Author Archives: Sarah Robin

We’re all in the Same Boat

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By Safiya (Student blogger: BA English Literature)

Essentially, it may well be true. Only many of us students may feel that Susane Colasanti’s ‘We’re all sinking in the same boat here’ is far better attributed to us.

For those people who read memes like their Bible, a mental image of the sinking Titanic supported with the violinists solemnly playing ‘Nearer, My God, to Thee’ probably flashed in your mind, with absolute havoc ensuing in the background. The qualities attributed to this havoc, however, would be more of students panicking about an upcoming exam, other students rushing to hand in a paper that’s due in an hour while a whole different set of students nonchalantly walk around whilst raving about not having a clue what is even going on.

I, so far, have been all of those students. Allow me to let you in on a not-so-secret secret in order to avoid being part of the havoc: possessing a work-life balance. GASP.

Yeah. Pretty obvious. But no matter how many times you will hear it, actually maintaining a work-life balance will, surprise surprise, make a massive difference. I have yet to abide by several lessons that I have learnt from my experiences, but from what I have conjured so far, these tips will prove to be extremely valuable.

Pay Attention:

Whether it’s a lecture, seminar or lab class that you’ve decided to attend, the bottom line is that you’re there, so you might as well engage with it as best as you can, even if you’re not feeling it. You never know what you may learn, whom you may meet, and you may even surprise yourself with what you discover you can do.

Work on the Commute:

If you’re a commuting student as I am, in the words of Ross Geller, you’ve been ‘given the gift of time.’ Yes, it’s far easier to whip on your headphones and let your imagination run wild, but it’s far more useful to whip out your books, regardless of whether the old lady sitting across from you is judging you for how many pens you’re using to write your notes (true story). You’ll thank yourself later.

Take a Break:

It isn’t selfish to look after yourself. Taking good care of yourself will allow you to also take care of others later on. Work, alongside personal life experiences, can often become overwhelming. It’s not easy to stay away from home and adjust to completely different environments. It will take time to adjust. Look after yourself. Talk to those close to you. Trust the process. You’ll soon start to see your experience blossoming.

Embrace the Cliché:

It’s only after we’ve experienced certain things that the cheesiest and most cliché phrases will be profoundly impactful on us. But don’t shy away from them. Many clichés only exist because many people before you have experienced the exact same thing. You’re never alone in anything, always be conscious of that.

Pray:

Pray, meditate, whatever tickles your fancy. Ignoring the havoc around you and focusing on your inner self, even if it may only be for five minutes, will relax your internal state in a way that no satisfying video will be able to.

Essentially, we’re always going to have a lot going on. Academically. Professionally. Personally. But we have the power to choose. If you want something, according to the wise words of Nike and, more contemporarily, Shia LaBeouf: Just Do It.

 

The ABCs of Year 1

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By Manuella (Student blogger: Economics and International Relations)

 

Honestly, university is a bitter sweet journey but trust me and a few people I have heard it from, its is all worth it. Starting a new journey or better yet ending one is always hard, and sometimes you wish someone could just tap you on the shoulder and say “hey, it’s going to be okay” or “hey, here are the few challenges you should look out for”. I thought long and hard about what I wanted this blog post to be about, and being a newly second year student, I wish the people before me told me a few things before I started the year.

Always be punctual

Be careful with your circle

Calm down

Don’t trust people too much

Enjoy the ride

Find your thing

Get to know people better

Have more fun

It’s made for you

Jurisprudence

Keep it 100

Lecturers are very important

Mind your business

Networking is important

Oh my God (OMG)

Put in effort

Question everything

Read and review ahead

Study groups

Talk to your counselor

Utilize facilities

Viral infections are real

Work smart

X– eXcel

You only live once

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

From the list above, it’s very obvious that first year is a huge roller-coaster ride, and all the extra activities will make it worthwhile. During my first year, I learnt the hard way that punctuality is key, you need to ensure you don’t miss any class or seminars, just so you can stay on top of things. When it comes to being careful with your circle, ensure that you choose the right people to be around. Being calm in year one saves you a whole lot of stress and anxiety.  Being a victim of someone who stole my school work, my best advice would be to never trust anyone. University is hard on its own, but you have to just learn to go through it, sit back and enjoy the ride of being a Lancaster student. Find your thing, as funny as that sounds, it simply means you should find what works best for you and master it. Try to see people beyond the surface, get to know them better – it is not always as it seems.

