There is a brand new semester on the horizon filled with lectures, exams and work. It’s not all doom and gloom however, January is the perfect opportunity for you to get the year off to a good start.
We’ve compiled a series of tips which should soften the blow of returning to university and help you make the most of the year.
1. Set small, achievable goals.
Setting small goals is the best way to keep yourself feeling motivated through a month as bleak as January. Even if it’s literally just rewarding yourself with another episode of your current favourite Netflix series once you’ve finished your essay – every single one counts!
2. Make lists.
Following on from setting yourself small, achievable goals; note all of these goals down on daily lists. Seriously, make lists your new best friend. There’s nothing quite as satisfying and motivating as ticking another task off your to-do list and getting everything done.
3. Know your syllabus inside out.
Really, it’s a no brainer, but it’s something that can be surprisingly easy to neglect. If, at the end of last year, you were constantly feeling like deadlines were always creeping up out of nowhere – now is the perfect time for you to know your syllabus inside out. Knowing exactly which topics you should be studying for, when your deadlines are and what your exam structure is from the get-go will help you to keep feeling on top of everything.
4. Spruce up your study space.
Returning to university after the Christmas break to the same old study space can feel incredibly lacklustre and leave you feeling demotivated and in the same mindset you were in before the holidays. The start of the year and the start of a brand new semester is the perfect time to spruce up your study space and make it feel like somewhere you want to work in. Or, you could try something different and use of the study rooms or alternatively head to the library. Change is good!
5. Don’t be afraid to talk to tutors and lecturers if you need to.
If, last year, you floated from assignment to assignment, deadline to deadline, living in constant fear of asking your tutors and lecturers for help – stop. It’s literally their job to help you. Start the new year and new semester by reaching out to your tutors and lecturers if you really need to. Although some will reply with one-word emails, most will go out of their way to help you in any way they can and will do their utmost to reassure you.
