Category Archives: Independent Learning

Making the most of freedom

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by Will (Student Blogger: BSc Hons Entrepreneurship and Management) 

As a student who had selected to study “Entrepreneurship” coming from a background of A levels in Biology, Politics and Economics, uncertainty of how my university life would materialise is an understatement. From early on in my study of the subject I was presented with the problem of not having a set strict criterion of reading and material to learn. The field of entrepreneurship is still to this day open to interpretation on how best to learn and practice it. This was the first time in my educational journey that I had been allowed to pursue my own interests within an area of study. I found this impossible to begin with, as I couldn’t stand not having a set path leading from study to exam. In the crudest sense I had to expand my mind and stop worrying about what might happen, while focusing on what I could make happen.

The main way I overcame this problem was talking to the professors and course leaders of entrepreneurship. Despite being a confident person even this was daunting, as the perception and attitude of professors is so much different from that of traditional teachers. It therefore took me until around my third week of study to approach my professor after my lecture and explain my dilemma. I was undoubtedly nervous of what the answer would be. I felt that it would confirm my skepticism for entrepreneurship and show my ineptitude at grasping the concept of university styled study.

I was therefore more than slightly shocked to learn that many students had voiced almost identical concerns to my own earlier on in the term, and in fact in earlier academic years. It soon became apparent that each cohort of students studying entrepreneurship and almost all other degrees always included those unable to initially grasp the great freedom given in how one may study.

However, this mere conversation with my professor though explained to me that my problem was not unique, did not solve the situation. I was told in a later conversation with the module leader that the best way to comprehend and therefore take advantage of the freedom we were given to study with, was to practice. Plain and simple I was told to take my first essay with a pinch of salt and just be inventive with it, allowing myself to study many areas related to the title and focus on the most enjoyable from there.

To say that this immediately fixed my dilemma wouldn’t be telling the truth. However, it was clear that from then on I was on the path of recovery or so to speak. Since that first essay, which incidentally received a good mark, I have embraced and improved on building my own path using what I enjoy, rather than what I think I must endure.
This is a problem that I must admit is not totally absent from my university experience yet. However, it is a problem that is now much less significant much more solvable and one I honestly am enjoying conquering.

Study on the go

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by Sara (Student Blogger: BA Hons Linguistics)

It’s getting to that time in the term when some of us are planning to venture home to visit parents, nans, boyfriends and cats. You’ve been at university for 5 weeks and you’re starting to feel homesick or maybe you’re planning a trip to visit a friend for a weekend in a different city (I just hope it’s not York you’re betraying us with). If the idea of a couple of days away from studying worries you then have a look at these tips for making the most of your available study time even when you’re away from Lancaster.

  1. Trains and coaches – depending on your destination, you could be facing several hours on a train or coach. If the idea of that makes you groan, look at it instead as a golden opportunity to catch up on some reading or lectures. Requesting a seat in the quiet carriage of a train can mean you get hours of quiet study time and if you opt for a seat by a table and a charging socket, the possibilities are endless! You’ll come back from your trip feeling ahead instead of behind and you won’t feel guilty for spending some time away from the library (as lovely as it is).
  2. Snacks – study snacks in general are always a good idea. Take some little things with you on a long journey to keep you awake and focused if you’re planning on some hard-core uni work. Food and drinks on trains can be super expensive so opt for healthy and filling snacks from home. My personal favourites are dried mango and Eat Natural bars.
  3. Split up your time – it’s still important to take breaks. If you’re changing trains, allocate one train to things like listening to music or catching up on Stranger Things so that you don’t feel you have to keep working during every second of your weekend off.
  4. Audiobooks – if you are travelling via some mode of transportation that doesn’t allow you to lay all your colour-coded folders out, opt for listening instead of reading. There are some brilliant books out there that could help prop up your knowledge of what you’ve been working on in a more relaxing way. These usually belong to the pop-science genre, so they are aimed at a general audience and you won’t have to concentrate too hard. Hearing a difficult concept explained to a layman may help to clarify things you’re struggling with.
  5. If you are driving home and can’t make use of the journey, try to get ahead in the week before your trip so you aren’t stressed at the weekend.

Remember, life is about balance. You can keep on top of your work on the way to and from fun distractions even if the prospect doesn’t seem very appealing because you would rather just sleep on the train instead. If you’re on the 5:38 to London Euston, this is understandable, but trying to utilise this time can really help you out with regards to your state of mind, stress and enjoying your time away. Come Monday morning you won’t feel like you’re going off the rails. You’ll feel right on track.

