University isn’t just filled with lectures and attending classes. It’s packed with lessons no one prepares you for. It’s a new beginning, whether you’re coming straight from high school or pivoting onto a different path, your journey will have ups and downs. The good thing is – that’s part of the fun! You don’t know where your academic journey will lead you!
Uni can look different for everyone, and that’s completely normal. As a current nursing student with a background in health science, I’ve had my share of challenges.
To calm the chaos, I curated study strategies and took on helpful habits that have made studying and daily uni-life feel more manageable and organised.
Study Strategies to Snatch the Stress Away:
One thing that’s really helped me stay on track is an assessment breakdown sheet. I put this together because I found it frustrating having to constantly going back and forth through subject outlines just to check due dates or assignment details.
In the breakdown, I include the:
- Type of assessment (e.g. essay, report, quiz)
- Weight/percentage
- Due date
- Word limit
- Aim and brief description
- Key points from the marking criteria (I always include the High Distinction criteria as it’s a great standard to aim for).
Also, it’s all in one document, which is easy to access and saves so much time during the semester. I highly recommend doing this at the start of each term.
Learning Outcome-Based Study Notes
Creating study notes can feel overwhelming especially if you don’t know where to start. What’s worked for me is using a super simple method: Open a Google Doc or Word document and dedicate one page per learning outcome. Under each one, I jot down key concepts, definitions, and examples. I’ll add visuals if they help me understand the content better. It’s a straightforward way to ensure your notes are targeted and directly tied to what you’ll be assessed on.
Small Habits, Big Difference
- One week before the semester starts, I gather important learning materials like the subject guides and highlight key info (assessment summaries, weekly topics, required readings).
- After my first class, I make sure to write down my tutors’ names, email addresses, and other useful contact info.
- Build a personal timetable. I find it easier to create my own visual timetable rather than constantly checking the University portal. There are heaps of free templates online that make it fun and customisable.
