Author Archives: Rebecca Howarth

A helping hand

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by Catherine (Student Blogger: BSc Hons Computer Science)

I suffer from anxiety which means I worry about most parts of everyday life, from taking a bus to going to the shops; the example I frequently use is that anxiety is when you’re more nervous about travelling to an exam and being in a crowded room than the actual content of the exam, to the point where you feel knots in your stomach and may suffer a panic attack.

 

During my first year, I was studying a module which had workshops, which are essentially classroom environments structured around working through example questions provided by lecturers. These workshops were based on each week’s lecture material, with the lecturer or teaching assistant running the workshop providing appropriate answers at the end of the class. Despite the workshops being held at 1pm on a Friday just a 2-minute walk from my accommodation, I often felt too anxious to attend; this led to me working through the questions alone from home.

 

Overall this method was beneficial to me as it provided me the resources to study in a structured manner. I attended all my lectures and studied in my spare time so felt relatively confident however, as the answers to workshop questions were not posted to Moodle, I had no way to ensure I was understanding lecture content. My friends did not attend the workshops either, meaning I had no way of accessing the answers.

 

I decided to email my lecturer describing my situation, explaining honestly why I do not attend their workshops; they arranged a time for me to meet with them. When I arrived, I was nervous, as I felt awkward and embarrassed that I had to admit how poor my attendance was, however my lecturer was very understanding and supportive. She had prepared some materials for me to outline the answers that were provided in the workshops as well as some other important information to remember around the question topics. She also discussed my anxiety with me and reassured me that if I ever need to talk about anything or I need any additional help with the module to let her know. I thanked her for her help, and left feeling as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.

 

I spent the rest of the day reading through the materials she had offered me, comparing my answers to hers. This allowed me to not only review the content of my answers and highlight differences, but to also reflect on my sentence structure and writing style. I began to take more pleasure in the module and gained a much clearer understanding. This was represented in my end of year grades, as I finished the Module with 71.9%, which equates to a first.

 

I am glad that when I needed help I contacted my lecturer as I had a very positive experience. Even if you only need the answer to a couple of simple questions, I suggest meeting your lecturer rather than simply asking in an email, as they are likely to offer in-depth solutions which will solidify your understanding, and building good rapport is important.

 

It is also important to attend lectures and other classes wherever you can, catching up on any missed work in your spare time. Lecturers can offer support and clarification to those who need it, but you need to have spent time trying to understand the material beforehand. It is also best to contact your college’s welfare team if you need support outside of your course.

Learning to follow your academic rhythm

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by Hannah (Student Blogger: BSc Biological Sciences)

One of the biggest challenges academically when coming to university is discovering your best pattern of study. Without question, studying is a massively important component during your university experience – at the end of the day, it’s what you came here to do. Everyone has end goals for their time here at Lancaster. Whether that’s getting a 2:1, going on to do a masters degree or getting on a highly competitive grad scheme, most of these goals entail a specific academic requirement.

 

By the time you’ve reached University, you’ve been studying for the majority of your life. You’ve survived the torment of GCSEs and the rigor of A Levels or the IB, maybe you’ve even taken other examinations like music examinations. Looking back, these all seem relatively easy in comparison now, right? But at the time, they were some of the most stressful, sometimes tear-inducing, academic processes you had to go through. No one ever teaches you how to study, at least no one ever told me, they just tell you to “get on with it”.

 

Sometimes though, you could be putting in hours of painstaking work, but none of it seems to be registering. Whether that’s because of the type of learner you are, the time you’re revising or the method you’re utilising to study, there are a multitude of factors that need to come together. A quick Google search and you’re confronted with a whole host of webpages, from advice columns to journalistic research, and it quickly becomes apparent just how overwhelmingly complex the whole process of ‘studying’ can be.

 

For me, it took quite a long time to work out my personal academic rhythm – over a year in fact. With all the personal freedoms you encounter whilst first beginning university, it can be quite challenging to become self-disciplined.

Personally, I am a night owl. My personal productivity and peak academic performances occur in the window of 1am – 4am. Now, this can be quite a problem if you live in the city centre and like to utilise the library – hence why I’ve taken the decision to move back to campus for my third year. My first piece of advice to you would be to see if you notice any trends in your alertness and productivity to maybe amend your schedule toward studying during those hours.

