Knowing how to navigate your studies and time management during Session 3 can be extremely difficult, particularly around the often busy holiday period.
To ensure you set yourself up for success leading into this time, it is important to plan ahead of time, have a checklist and know what your priorities are. Specific things that can help you organise and plan accordingly can include having a visual or electronic diary to record family events, assignment due dates and work hours, communicating with your colleagues about Christmas period work hours, and actively planning ahead so that you are prepared for the second half of Session 3 in 2022.
The checklist
Having your own checklist for Session 3 planning can be extremely helpful in navigating your time management ability and ensure you successfully complete Session 3 while also enjoying the Christmas break. Here is an example:
- Review the Charles Sturt student calendar and take notes of the holiday periods
- Review your subject outline/s and take note of when your assignments are due, particularly around and immediately after Christmas and New Year’s
- Plan out time to work on subject content and assignments each week and set yourself reminders
- If you are a casual worker, take note of your work shifts around Christmas and the public holidays to ensure you have plenty of time to work on assignments
- Give yourself time to spend with your family and friends
From my experience…
Due to COVID lockdowns and the elective subjects chosen for my particular degree, I decided that studying a subject or two during Session 3 would be more convenient and beneficial to my studies.
Studying this session also means I am able to accomplish my degree quicker, spread out my subjects more to allow for better time management, and still take the holiday break and spend time with family. I believe it is also important to keep my mind active over this period, otherwise I am out of the habit of studying by the time Session 1 of the new year arrives.
In the past when I haven’t planned ahead for my studies and not studied during Session 3, I have found my time management was lacking and I was less motivated to study. I have also found that learning to study during Session 3 online, even if it is only one subject, you really do learn how to diversify yourself by adapting to different learning platforms, watching lectures online and completing group assignments via zoom. I think in today’s climate, with COVID, it is really important to learn how to adapt and be resilient to these types of changes.
But remember!
It can take time to figure out and appropriately implement a system and routine that works for you. It is important to stick with a schedule that will help you be as proactive and organised as possible so that you can eliminate stress and enjoy the Christmas and New Year break.
Make sure to keep track of your personalised checklist, utilise the services and resources offered by Charles Sturt by asking for help from your fellow students or lecturers, and if you are continuing your studies in 2022, make sure you plan for and enrol in Session 1.
Christmas will be here before we know it so it’s time to get organised for a successful Session 3 and beginning of 2022.
Written by Billie Tipping
