really important aspect of my university life is without a doubt, my coursemates and my friends. Not only can they be amazing to hang around and enjoy myself, but they are also helpful when it comes to my studies. Something I did a lot more this semester was working outside in a café or other school facilities with my friends. Personally, working with other people not only keeps me motivated as I will feel guilty if I am slacking when they are working hard beside me, but it also allows me to ask them questions or exchange ideas when I am struggling with the work. Obviously, this may not be suitable for everyone as I know some people prefer working alone and they are most productive when they have their own personal space; however, even if you prefer to work together with someone else, make sure the people you work with are also motivated and hardworking to ensure they don’t distract you from your own work and make things even worse.
Reach Out
I cannot stress how important it is to reach out when you are struggling. Friends and family are obviously a great avenue to receive advice and express your concerns, but another really useful tool is the resources the University offers. In particular, my academic advisor has been an amazing help throughout my academic year as he was very willing to give me advice on what I should do or provide guidance to me when I lacked direction. In addition, there are many other services that the school offers that address the different concerns you may have, be it your mental wellbeing, your career aspirations or just academic assistance, the University is always there for their students and there are a lot of resources and services available to you as long as you take the initiative.
