Revision
“Later”, “tomorrow”,
“after this show” – all things you may find
yourself saying when you know you have some revising to get
on with. It’s a common opinion that revision is not
a particularly fun activity to spend your time on but unfortunately
it is a vital activity if passing exams is the desired result
of studying at university.
Revision is one of those things
that tends to be far less painful than you might think once
you get into it. In fact, you will probably find that you
will cause yourself more grief by not doing revision than
if you do it in the first place.
“That’s easy for you
to say” I can hear you think; well, yes it is but I
also know how easy it is to put revision off and I also know
how it feels the night before the exam in which you have no
idea what to expect.
Revision doesn’t have to
be an arduous chore. Believe it or not, revision can be the
key to a happier and more fun university life. Below are a
few ways in which you can make revision seem less daunting
and how you can manage your time effectively:
Break-up
Don’t
worry, we’re not talking about breaking up with you
loved one here; when we say break-up, we mean break-up your
revision. There’s nothing more scary and daunting than
a huge pile of paper, books and notes. The more revision you
can physically see, the less you are inclined to do it.
So, get your
priorities straight. Write out some bullet points of all of
the revision you need to get through and rearrange them from
the most important at the top and the least important at the
bottom (or another way to look at it; the subject you know
the least about at the top and the subject you are most confident
with at the bottom).
By breaking
your revision up into manageable chunks, you can be realistic
about how much you can actually get done within a certain
time period. By being more confident with how much you can
get done in any particular amount of time, you can manage
your time more effectively.
Energy
It sounds obvious
but try and tackle your revision when you have the most energy.
Some people are perkier in the mornings and some in the middle
of the night; whichever you are, take advantage of it.
Workspace
D oes
lying under your duvet with piles of books at your feet and
paper screwed up on the floor next to you sound like a familiar
scenario? Working like this is not productive, can lead to
frustration and inevitably end with you watching a re-run
of Friends on television.
Set your desk
up to do its purpose; clear it of clutter, arrange your pens,
switch the lamp on and while you’re at it, why not get
a nice oxygen producing plant! A clear work place creates
a clear and focussed mind.
Notes
When you’re
sat in a classroom, half asleep and thinking of the person
you were chatting up the night before, the last thing you
want to be doing is taking good, clear notes. However, try
and force yourself into this habit, as it will help to relieve
some stress further down the line.
Distractions
Put your television
at the bottom of your wardrobe and switch your mobile phone
off. It is all too easy to become distracted by the things
around you. The more you defy these distractions, the more
revision you will get done.
Problems
University is not always a fun
place for everyone. Unfortunately, everyday there are people
suffering from stress, bullying, personal problems and much
more while studying at university. Obviously suffering from
stress or personal problems will affect your studies and ultimately
your grades. It’s not always easy to know what to do
when you have concerns but it is important to address the
issues before they get out of hand.
Below are a few common problems
that you may come across while studying at university:
Need more
time?
Your tutors
are no strangers to receiving late assignments. We’ve
all done it; you get an assignment and think to yourself that
you have plenty of time to complete it. The time passes by
like beer through your neck and before you know it, it’s
the night before deadline. Obviously it’s advisable
to keep on top of your assignments and organise yourself to
avoid missing deadlines. However, sometimes things happen
that are out of your control. If you are suffering from serious
personal problems such as a death in the family or a personal
illness then it is important that you approach your tutors
and explain your situation. Whatever you may think, your tutors
are people too and the chances are, if you are honest with
them, they will understand. By being honest, you should be
able to work out a strategy with your tutor on how you can
complete your work – this may include getting an extension
on your assignment deadline.
Failing
T he
first year of university tends to be a bit of a taster and
it also serves as a time to pick up on any major issues concerning
your work before the grades really start to count. However,
if you get into your second and third year and realise that
your grades aren’t up to scratch, you need to do something
about it. The worst thing you can do is to pretend that there
isn’t a problem. Talking to your tutors about where
you are going wrong can help you to organise yourself onto
the road to recovery. Universities really do not want their
students to fail and therefore will invest time to help you
through any issues and concerns. Tutors are often happy to
give extra coaching and advice if you think you are struggling…just
be honest!
Wrong Course?
It seemed like
a great idea at the time, you’ve discussed it with your
parents and you friends think it’s a great idea; yep,
free-range chicken farming is the course for you. But wait,
one of your new university friends is studying Italian history
and if only someone had mentioned it before, you would have
instantly said “yes, that’s the course for me!”
If you would like to change your course you should firstly
think carefully about your decision. If you decide that you
are definitely ready for the move then you need to speak to
your tutor to find out if it is possible. Explain your reasons
for wanting to change to your tutor and they should be able
to help you with what it is that you need to do next.
Other problems
University has
not got a force field around it and problems are just as likely
to occur inside the university walls as outside them. As a
student, you have a responsibility to follow rules and regulations
that the university has put in place. If you break these rules,
the chances are you will find yourself in a disciplinary meeting
or even walking out of the gates waiving goodbye to your friends.
So, if you get
complaints made against you either from a tutor or a fellow
student, make sure you understand the seriousness of the situation
and act accordingly. Even if you have done something wrong,
there will always be someone at university who can advise
you and help you through the disciplinary process. The more
honest you are and the more you seek advice, the more chance
you have of staying at university and getting back on the
straight and narrow.
Of course, it’s
not always the case that the student has done anything wrong.
Unfortunately sometimes tutors and people who are placed in
a position of trust at the universities abuse their trust.
If you are suffering from any form of bullying, abuse (whether
it be sexual, physical or emotional) then it is important
that you tell someone as soon as possible. Pretending that
it isn’t happening will not make the problem go away
– in fact, it will probably only get worse. Talk to
another of your tutors and explain what you have been going
through – you’re not alone!
Useful Links
The
Student Room - The Student
Room is where students share academic and social knowledge
and experience.
Revision-Notes
- This site offers notes and resources
to help you during your course and during exam preparation
time.
University
Advice – Help
and advice on what course to choose at which university.
Lazy
Student - This
a-levels site has plenty of links. Choosing which A-levels
to take? How will it affect the degree you can take, or the
career you can choose?
Student
Books – Free
student book auction site.
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