Have fun!!!!! All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Trust that everything in the system is made for you, your course was specifically designed for you to succeed. Jurisprudence simply means that you are answerable to someone, no matter how popular or how proud you get. Lecturers are very important as they give you the tips and tricks on how best to pass your courses. Minding your own business in uni helps you focus more on yourself than others. Building a strong network in uni helps you shape your career path and the people you surround yourself with. You are going to have a lot of OMG moments so brace yourself. As my lecturers always emphasize, it doesn’t hurt to show you care. When in doubt, ask questions. Read and review ahead of every event, it feels good to know what is being talked about. Study groups are a huge help to the learning process, and they aid your participation in class. Talk to your counselor when you have a problem, mental health is really important.

Utilize all facilities and resources made available to you, that is why they are there!!!!! Viral infections are real, keep yourself safe and be careful. Duh… you are here to work hard and smart, it’s the only way you will get that degree. Funny enough, I couldn’t quite get a word that started with “x” but I decided to wing it and go with the slang, eXCEL, in everything you do, try your very best to excel in Uni. YOLO, these years will have some golden moments in your life, cherish them. And lastly, sleep is very important for a healthy mind and body, so get them ZZZZ’s.

I just want to say that Year One is the start of your uni life, and although you might have a pool of emotions, just know that you can do it and that people that have come before you did great and so will you. And I truly hope that you live by some, if not all of these lessons and experiences.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diversity

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By Jojo (Student blogger: BSc Hons Economics)

What does university mean to you?

Take a minute to think about this question…

Well, when people try to ask me about the university, the first thing jumps to my mind is ‘diversity’. Yeah, universities (especially British universities) are such diverse place that you will likely to have met your friends of life, the love of your life, the colleagues of your life and more!

What does diversity comprise? Races, cultures, ages, personalities, activities, knowledge…

Races and cultures

If you’re expecting to meet people from all sorts of places, then coming to universities is probably the best option, so well done! You will see that the universities in the UK are welcoming rising numbers of international students, in another word, you will meet somebody that is not from the UK!!

Getting to know them will not make you regret, learning about their cultures will widening your horizon BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY you can ‘use’ them when you are travelling abroad.

Ages

Is there a limit on learning? No! Please always remember that everyone has the right to pursue their goals to know more about knowledge! Therefore, don’t get shocked when you know your course-mate is your uncle’s age!

Let me share one of my own stories. So my sixth form math teacher, whose literally the best maths teacher you could find on this planet, is now going back to university and studying a new subject at undergraduate level, given that he’s already had one degree and two masters… yeah, your ‘older’ mates could be substantially smarter than you, so don’t you dare judge them!

Personalities

What makes a good friend? Their personalities, right? Lancaster is packed with people who have wonderful minds, wonderful personalities, as well as the weird ones (yeah, you might want to leave those that are weird), go find people that you are most comfortable to be with!

Activities

There are a lot of activities for which you could do, not limited to societies and sports. How about reading a book in the library, if you’re not too busy? Volunteering? Fancy a walk around the campus? Spoiler: the running trail that goes around the campus is a place to begin if you are adventurous and want to try something new!

Knowledge

The university has students and staff that specialise in various areas of study. Knowing your course mates is great, but do also try to find people from different departments – you know that most of knowledge is transferable right?! For instance, I’m doing economics, although I’m pretty good with maths, I’m still trying to get to know as many physics and maths students as possible…

NB: if you’re a LUMS or FST student, then go to MASH if you need help with your maths!

BON COURAGE!

