By Dominique Von Oppell
- Set 2 alarms for those 9am starts
You will most likely have a 9am tutorial or lecture at some point during your degree. It is difficult to get out of bed at that time in the morning, particularly if it is a Monday. Setting 2 alarms allows you to have a backup just in case you oversleep the first one.
- Be prepared….
..for tutorials. Doing the work beforehand allows you to gain the maximum benefit out of the tutorial. If you don’t come prepared, you are too busy trying to understand; what the reading you had to do was about, the questions you were supposed to have done and copying down the answers. You then don’t engage with the academics conversation that he/she is having with the rest of the class and miss out on vital information that the academic is sharing.
- Don’t underestimate the hills
There is no such thing as flat in Sheffield-just a lot of steep hills. This means you will most likely underestimate how long it will take you to get to your classes. The bright side is that you do become quite fit with all the hill walking (or in cases where you are late) running. Talking about things that take a lot longer than expected…
- Completing assignments
Actually take a lot longer than you expect. Finding academic sources to evidence your arguments (this takes even longer as a fresher as you have no idea where to look!), referencing your sources to the Harvard method and making sure you are under the word limit all take time. So don’t leave assignments till the last minute.
- Actually, 1st Year does count
In order to go abroad for your second year, you need to get a 2.1 or higher overall in 1st year. This is so you are able to cope academically when you go abroad for your second year. Also, when you are applying for graduate jobs in your 3rd year, they look at your 1st year results.
- Have regular meetings with your Personal Tutor
That way, your personal tutor will know if you have any problems and can help you. Your personal tutor also writes your reference in 3rd year when you are applying for jobs – so it really helps if they know you!
- Second hand and online Books are cheaper
It’s not a mystery that students have a low budget. Buying second hand or online books are cheaper than buying new and save you a lot of money. Older students also sell books usually via Facebook pages at a good price, so keep a look out for that.
- Check your University e-mail daily
The University e-mail address is the way in which departments and tutors communicate with you, so make sure you check it daily. You can install the app on your phone so you are able to get notified when you receive an e-mail.
- Feedback on assignments
All assignments come with feedback. If you are still unsure of why you got the grade you received, visit the lecturer during their office hours. Feedback is important so that you can learn from your mistakes and perform better next time.
- Are you ready to go abroad!
Going abroad is the opportunity of a life time. You get to live in a new country, meet new people, and experience new cultures- it will enrich and broaden your view of the world. Make sure you have done your research on places you want to visit and events you want to experience before you go, so when you are out there, you can have the most fantastic time!