 

Crucially, be organised. I know, everyone blabs on at you all the time about “not leaving it to the last minute”, or maybe you’re one of those lucky ones who are completing assignments weeks before the deadline and this doesn’t appeal to you, but nevertheless it is important. Sorting out revision schedules and carrying out research for assignments can be monotonous, but it alleviates so much stress once it’s done. It can be easy to become distracted by everything going on around you at University. “I’m just going to get food” as a library break can quickly turn into cocktails at Grizedale bar if you’re not too careful – my personal favourite procrastination option. Maybe try to think about those cocktails in the sunshine after you’ve submitted your deadline?

 

A wealth of other factors come into play whilst trying to get the most out of your studying strategies, but for me, organisation and peak productivity timing, are two of the most important. Playing around with your academic habits can seem tiresome, but starting in first year so you know what works for you by third year, is undeniably worth the effort.

 

Time well spent

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by Anna (Student Blogger: BA Hons French Studies and Linguistics)

Life at Lancaster is fun, and studying in a thriving environment with a multitude of students from over the globe means developing skills and overcoming challenges.

When it comes to challenges, I found myself struggling to balance time, particularly when to study and manage my study time.

This struggle began to affect my ability to study effectively, as well as my enjoyment of my courses. In turn, this affected my mental health, and the relationships I was making at university.

I found myself spending too much time in the library, unintentionally overwhelming myself with work. It would take me hours to write up lecture notes, and even longer to do the reading. I would end the day feeling drained and start the next with dread. Dragging yourself to the library before and after lectures is not desirable for any student, but especially when you’re already shattered.

So, after spending the whole of first term of second year slaving away, I began second term just a little apprehensive. But then I became close with another girl on my course, and our friendship meant we spent time together both at university and while back in our houses in town.

We began having “study dates” on campus i.e. booking a study space in the library and grabbing a Costa. We would methodically work through our lecture notes, and I found myself working quicker and actually enjoying it. Rather than being distracted, my friend would keep me on track and find a way to engage my attention and interest if necessary.

I would look forward to spending time with my friend, and in turn would enjoy revising my lecture notes and doing the readings. With it being exam season, we have also spent time revising. Despite both studying the same course, we chose different second year modules, and it has actually been helpful to go over a module my friend hasn’t studied because if I can explain it coherently to her then I know I have studied it thoroughly.

Overcoming this challenge has made me feel more confident in my ability to study as I have learned how to manage my time much better. Of course, I still have to counteract distractions (thank you Netflix) but by studying more effectively, I have more time on my hands to do things I enjoy.

My friend and I balanced our time so well during second term, that we were able to go out once or twice a week, and we would study within the week. This made me not only enjoy studying more, but also made me enjoy university more.

So, after spending first year and the first term of second year studying miserably, I have finally unlocked how to study effectively, and after overcoming this, I would happily share as much with others as possible. Studying together with people off your course makes university much more fun, and it’s a way to maintain friendships too.

I hope you find yourself enjoying studying at Lancaster as much as I do, and that you’re able to build relationships with people who share your passions.

Overcoming the fear of the blank page

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by Ruth (Student Blogger: BA Hons History)

Luckily, there hasn’t been many learning ‘challenges’ for me yet… unless you count learning the dirty dishes do not disappear overnight. But I think the main one is the renewed sense of hope I have now. Coming from A levels, which we all can agree are hell, there was very little motivation left in me, as I have been told non-stop for four years that I will never be able to improve myself past a certain grade due to my dyslexia. That mindset is not ideal, starting an essay with this knowledge that I can’t surpass a certain point. It adds a mental block to difficulties already there. Staring at the blank, white page, waiting for some inspiration to hit is so hard, so having this mindset of negativity becomes a real challenge.

 

But how do you overcome it? Mental disabilities and challenges are not easy to overcome, not only are they often ignored or brushed off, but they can’t be seen. They’re not constantly on show to other people and can be hidden often easier, but that doesn’t mean they should just be silenced. As a result it is hard to overcome mental learning challenges especially a negative mind set…. So how do you?

Since going to Lancaster my mindset has most definitely improved, this is because of a few reasons.