It really wasn’t that bad

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By Deji (Student blogger: BSc Marketing)

This week, I was hoodwinked, bamboozled, led astray, run amok, and flat out deceived. See, I was forced to attend a workshop that is by nature, voluntary. A workshop that, only hours before, I had received an alert of, but decided to mentally, politely decline. It was on ‘types of learners and learning strategies’, and apart from just wanting my ‘institutionally allocated’ free time, I thought, “I’ve been learning just fine, thank you very much”. Yet, there I was, course mates in the same sorry boat sat around me; bright-eyed and hardly-tamed first years sat around us. I got out my pen and notepad, and searched for a spot in the wall that might make the next hour go by quicker.

The coordinator handed out copies of one of those scoring charts that swear they know you more than you could possibly know yourself. This one was called VARK – essentially a list of questions with multiple choice answers that, depending on your choices, would determine what type of learner you are. Possibly more useful than finding out which Avenger or Hannah Montana character you are, I know. My chart decided – not to my surprise – that I am “flexible in communication preferences” (in this case, Visual, Auditory, Reading/Writing, or Kinaesthetic). Woohoo.

Okay, seriously…though it’s true that experience had already shown me what the chart was saying, it was sort of interesting to see it on paper. When we all had our results, the coordinator took us through each of these learning types, as well as the study habits they explain and some strategies that could help us play to our strength(s). You could see in the room, this small sense of being seen and understood. Students who perhaps might have been struggling with traditional study methods/learning strategies and so on. What I felt though, was reassurance. An affirmation that the overly varying, sometimes semi-questionable learning processes that I use, are valid. I hadn’t previously thought to categorise them, because well, if they work, why bother? Yet, there I was, mmm-ing and ahh-ing at the explanations. I actually felt something gratitude-adjacent.

Now I’m no neurologist, but I suppose the lesson here is, we’re probably better off with even a millimetre of our minds open. Bad joke, forget it, thanks. Anyway, I definitely recommend having a quick look at some learning types/strategies, to try to identify a best fit for you. Whatever year/level you’re in, really.

Well, I’ll be at the next workshop and here’s to an even more illuminating session.

It’s Okay

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By Becky (Student blogger: BA Hons History)

University is a big step up for everyone, the first time away from home for many and a step up in workload and responsibility. Even going from first into second into third year and even onto postgraduate study can be very overwhelming, especially for the first few weeks back. Everyone’s university experiences are very different, and it is important to know that having a different experience to your friends, housemates, course mates or family is completely normal. Every experience is unique and important.

 

It’s okay to… change course and degree. You may join the university and find the difference between it and your expectations a bit too much, but switching modules or courses is possible and an option taken by many to help shape their degree into what you really want it to be. Seeking help from your lecturers and college is a great start to help you settle into the academic side of university.

It’s okay to… not join societies. They aren’t for everyone! Creating your own society is a great idea if you can’t find your interests in one that already exists, but you can still find people who share the same aspirations and hobbies outside of societies. It is always worth trying out taster sessions on offer as you meet some amazing people and do amazing things, but these are not your only options, so put yourself out there!!

It’s okay to… feel homesick. It’s natural. Even as a third year, I still get homesick, sometimes all I want is to talk to my mum. Fresher’s/Welcome week suddenly disappears and the pressure of work and living independently gets to everyone, but you are certainly not alone in this.

It’s okay to… not get on with everyone. It’s impossible to get on with everyone, that’s just a fact. Bridges can be burnt if people make you uncomfortable. Its worth reaching out to societies and your course and flatmates to find people, chances are you’ll meet some friends for life, but don’t be downhearted if this doesn’t happen straight away. You may not meet some of your closest friends until much later on than fresher’s week. There is still plenty of time.

It’s okay to… take a break!!! University is tough, a huge step up with huge responsibility and it’s overwhelming for the vast majority of people. If this happens, just take a step back and remember how far you’ve come to make it to university and how well you are already doing! Watch that series, go for drinks, have a weekend at home, you deserve it!

