Written by Adam Bagnall
So, you’ve made it through October and Session 2. All that study, all those late nights, all the rants to your friends about that one subject, it’s all paid off! You feel like you’ve aced your assessments and exams. The session’s over, it’s almost summer, time to relax…
WAIT, I forgot my degree had Session 3 classes. Urgh…
This was me last year! I’d switched my course from a Bachelor of Communication to a Bachelor of Education, and I had to get used to studying throughout the summer and holiday period. All the while, I had to contend with the busiest time of the year at my work. I was heading back to Sydney from my dorm at the Bathurst campus for various Christmas and birthday parties, as well as illnesses, and, well, you know… life.
There are, however, a few simple things that I tried to do over the summer to make sure that I got everything done and got the grades I wanted. Was it perfect? No. It’s a hectic time to be doing uni work, and things will go wrong. But I have a few tips to help with getting through it!
Make sure you get to class!
This one might seem super obvious, but seriously, it can be difficult to find the motivation to attend online classes when you can just watch the lectures on 2x speed later (don’t worry, everyone’s guilty of this, even if they say they aren’t). But I promise you’ll get much more out of the session if you make the time to attend. Plus, your lecturers will appreciate it!
Use pockets of time to study.
With how busy the holiday period is, you may have weeks where you’re fully booked out and doing any uni work seems impossible. But inevitably, there will be small periods of time that you can use. Even 100 words a day is better than trying to write a full 2000 word essay in one day because you left it till the last minute (who did that… not me). Trying to integrate small pockets of study time into your routine is a great way to ensure you stay both motivated and on top of your Session 3 studies.
Get out into NATURE!
It’s summer, make use of it! I always find that spending time in nature is a great way to help with my study (I’m sure there is a scientific reason for this, but I’m an English major, not a Science major, so don’t judge me for not knowing specifics). If you’re lucky enough to live in a coastal area, go for a swim; if you live in a particularly warm area, go for an early morning or late evening walk to destress. I promise, making the most of the good weather will have a positive impact on your studies.
Lean on your family.
A particular favourite part about spending time at home in Sydney when I wasn’t on campus was to give my family members a stream of consciousness about my uni work. It let me organise my thoughts on topics a lot better than if I just tried to mentally juggle it with holiday period commitments. Even if you feel like they may not care, often your family will enjoy listening to you talk about what you are learning, and this allows you to both spend quality time with them and help get your work done.
These are just a few things I tried to do that got me through Session 3. While it will be different for everyone, just know that your lecturers, your family, and your friends have your back and will help make sure you succeed in your summer studies.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to them and remember that trying is all we ask!
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go for a walk around Mount Panorama again. Enjoy Session 3!
Charlie blog is a SSAF initiative.
