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studylix · 6 years

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(VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL AQUÍ)

¡Hey! It’s been 3 days since I finished my first term of University. I have completed this first half with one of the highest grades of the class, and I’m really happy about it!

Winter break has started for me, and I stopped to think about everything I learned in this first 4 months of University, and what I can do to improve. And so, this post was born. Let’s go!:

I study Multimedial Design and it turned hard, very quickly. It’s a career that requires a lot of planning and organization to succeed.

OWN AN AGENDA: If you don’t have one, then take a random piece of paper, a notebook, your notepad, whatever!. Write down important dates, what you need to get done today, and the days that follow.

ORGANIZE YOUR TIME: There isn’t a single task that can’t be done in time. With some exceptions, it’s common that big projects are announced at least a week before it’s due. Start the big projects when they are little!. Divide your time so you can complete everything in time, without having to risk your health and sleeping habits (you’ll lose some sleep inevitably, so don’t add more hours!)

READ THE MATERIAL BEFORE THE CLASS STARTS: Be it a book, a powerpoint presentation, or a related article. Prepare yourself so you can start and actually follow the class. It won’t be the first time you are exposed to the topic, so you can ask questions when doubt rises.

SORT YOUR NOTES OUT: A mess of papers will only bring problems. Here, opinions differ. I personally like to divide each subject in different folders. The idea is to group the notes and pages that belong to one class, in the same place. If you can number the pages, even better.

SET AN ALARM AND RESPECT IT: Pretty self-explanatory. Being late to class is harmful to you and the image the professors have of you. You can risk losing an entire term to retake a class because you didn’t attend. Honestly? Those 5 minutes are not worth it.

PREPARE EVERYTHING YOU NEED THE NIGHT BEFORE: Plan the outfit you’ll wear to class and leave it in the chair by your bed. Prepare the accesories and your bag. Clean your shoes and leave them by the door. Prepare all the things you need for class, put your wallet in there, along with your documents and your keys. Check the weather and leave a jacket ready for the cold. Charge your phone, set your alarm and...

GET AT LEAST 7 HOURS OF SLEEP: Sleep is important, people. If you are correctly organized, you can finish everything you need to do and go to bed at a reasonable hour. Of course, this can vary when it’s exam season, but even then, try at least to sleep 5.

My classes start at 7:50AM and finish a little past lunch. Some things to consider:

MAKE THE MOST OUT OF YOUR CLASSES: Pay attention, take notes, discuss, add to the topic, ask questions, listen. If it’s hard for you to talk, listen to the questions others make: They may ask just what you need. Establish a good, respectful relationship with your professors, They want to teach and answer questions. Submit your work on time, too.

BRING SOMETHING TO EAT: Class periods can transform into long, long hours in which you need to eat at least something. Bring a tiny snack. Water, cookies, cereal bars, fruit, cereal and yoghurt. If it’s cold, bring coffee or tea, or a light soup that will warm you inside out!

Oh, the horror!

WRITE DOWN ALL THE DATES RELATED TO THE EXAM: Days when they will revise with the class, the date and time of the actual exam, and the date to retake it. If your University offers a virtual campus, they will most likely post an Academic Calendar listing all the important dates. Read it and write it down!

KNOW THE REQUIREMENTS TO SIGN UP FOR AN EXAM: This is so important. You don’t want to miss an exam because you couldn’t successfully register to take it. Some subjects need a specific amount of attendance % to register (Mine, for example, is 80%). For this subject in particular I needed to register at least 2 days before the actual exam. Some of my classmates tried signing up the night before and the system rejected it, and they lost the opportunity to take the exam. So! Be careful! Ask your professors about the specific method for the class so you don’t have any problems!

PREPARE TO STUDY AT LEAST A WEEK BEFORE: Everyone has their own methods, but before actually studying you need to have your material ready. Have you done all the exercises? Have you read the mandatory reading list? If you take notes, have you revised or rewritten them? It’s fundamental that you have everything set so you can start studying. If you don’t, then the time is now. Complete your notes, read what you haven’t, ask all the doubts away, rewrite the info, everything. Reach the deadline with a calm mindset, knowing that you have done everything in time. It’s good because if you start early, you can go at your own pace. If you are late, you’ll rush it. So start at least a week before.

IT’S TIME TO STUDY: Leave your phone charging in another room. Some people like to study with music, I prefer silence. Find what’s best for you if you haven’t already. Gather all your notes and mental maps, and start. Don’t forget to take breaks and to eat properly. There is a phrase a professor told me that really helps me when i’m feeling stressed: STUDY WITH LOVE. Remember that you chose this career because you want to be a professional. Study with your goals in mind, know that studying this is a step towards that professional that you want to become. Of course, this doesn’t always work. If the subject is shit, and you just need to know it and you’ll forget as soon as you are out of the exam, then breathe and just get on with it.

The time has come:

BEFORE THE EXAM: Dress up comfortable, don’t break the dresscode if there is one (I, for example, have to wear a button-up and heels to take a Final). Have a good breakfast so you are energized and ready to nail the exam. Reread your notes one last time, briefly go over them but don’t try to study something you left out. Go with what you know. Prepare all the materials you need and greet the professor when you enter the classroom.

DURING THE EXAM: Don’t copy, please. Be honest about what you know and what you don’t. Write what you know, take in consideration how much time you have to do the exam. Write your name, the date, and pour everything you know. It’s time to show how much have studied.

AFTER THE EXAM: Breathe. It’s over. If you feel like you didn’t do so great, don’t worry over it too much. It’s done and you can’t change what you wrote there. Take charge of what you will write when you retake the exam by studying again, and better. Rest a little before starting up a new task, and take a shower. Pat yourself in the back. You did it.

¡Woooo!

BE YOURSELF: A bit basic, isn’t it? But seriously. Be yourself. You are older, you attend University. There is no need to be who others want you to be, there is no need to please others. Be who you are and people who like you and are like you will gravitate towards you. That’s how you make long lasting friendships.

EXCHANGE NUMBERS/EMAILS: If not for chatting, at least get the number or mail of someone who shares classes with you, just in case. Maybe, when you get sick or can’t attend a lecture, they can give you a helping hand or record the class for you. You never know!

Buy a box of white stamps/labels, they will come in handy.

Write down how you feel, track it: In a notebook, in a piece of paper, in your notepad, wherever. Allow yourself to feel and write it down when it feels too overwhelming. Give yourself time to adjust, it’s a new experience!

If you want that boxset of markers and you can afford it, buy it. Treat yourself, life’s too short not to.

Continue with your hobbies. Don’t let Uni take over all aspects of your life. Sure, it’s a big thing, but try to continue your extracurricular hobbies. An hour a day, an hour a week, but don’t drop them!.

But most importantly:

ENJOY! It can be stressful and you will be busy most of the time, but ENJOY!!! It’s a new stage in your life. It’s a priviledge that you have amazing professors who share the art of what they do. Absorb all of it! Enjoy it! Study hard. Study with love and with discipline, be constant and honest, and turn into the person you dream to be, one note at a time.

Oh!! This is so long omg. I hope you find this useful! There is a lot more to say and topics to cover, but this is a general view of what I took out of my first 4 months of university. It’s different that what I imagined it would be, but there are also familiar things.

It’s a new experience, and I hope we can grow in this path together! The studyblr community has helped me a lot in this 4 months, and even before, when I was in high school. I hope I can give back a little with this long post.

Let’s have a good day, everyone!

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