 

Your university experience is unique, and can be a difficult way of living to grow into. But just being able to say that you are a student here at Lancaster shows how far you have come, even if the first few weeks are tough.

It’s okay to feel like you don’t fit in with everyone’s expectations and feel different, chances are the people around you feel just the same!

 

Financial habits I’m taking into 3rd year

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By Hannah (Student blogger: BA Hons Advertising and Marketing)

If you know me, I am the person you would least expect to be writing a blog post related to finance at university. Previous shopaholic combined with an expensive taste in coffee, I have definitely been taken in by the sudden surge of financial freedom in the past two years of being at university and have not saved or spent in the best way.

Having just turned 21 however and entering my final year in Lancaster, I’ve decided I need to start taking money seriously. I’m not promising these tips and habits are going to be ground-breaking BUT they definitely will help me, and hopefully some of you, be better at controlling your finances this year.

  1. Use a Monzo card

They’re free and simple to apply for with no additional interest. I’ve recently set up my own Monzo bank account to run alongside my student bank account and it’s probably the best thing I’ve done for my money. Once you’ve signed up they send you a card and you have access to their online banking app which notifies you IMMEDIATLEY every time you spend ANYTHING as well as a total of how much you’ve spent that day: amazing guilt reminder. I like to use it to set limits on my daily or weekly budget. (AND if you convince a friend to download it, you both get £5 for free!)

  1. Instant coffee

I love Caffe-Nero, Costa, Starbucks and all the local cosy coffee shops in Lancaster but I think last year my addiction to store bought coffee got a little out of hand. I’m not saying to cut out your syrupy, frothy (or smooth), amazing barista-made coffee completely but maybe save it for once or twice a week when you can fully enjoy it and not just out of habit or caffeine need. You can also get some really cute reusable coffee cups for those early morning 9ams where instant coffee will do just fine.

  1. Food-shopping

I’m all for collecting nectar points and I love an innocent smoothie (the one on offer of course), but now Lidl has opened in town there’s literally no reason why I wouldn’t choose to cut my food shopping bill SIGNIFICANTLY. Also, I’m going to try shopping little and often to avoid wasting food.

  1. Eating out

If you don’t already have UNIDAYS – download it now! Studentbeans and the student’s union purple card additionally all offer a % off you food bill if you eat out on specific days in some restaurants so choose wisely! I think its important to not deprive yourself of socialising and eating out but being smart about it with discounts is definitely the way forward.

  1. Cut your problem area

This one is my most drastic change in spending, but I’ve decided to do a no-spend-on-clothes until after Christmas. Identify your problem area and COMMIT. Also I found it useful to identify what fuelled my clothes spending and want to cut that too: for example, I’ve stopped watching clothes hauls on YouTube, and planning on walking through town past the shops a lot less.

  1. Multiple income channels

When I was researching how to improve finances and build savings, nearly all the advice blogs and videos mentioned multiplying your income channels: essentially having more than one way of getting money. As well as my student loan and scholarship, I’ve decided to increase my hours at my part time job and am in the process of being a student ambassador. The University always has one off and flexible ways of earning a little extra income so even if its to pay for Christmas presents, plan-ahead and multiply those income channels!

  1. Take a photo, make a list

This is my oldest tip and habit but if you are in a shop and really want something you don’t NEED, take a photo or write it down. Chances are 50% of the time you will forget about it before you even get home. If you can go a week or month and still want it then allow yourself to go back and get it.

 

All in all I am as much as a beginner at saving, budgeting and financial planning as anyone else but being realistic these are the habits I hope to use at least this term so I can start building savings and not worry every time I pay for something hoping my card isn’t declined! Remember your WHY and REASONS for saving and it makes that Frappuccino or Topshop sale a lot less appealing. At the same time, university gives you a sense of financial freedom so as much as I encourage you to be sensible and plan, be prepared to be realistic and have fun, not obsessing over every last penny.

