Student Weekly Tips: Assessments are over! What now?
Hello and welcome to this week’s Student Weekly Tips. Whether you’re anticipating the end of your exams or are already halfway across the world, here are some tips for your next steps shared by the Student Team.
Managing academic stress
“Sometimes working in academia can get very stressful, especially around assessments, assignments and exams. My top tip on managing stress is to actually manage it. Don’t let it run wild and take over everything. I can anticipate or expect some levels of stress, and want to do my best to keep it at a minimum if it is inevitable. I’ll do a lot of things that comfort me, when I’m studying or revising. It’s also helpful to talk to friends or course mates about it and to relieve some of the anxiety.” — Salma, Politics and IR
“When an animal suffers stress — for example, after escaping from a predator — it copes with the aftermath by physically shaking to release the feeling of stress. We can literally do the same, along with the usual things like taking breaks and doing whatever that relaxes us, whether that’s going for a coffee with a friend, seeing a movie or — talking of escape — having a go at an escape room! Literally shaking for a few seconds might look a bit strange but it turns out that Taylor Swift was right after all with her song!” — Olivia, Psychology
“Academic stress is definitely a universal experience for every university student, especially during exam season! Organising your time effectively and ensuring you have enough breaks or even a ‘study free’ day is important to not get overwhelmed with your workload.” — Iqra, Speech & Language Therapy
Reflecting on your progress
“With so many things going on, sometimes all you can think about is what is coming up next. However, it can be helpful to reflect on what already happened. Take some time to have a think about all the uni, but also personal achievements you have accomplished. It can be eye opening and motivating to know just how many things you successfully completed, or if something didn’t go as planned, what could be done better next time.
Regardless if it is positive or negative reflection, it will give you a better sense of where you have been and where you are going. And personally, I find that even if you find a lot of little things to criticise, the positive number of accomplishments outweighs the negative ones.” — Isabella, Materials Science & Engineering
“We’ve come so far, and we are almost at the finish line. Every bump and all the ups and downs are all part of progress. It gives me a lot of optimism and even confidence to know where my weaknesses were and how I overcame any obstacles.” — Salma, Politics and IR
“Reflecting on your progress is really important for your growth as a student, and as a person overall. Remember that reflection doesn’t always mean focusing on things that didn’t go so well, it also includes focusing on your achievements and what went well! Completing a year of university is definitely a demanding experience and should be celebrated!” — Iqra, Speech & Language Therapy
“I always find it useful to reflect on things that worked well in my studies so I can take those habits in to the next academic year. It’s really helpful to consider the ways that you might have made your revision or note-taking more effective or how you planned out your assignments, so then you know how to work more efficiently in the future and learn from your experiences!” — Lily, History
Planning for your summer
“In summer definitely take a break from uni! Spend some time with friends, explore the area or travel somewhere else.
I always need this mental break from everything uni related, especially after the exam season. However, it can be helpful to gain some work experience in the summer on top of this. Having done a summer internship last year, it really helped me gain lab experience and through the other people working there, I was also able to imagine what working in this environment long-term might look like. This is something that uni cannot teach you, as it’s all about immersing yourself in a different work environment for a longer time. Doing internships immensely helped me plan my future career path and gave me a sense of direction throughout the academic year as well.
How much of your time you want to spend on internships and how much on free time throughout the summer is up to you, but the longer you immerse yourself in a work environment the better you feel integrated, as the first few weeks are always the most difficult. Therefore, I would recommend spending between 2–3 months on the internship and then use a couple of weeks up to a month on free time only. Obviously, doing an internship still leaves the weekends free so that you can relax.” — Isabella, Materials Science & Engineering
“Take some well-deserved time off to spend as you please! Academic life is very hectic and unless you’re in your final year, you’ll have it all to do again in September so make the most of your summer vacation and spend time with family and friends. Indulge in your hobbies and do the things you’ve always wanted to do which you put off during the academic year. If you may reach a point where you’re bored after a few weeks (and you don’t have an internship or anything else lined up), you can try something that will help with your personal development, like volunteering or an online course in a topic you’re interested in. There’s plenty of free courses on websites like Coursera.” — Olivia, Psychology
“It’s really important to take a break over Summer, especially after an intense exam period! The academic year is very demanding and stressful, so you need to take time away from studying to relax and recharge. I always try to spend as much of my summer as possible not even thinking about uni and doing things that I enjoy, for which I do not have as much time during the academic year. This gives me something to look forward to and motivates me during the tough period at the end of the academic year!” — Lily, History
We hope you enjoyed reading this weeks tips, take some well deserved time off after your exams and well done for getting through this busy academic year!
