The longer you study, the less the teachers will pressure you to do well. This maxim becomes crystal clear at university – you are paying for the privilege after all!
But for students who’ve always appreciated a push in the right direction, trying to study and revise at university can feel somewhat directionless. If you’re not careful, it can become so overwhelming that it’s preferable not to think about it. The best thing you can do to prevent becoming lost is organise your study time, and start ASAP.
Setting up the structure
The best thing you can do first is devise a timetable, and do it soon. It doesn’t have to be exhaustive until exams loom on the horizon, but you might appreciate allocating the time beforehand so it doesn’t get away from you. If you have the spare time, try and match revision hours to actual contact – in final term, you can turn the latter into more revision and double your output without actually putting any more work in.
How to be effective
Of course, you don’t want to over-stretch yourself. If you want to have an efficient revision session, make sure you schedule in enough breaks to keep yourself sane. You’ll only burn yourself out, and that’s counter-productive to the whole endeavour! Try to mix up what you’re revising. For example, if you’ve got a seminar on a certain day, try to revise on another day. Not only does this mean that you’ll get an important and much-needed break, but it actually helps get the information into the brain better.
Maintaining the routine
As with everything at university, realism is key. Only schedule it for hours that you know you can do, and be prepared to change it if you have a fluctuating schedule. The sooner you start, the easier it’ll be to maintain, which can be surprisingly easy. All you need to do is stick to it, and make it interesting. You can even use university events and the extra support they offer, which tends to be more interactive than simply making notes in your room. However you learn, remember that there’s a way to do it.
Although you can get lost in the social aspects of university, it’s important to remember that learning is the core of it all. And if you follow all this, you’ll have a great experience whilst coming away with grades to match.
Do you think you need to revise differently once you’re at university? Let us know in the comments below.
Photo: Nic McPhee / Flickr
Warwick Editor for Career Camels and Deputy Comment Editor for The Boar.
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