 

Dear Freshers: Make Michaelmas Magical

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By Sean (Student blogger: MSci Hons Computer Science)

“Kaleidoscope of loud heartbeats under coats

Everybody here wanted something more,

Searching for a sound we hadn’t heard before”

Taylor Swift – Welcome to New York

The thing is, you don’t really know what to expect. Be it the Big Apple or the much smaller Lancaster University, we tend to look through gold-tinted glasses when we arrive somewhere for the first time. This is especially true during pivotal moments of change within our lives, like our first meal alone as an adult, or our first steps into the first room we will live independently in.

During Michaelmas, everything is exciting and seems to lure you in. While the second-and-third-year students trudge through their daily routines, you’re dancing through the North Spine at the thought of finally being able to enjoy a Subway footlong every day. Nights out are crazy adventures with your mates instead of long overdue stress relief outlets, and workshop activities tend to be fun rather than headache-inducing.

I think it’s extremely important to play your cards well during Michaelmas.

Not necessarily right, but well.

I do feel many miss out on making the most of the first term. It’s the term where you have the most time and freedom but when you are also the most malleable. If you take advantage of it, you’ll find yourself growing in ways you won’t be able to forget.

Here is a list of, in my opinion, five most important things to do or start making a habit of during the Michaelmas term:

  1. Attend Welcome/Fresher’s week

Welcome week or Fresher’s week is your golden ticket to a well-rounded taste of university life. You get your course introduction, course facilities tour, orientation and initiation events and best of all: hauls of free stuff. The freebie and society fairs are the best targets, with things ranging from amazon prime trials to bicycle seat covers to GLOW nightclub member cards on the table, up for grabs. In fact, if you play it savvy and hop from event to event (especially your college events), you’ll find there isn’t a need to spend any money on food in the first week due to the opportunities to grab meals at events.

Aside from freebies, the other major benefactor of welcome/fresher’s week is how it helps you settle in. From ‘meet your course-mate’ events and course inductions, you’ll find a few buddies, which does make your first lectures feel a little nicer. Within your block or flat, your fresher’s reps join you on nights out while looking after and having fun with you. This is one of the few times everybody in your block is free, so make use of that to have a good time and get to know each other.

  1. Try talking to people

Like many others, I found myself quite intimidated by the looming idea of being tossed into a sea of new people and being expected to talk to them. However, the monsters turned out to be just trees: during welcome/fresher’s week, nobody knows anybody. People tend to be more open and willing to make conversation because everybody wants to meet new people and make friends. I talked to people in queues, in cafes, at events and made quite a few friends; and it wasn’t as scary as I made it out to be. Give it a go – I promise people won’t hiss at you.

  1. Join a society

Honestly, you might end up not attending all of your societies by 2nd or 3rd term. Nevertheless I still think this is a great idea, as you get to connect with like-minded people, and if you find something you really like, you’ll end up meeting a group of people you can vibe with who might end up being good friends. The first few society meetings tend to be free, so if there’s any time to join one, this is it.

  1. Get the ball rolling (academically)

Go to class. You really don’t want to fall behind or miss out on what are the most basic levels of your course, especially if your course requires a strong foundation. I made the mistake of skipping or not paying attention in a lot of my earlier lectures, and felt the effects later on when challenging coursework came in. It’s surprisingly easier if you take it step-by-step and just remember to keep up with your lecture notes every week.

  1. Learn to adult

Unfortunately, you don’t have the luxury of home-cooked meals or having your laundry magically do itself anymore. You’re an adult now and you have to learn to do things on your own from cleaning your room to sorting out your finances. Given its introductory nature, Michaelmas is undeniably the best time for you to get a grip of “adulting”. Get to know your way around campus. Learn to cook a few meals – some fancy and some fast. Get the hang of the public transport systems so you don’t get stranded in town one night. Show yourself what you can – and can’t do.

I hope this helps you get a vague idea of a game plan for the first term. Don’t fret if you’ve missed out on a few opportunities- you still have plenty of time and many more to come. Just make sure you’re doing whatever you can, whenever you can, and stay as happy as you can be.

