A First YeAr’s

University
Survival Guide
the do’s And don’ts oF universitY.
 It is most likely that your first year at university will include some
long lectures for certain subjects and it is these long periods of
sitting that will cause keeping focus difficult. Fortunately, there are
Day-Dreaming multiple solutions to this issue such as asking a friend who was in
Through Long the same lecture. Another solution is to note down the time you
spaced-out and watch the recordings at that specific time. This
Lectures. solution will be most beneficial as you will be able to note down
information from what your lecturer was discussing during the
lecture.

do’s
 I find myself doing the readings on Sundays because it is day of the
week whereby I am less busy with studying. It is important to set a
designated time to do the readings because for some courses the
readings are an integral part of the course. The readings also provide
you with a preconceived idea of the content discussed during the
lecture and allow for a more cohesive understanding of the content.

Do The
Readings!

do’s
Create one
page notes
after lectures First year at university means creating effective studying habits and
most importantly keeping to these good studying habits. I find that
creating one-page notes on all lectures is good way to summarise
the content I’ve understood from the lecture and identify what
information I need to further study. This is a good habit because it
encourages progressive studying instead of cramming.

do’s
 Get to know the people taking the same course as you as this will be
mutually beneficial for both parties. You will be able to form close
Get to know friendships with these people who will be studying for the same test
and assignments as you, as well as provide a helping hand when you
that people in find yourself struggling.
your course!

do’s
 If you find yourself struggling with
understanding the certain content from the
lectures and you have already asked friends for
Lectures and help or re-watched the recordings, approach
your lecture or tutor for help. Send them an
Tutors aren’t email or visit them during office hours if you are
struggling as they will be more the glade to help
that scary… you. The lecturers and tutors are best to
approach as they will provide you with the
necessary information that will help make any
confusion more clearer and comprehensible.

do’s
Don’t leave the
assignment to Leaving assignments to the last minute is something that most
students will do at least once at university however, it is an
the last minute extremely bad habit it continue. Assignments that left to the last
minute are noticeable as they usually contain many minor punctual
errors which demonstrate that the assignment has been rushed and
in return hinder your grade. To succeed in the first year you ensure
that you organise your time effectively to reduce cramming and
leaving assignment to the last minute.
don’ts
 Over studying is another bad habit that leads to stress and irritation.
The bad habit can also lead people to being studying irrelevant
information and wasting time. Wasting time is something that you
cannot afford to waste when multiple assignments and test are due
around the same dates. To avoid over studying I suggest referring to
the learning objectives and take what you need to further study
Do not over from there, or when you find yourself getting irritable maybe it is
study! time to take a short break to gather your thoughts and to make
sense of your situation.

don’ts
It is no longer
the summer Starting university is a huge milestone and deserves to be celebrated
however, going out with friends every night will not help you succeed in
holidays! your course. You have had the entire summer as well as week zero to
party with other university students. After week zero the time to party
is over and the time to stick your heads in books begins. I am not saying
the you have to pause drinking alcohol till the end of the semester but
create a good balance of studying and going out with friends. You have
made the decision to study at university which means you are
responsible for attending lectures and your grades. If you find your
grades slipping and often go out, maybe it is time to prioritise your
don’ts studies otherwise you are wasting your own time studying your course.
 Going to bed at 3:00AM and having a class at 9:00AM the same day
will do you no good. The lack of will without a doubt cause difficulty
with keeping focus especially during long lectures. It can also make
you more irritable and potentially causing your friends to begin
distancing themselves from your company. Having a decent amount
during the week will help you keep focus during the day along with
absorbing more information to make sense of the lecture. The lack
of sleep is most likely a result of poor studying which proceeds to
people doing all-nighters. A good nights rest is essential to being
GO TO BED! present during your classes and contribute to your understanding of
the work presented to you.

don’ts
 When assignments or test are due it is common for people to skip
lectures and spend time working on the assignment or test.
Although the lectures are recorded it is still good for students to be
present at all lectures as attendance may be accounted for and to
have the opportunity to ask the lecture questions during the lesson.
This is important because you may forget what question you want
to ask your lecturer and by the time you are reminded of this
Missing uncertainty it could be too late to ask questions. A good attendance
indicates to your lecturer that you are in the room studying and will
lectures… be more forthcoming when you approach them for help.

don’ts