  1. Surrounding yourself with Positive people.This may seem obvious, but having a supportive, helpful group of people who want you to succeed and want to give you assistance is key . This could be your flat, learning support team, friends, family or tutor. As long as there is some sort of anchor who can rad through your essays or give you grammar or spelling help ( which is what use my family for), it can make you feel like the tasks ahead seem less daunting because you are not now doing them on your own.
  2. Seek specific feedback. There is nothing worse than getting an essay back and the person marking it has just written the most vague and nonsensical notes all over like ‘improve grammar’. This drive me up the wall. In order to get over this negative mindset I wanted to have specific points so I know exactly what to do to improve. Therefore going to lecturers or those marking your essays or writing support in order to know key reasons to improve. This was such a big help for me in overcoming the idea of my personal ‘glass ceiling’ as it gave me a list of things to do in order to break it.
  3. This one may seem slightly ridiculous, but quotes. I found surrounding myself with positive quotes and improving my workspace helped me overcome this learning challenge. I know its cheesy but ‘tidy desk, tidy mind’ is true. Having a space that’s tidy and clean and full of positivity counteracts that annoying voice that tells you, that you cannot improve and helps you overcome that learning challenge.

Define: Independence

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by Sara (Student Blogger: BA Hons Linguistics)

Independence. It’s one of those words that is so often associated with moving to university. It represents starting your own life, walking your own path, making your own mistakes and finding out who you want to be. It can be seen as either terrifying or exhilarating, can be approached with nervousness or excitement. Though we might not like to admit it, we are at university to work and so the dreaded phase ‘independent study’ comes under this theme. One big hurdle for anyone with a low number of contact hours, like me, will be finding your way around your time table independently. Most departments provide readings and suggestions for further reading or materials for seminars but you must also use your own initiative to work out what needs doing, when and how. It’s vital to stay on top of your work DURING the year so that when you sit down to revise come Easter you don’t realise ‘Oh no, I haven’t read any of this’. Not that that has happened to me this year…no, not at all… You will thank yourself for planning ahead. I have become the Queen of Lists and Plans (and All Things Involving Stationary That Are Borderline Just Procrastination) this year.

 

Personally, I found it hard to stay motivated and do work that I set for myself. If it hadn’t been set by an authority figure there was little fear of punishment for not reading those 15 pages on ‘the history of linguistics’. But you can try rewarding yourself instead and take breaks often. I love food. A slice of cake, a chocolate bar or some strawberries (though let’s be honest it was mostly chocolate) would sit waiting patiently whilst I did my reading or wrote out my notes in dazzling multicolour.

 

One massive difference between school and university is that you are less likely to have such a set structure to your learning and there isn’t that ‘home time’ feeling when you leave around 3 o’clock and your day has effectively ended. At university, I tried to set out my time so that there would be slots for exercise, eating, sleeping (definitely essential!) going out and hobbies every week. If I knew I had a 2 or 3 hour window in which to do a certain piece of work I felt like I had more direction and a sense of direction is definitely motivating. If I really didn’t feel like doing something I would postpone it. There is no use in forcing yourself to do something that you know you can’t do well.

 

There will be loads of things that make it hard to stick to your schedule and some of these can feel like they’re defeating you. Mental health, physical health and socialising have all been important factors to consider for me to feel in control. The best advice I could give is to take care of yourself and make a colourful poster (Sharpies are a uni must) for your goals and aims. Stick it right above your desk to keep you motivated and on task. Independence, here we come!

 

Making group-work work

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 “Why are they making us work in groups?”

“She doesn’t do her share of the work”

“Why doesn’t he want to get the best grade possible?”

“I hate group-work”

Sound familiar?

Unfortunately these are common feelings towards group work but it doesn’t have to be a negative experience and with the right mind set, group-work can work.

When working with other students from all over the world who have all sorts of different skills and attributes it can be tricky, there’s no denying that. However, what you might not realise (or want to realise, as the case may be) is that you will be developing some invaluable skills for your future career. Group-work can help you develop skills in team work, communication, problem solving and leadership, all of which most employers would seek in a candidate. I understand though that this is sometimes difficult to think about when you have a deadline fast approaching and your group isn’t working the way you would like. So how else can I convince you of the benefits?