Good luck – and welcome to Lancaster University!

Forget Your Promises

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By Deji (Student blogger: BSc Marketing)

I don’t have it in me to count how many times I’ve scripted and pledged to some plan of attack that fills the entirety of a holiday with revision and yet, reached the last hours of that holiday having done nothing of the sort. It’s easier than it has the right to be, and happens whenever a university or school term has all but had me concussed.

In battles between me and almighty terms, I’ve had to choose between myself and my grades. Grades have won each time, but the cost has always (eventually) been worth it. Nothing drastic – only the simple sacrifices of sleep and a proper human diet. After “winning” these battles, my MO has been to swear to myself and anyone within earshot, that the next term would be different. You know, that I would allow myself none of the pleasures of holidays. Read, revise, and repeat, so far ahead that when the time came, I could afford to maintain my grades as well as my sanity.

Not sure why, but this hasn’t been the reality. I’d open my lecture notes once or twice during the break, and that would be it. Pride? Procrastination? Perhaps some measure of the two? You decide. Here’s how it goes:

I’ve run myself ragged. I deserve this break. Days pass, and my notes summon me. They do a poor job of it, though. Oh, look – holiday’s over. There’s been no reading, no revising, and certainly no repeating. I use my lack of terrible grades to convince myself that all is well.

A few weeks into the term, I learn that all might not be well. The anxiety is bad, but the guilt is worse. The sabotaged master plan, the great many hours spent on YouTube. Like that, we’re back to a rough Me Vs. Term.

Last session though, it was different. Here’s my take: Forget your promises. Toss them. Into the infinite afar. And beyond, still. Seriously.

Hear me out. You’ve just completed an aggressive term. Probably not in the best space to be making big promises to yourself. Whenever you’re able to appreciate the approaching holiday for what it is (a holiday), plan out your revision. In doing this however, recognise that you’re not trying to fool anyone. You can only promise one day of each week to revise? One week and nothing else? An hour every day? Do that, then. Decide if you can effectively work your revision around your holiday. Might sound counterintuitive, but I figure that this way, no part of you feels cheated out of well-deserved vacation time. If in fact, it isn’t quite well-deserved, try committing to additional time.

In recognising that vacations exist for us to regroup, you don’t fault yourself for enjoying them. In resisting the urge to overwhelm your vacationing mind to the point where it just says ‘No’, you’re much better prepared for the next You Vs. Term. You and your grades can make it out alive, you know?

Lectures? Seminars? Get ready with university!

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By Jojo (Student Blogger: BSc Hons Economics)

Ever wondering what a lecture is like? You might’ve already tried out some during taster days or other events, but you never really tried it for “real”…

At Lancaster, you should expect your lectures to be about 200 students in size, and depending on your course and year of study, your contact hours vary (so if you’re majoring in engineering, then you will have tons of lectures, seminars and laboratory works… Go suffer! Only kidding).

So say myself, an Economics major student. In my first year, I had six hours of economics’ lecture hours in total every week, three for one module, and three for the other. You may enjoy your two hours classes at A-Levels, but trust me, two hour lectures are “not fun”!! Reason is simple – at university, the pace that the content is taught is mind-blowing! It is quite amazing that in the first year of university, we actually learned all of A-Level stuff plus things beyond that within one academic year…So make sure you are prepared to do the work!!

So exactly how are lectures taught? Well, they are just like your ordinary lessons (but a lot bigger in size), except that you may want to listen to the lecturers and make notes of what they said, instead of writing down what’s on the PowerPoint. Firstly, it is a complete waste of time, secondly, you will never have the chance to write everything down on time (you can always look back through the slides and make notes in your own time, or just print them, they will always be on Moodle). Oh! You should also expect that the lecturers will chuck an 85 slides PowerPoint in a two hour lecture 😉

Lancaster is doing something quite interesting with lectures, they actually change lecturers every so often. This is to allow the experts to teach intellectually challenging content to students. For myself, we changed lecturers every six weeks. And the teaching received so far is quite promising, you should expect the lecturers to know “everything”. But also bear in mind, they (university and your department) value your feedback, so if you found their ways of approach are not your favourite, please do tell them and don’t just skive off the lectures, they are very important!

