Are you starting your first year at university or university college, or beginning a new year of higher education? The first few weeks make a big difference. Here are 5 tips to start well, and the 5 mistakes almost every student makes at the start of the year.
Why the start of the year matters so much in higher education
Classes start in September and the first term already ends with an exam session in January. In between, there is often no test or report card to tell you where you stand.
That is what makes these weeks deceptive: the pressure is low, but the material keeps piling up. What you set up in October is what will carry you through January.
5 tips to start the year well in higher education
1. Find your balance between student life and studying
There is no shortage of chances to party, and student life is part of the experience. Some make the most of the first weeks and get down to work afterwards; others study from day one.
Whatever your approach, keep up from the start:
- get the required course notes and reference books;
- know what each course covers and how far the lecturer has got;
- find out the format of each exam (written, oral, multiple choice, assignment);
- look for past exam papers, with their answers if possible;
- stay in touch with other students so you know which classes not to miss.
2. Choose the classes where being there makes a difference
At university and in some university colleges, attendance at lectures is not always checked. Practical sessions, labs and placements, on the other hand, are often compulsory. Your institution’s study regulations are what count: read them.
A few good reasons to go to class:
- there are no course notes, they are incomplete, or the lecturer says in class which part of the material will not be examined;
- the material is hard and the lecturer’s explanations make it clearer;
- you find it hard to motivate yourself to work alone;
- the group is small and the exam is oral: the lecturer will know you.
If you have fallen so far behind that you can no longer follow anything in the lecture hall, catch up quickly, then go back to class as soon as you can.
3. Find your study method and your place to study
Higher education requires more independence than secondary school: this is the time to adjust your study method. Try different approaches (summaries, flashcards, diagrams, redoing exercises) and keep what helps you remember and understand.
People often talk about a “visual” or “auditory” memory. Research mainly shows that we remember better by testing ourselves and reviewing material at regular intervals, whatever our profile. If your method is still unclear, support with your study method can save you a lot of time.
As for where to study, your institution’s library often helps you focus: you are surrounded by students at work, away from your phone, your bed and your series.
4. Work regularly
Study time alone does not guarantee success, but regularity counts for a lot. From the start of the year, make a schedule and set aside fixed times, according to your timetable, to:
- review what was covered in class;
- write your summaries week by week;
- prepare practical sessions and redo exercises.
5. Write down your questions and get help early
An unanswered question or an exercise you cannot solve should not wait. The next time you think about it may be the night before the exam.
Write your questions down as they come and look for help: from the lecturer, a teaching assistant, another student or a coach.
5 mistakes we all make at the start of the year (and how to avoid them)
We have all told ourselves: “this year is going to be different”. It can be, as long as you avoid these classic traps.
Mistake 1: “I’ll wait until the classes get going”
No exam in sight, little pressure: so you ease off. Yet this is exactly the time to set up your system: note taking, a schedule, weekly summaries.
Mistake 2: “It has always worked for me”
The pace, the expectations and the amount of material change when you move from secondary school to higher education. Even a very good secondary school pupil often needs to rethink their method: more independence, more perspective, more organisation.
Mistake 3: “I understand it more or less, so it’s fine”
Understanding a two-hour lecture is not the same as mastering the material for an exam. Your brain sends false signals of confidence: you think you have understood, you put your notes away, and a month later you no longer know where to start.
Test yourself regularly:
- put the material into your own words;
- make mini flashcards and quiz yourself;
- try explaining a chapter to someone else.
Mistake 4: “I’m not behind yet”
This is the most common mistake. You are never behind… until the day you really are, and then you are racing against the clock. From the start, block out fixed times in your week to review your courses, even with no deadline in sight.
Mistake 5: “I don’t need help, I just need to get on with it”
Sometimes that is true. But we often underestimate what is holding us back: a method that no longer works, an irregular rhythm, fatigue, or simply the need for a boost.
Asking for help is a sign of clear thinking. These options are for everyone, not just those who are struggling:
- working with other students;
- joining the remedial or study support sessions that many universities and university colleges offer;
- taking private lessons in higher education for a subject you are stuck on.
Would you like support?
My Sherpa has been supporting students since 2003. An educational advisor chooses a coach for you who knows your subject, for lessons at home anywhere in Belgium or online. Discover our support forhigher education.
And when exams are approaching, our 5 tips to study and pass your exams take over.