Another key benefit of group-work is the effect it can have on your learning; for example, subject matter can often be understood or reinforced more when students work together. This can happen when group discussions occur around a topic and the subsequent assignment and students can often learn from each other and fill in gaps in knowledge from their peers. Another benefit for learning, if you are willing to accept it, is peer feedback, as often students can gain quick and potentially highly useful feedback around aspects such as their writing style or presentation skills etc., which can be highly valuable for the next assignment that comes your way.

Group-work can also be a good way to get to know how you naturally behave when working with other people. For example, some students will tend to take on more of a leader type role, whereas others may prefer to be an observer or a mediator. Reflecting on your performance during group work is a good way to identify your strengths and also where you might need improvement to work as effectively as possible with other people in future.

Ok, so that’s my effort to try and convince you of the benefits of group-work, but what you might also want to know is how you can actually make group-work work in practice. So let’s look at a few tips around how you might be able to do this.

Tip One

In your first meeting, set your group ground rules. This will take a bit of confidence to approach but if you can do this in the first meeting it could make a difference to how the group works overall. For example, think about setting rules around communication, attending meetings, meeting deadlines, supporting each other as well as the behaviour you will expect each group member to demonstrate when working together.

 

Tip Two

Come up with a structure of how you will approach the task. Include the tasks for each group member, ensuring that it is equal. Include the deadlines of when you will expect each group member to finish their assigned task. Nominate one or two members to organise the final draft of the assignment (if you are working an assessed piece of writing) to ensure consistency. If you are doing a presentation as part of your group-work, organise when you will all be able to practise this.

Tip Three

Think about strategies you can use to manage any conflict that might arise in the group (see this advice from The University of Manchester: Resolving Conflict). Managing conflict effectively will help you to work together better so if conflicts arise early on, it is a good idea to have some strategies in place to deal with it.

Tip Four

Be open to listening and learning from your fellow group members. Students have different skills and this can often be useful in completing your task. For example, if one group member is better at presenting than writing or better at organising than presenting, think about what tasks would suit them best. Try to support each other’s strengths, rather than focusing on weaknesses.

 

 

Perfect paraphrasing, is there such a thing?

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Paraphrasing can be a tricky thing to master. Many people tend to explain it as ‘putting things in your own words’, but what this actually means can be confusing. When you write an essay, you may have to refer to other sources to use as evidence in backing up or providing counter arguments for your points. You can include direct quotes to show an author’s point but the main way you may express these points is through paraphrasing.

Let’s start from the beginning…

You have just been given an essay and the essay guidance tells you to refer to theory and the literature around the particular topic. After searching Google Scholar and OneSearch you have found quite a few useful sources to help you understand and answer your essay question. You have a range of books and journal articles to start reading and making notes from.

 

My advice at this point is that instead of copying chunks of information directly from your sources into your notes, try to read the information, comprehend the main arguments/ideas/concepts as much as you can and then write these down in your own words. Why is this important? If you do this right at the beginning of your reading you will be more likely to paraphrase effectively and less likely to plagiarise in your writing.

 

The main misconception around paraphrasing is that it involves taking particular sentences or paragraphs from source material, changing a few words or the sentence structure and passing this off as ‘your own words’. This is known as ‘close paraphrasing’ and can potentially mean that you find yourself being penalised for plagiarism. The road to effective paraphrasing is to firstly identify the key/general idea or argument from the source that you want to use as evidence for your own points. Secondly, think about how you want to express this in your own words, in your own style and using vocabulary you are comfortable with. Finally, consider how you will interpret this idea for your own particular purpose i.e. your point or answer to your essay question. Remember, although you have to put the idea in your own words you must try to retain the same general meaning of the original idea. I said it was tricky didn’t I?

The last thing I want to highlight is in-text citations when it comes to paraphrasing. You should cite the author/organisation of the idea/argument you have paraphrased even if you have managed to communicate it entirely in your own words to acknowledge where it originated.

 

So, in summary:

  • Write notes from your reading in your own words
  • Don’t take sentences and paragraphs and change words here and there
  • Identify the key/main idea you want to express
  • Think about the type of vocabulary that you would use to communicate the idea
  • Remember to acknowledge where the original idea/argument originated from