Ok, so we have talked about a 200 student sized lecture, but what about smaller classes, are there any smaller classes? Yes, universities most certainly do…

They are called seminars, a.k.a workshop; tutorial; or sometimes you may see yourself having a clinic (of course, laboratory workshops are slightly different…) I do agree that they are confusing, but they do have the same purposes though — giving you the chance to express your ideas; doing the work required to succeed in your course; giving you the opportunities to ask complex questions to your tutors etc…

It is also the case you may find it easier to make your new “major” friends in seminars (that is, the friends that do the same major as you). These friends can be very helpful, i.e. you may want to study with them, share thoughts, revise together, hanging out etc.

Before you go to the seminars, you are expected to have done all the preparation work, because seminars or workshops are not actually lessons (I thought they were, I was wrong, so I’m telling you right now…), they are a period of time when the tutors assess your understating of the content, as well as helping you when necessary, so they are not teaching you anything new, they are actually discussing the topics with you. So you should see it as opportunities to consolidate your understanding, as well as developing your critical thinking.

That’s it from me! A huge congratulation and welcome for getting into Lancaster. You will not regret of joining this brilliant community, with internationally recognised excellence. And good luck with your future study!!

Bon Courage!! 

The end of the year: Balance, reflection, exams and graduation

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By Sophia (Student Blogger: LLB Hons Law)

Every year there are big changes in every person.

As students we have many changes in many parts of our lives.

Before Christmas, we were trying to do our best and most of us were succeeding in many sectors, but after Christmas, almost always something is going to go wrong. From my own experience, I can say that try to have a set program and time for yourself first, so you can be healthy psychologically and physically and, later, if you take care of yourself everything will be ok. You will succeed if you put small goals that lead to the big successful goal.

Trying to be always excellent in every sector of your life will be difficult. Be lenient with yourself, you know your limits and power. If you do not push yourself too hard then you will always have power and strength to continue doing things. All that matters is to be ok mentally and physically. And then you will do better at the academic things.

Feedback can help you to reflect on your year. It is the analysis of your work from professionals. You give a piece of work, your “creation, your baby”, and you are waiting for a specialist to tell you if you need any improvement, or it is ok, or perfect.

University feedback is very important, because from that you can learn many things. Try to accept your mistakes and try to improve yourself so at the end, when you will have exams, you can do your best or in another coursework. Feedback gives us the opportunity to have better communication with our tutor and lecturer. So, this procedure gives opportunity to work better with the department, if any student has some needs the department will help and this continues, and can help lecturers and tutors know if a module needs improvement.

Anything that our departments give us back from our work take it, grab it and try to improve.

Now we arrive at exams… one word that can terrify you.

Every student has their own style of revision. We all want it to be effective and fast but some people panic and think that they will fail. You can take some lessons from everyone. Try to do your best and cultivate yourself from each module. Try to have good communication with lecturers and tutors, so if you need something, they will try to help you.

The secret is not to leave studying until the last minute. Study during the whole academic year, doing weekly or monthly revision for each module and try to have a set program. Program means balance in your life, not being workaholic or “uniholic”. Having good mental and physical health will help you to have a balance, and the word exams will be just a word, and not a difficult procedure.

Some of you will be graduating this year. I know that most of you are happy that you are going to finish and you have new goals to succeed – a job, Master’s degree or academic development, or even travel all over the world.

During your degree you were thinking sometimes if you were doing things right. I think that now the years have passed, you can see that whatever you have been through, it was worthwhile. Why? Because definitely we learnt something. We broadened our horizons and developed ourselves. We are hopefully better human beings.

Sometimes, we cannot see how much we changed and HOW we changed – what were the factors, but definitely, our degrees helped us to change.

Keep changing and change the people next to you. 😊