Start as you mean to go on

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by Catherine (Student Blogger: BA Hons Advertising and Marketing)

Hey fellow students!

As third week is in full swing, and the un-avoidable stress starts to linger, here’s just some advice on how to make sure you’re on top of your game (and on top of those deadlines), whilst still looking after yourself and keeping those stress levels as low as possible.

Organise Organise Organise.

The first and probably best thing you can do at the start of any year is to organise your upcoming term. Usually I find that making a list of exactly what modules I have each term is the best way to get started. Under each module, I write a list of each assignment I have, that way I know exactly what I’m up against this term. I write these types of lists on an app called Wunderlist- downloading it makes all the difference to my organisation levels.

Here’s what my Wunderlist looks like, adding a list called ‘This Week’ with ‘to do’s’ in for that week helps me stay productive throughout the week

Move Around.

I find one of the worst things about being bogged down with coursework all week long is being shut inside the library for what seems a lifetime. I often find that staying in the same place for a long period of time to do work may seem productive, but can actually have a really negative effect on my concentration levels. Every time you study in a different place, I think you are forcing your brain to form different associations (in the real world) with your study material. Although they are great, there are also a bunch of other places to study other than the library and the Learning Zone. Here’s a few I like to study at:

Costa, Pizzetta, Starbucks (in Cartmel, although it’s a trek it’s usually really quiet), Atkinson’s, Bowland bar is usually pretty quiet too, and they have plugs. Juicafe in town is also usually quiet and creates quite a chilled atmosphere for a bit of researching/reading.

If you go behind the Environmental Sciences building, there’s a quiet seating area with plugs and vending machines.

Eat Healthy.

I used to be awful at this, and until a friend pointed out that I don’t eat often enough, and when I do, it’s all unhealthy, I never understood the huge benefits of eating often, and healthily. Within just a few days of trying, I saw the positive effects it had on my productivity immediately! I had much more energy, and felt more upbeat about my day ahead. I also found myself being able to memorise and concentrate much more throughout the day. I’d say eating more healthy made me 10% more productive, and in a much better mood/mindset about my work throughout the day.

If you’re looking for inspiration, here’s some great places to look!

  • Pinterest
  • BBC Good Food
  • Time Health.
  • WH Foods.org
  • Tasty (Youtube)

Hopefully some of this is useful and helps you make first term as productive (and enjoyable) as possible!

Enjoy x x x

Catherine

 

 

Recipes for learning

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by Nevena (Student Blogger: BSc Hons Business Studies (Industry))

Learning is a constant process in one’s life. The reason why I can refer to anyone with the pronoun “student” is namely because no matter in what stage one is, before or after university, they keep learning. But knowing how to learn is essential to making pieces of information or set of skills enter your mind permanently. Being at university, finding your own way of learning is fundamental for your success.

A university environment is very specific when it comes to the different ways in which information is delivered. Lancaster University works on the principle of combining lectures, seminars, and workshops in order to expose students to various situations and learning conditions. Coming to university can be rather challenging, especially when all of the above-mentioned are still unfamiliar for first year students. Two lectures on Monday, a seminar on Tuesday and some sort of workshop on a late Friday; and they all have different expectations and requirements. So how do you deal with that?

There is no specific recipe for coping with that. Everyone has a different style of learning and coping with university chores. And until you find what works best for you, you should EXPERIMENT. Trying different techniques is crucial in order to reach the perfect one. Observing others and taking advice can also be helpful. It is important to note that there is no one single learning manner that can be applied for every subject because they are very diverse. Some people take notes by writing in notebooks, others type everything down on their laptops, some others don’t make a single movement – they just sit there and listen. It depends on YOU. You are the main character in this and you should decide for yourself what makes you concentrate the most and understand the information.

When it comes to preparing for tests and exams, students also use different approaches. I know students for whom visualizing the information is very important, so they make colourful mind maps for each topic learnt. Others write down loooong study guides with the information needed along with examples which prove a specific idea/theory in order to remember it. Flashcards are also helpful for many subjects because they give you the opportunity to test yourself. What I want to highlight is that there are so many ways to understand and remember certain information that you should not restrict yourself to one specific thing.

The more creative approaches take the list to a whole new level. I have heard of people who write down songs in order to remember definitions or make videos (just because that’s how they feel). Just listen to your intuition and it will tell you how to go about a certain task. And of course, experiment.

Something else to explore is when exactly you try to study. Usually people have an individual set of particular hours throughout the day when they can memorize the largest amounts of information. Try studying in different hours to see what works best for you. Sitting down after a lecture or waking up very early in the morning to do some additional research – it is all in your hands. Additionally, the surrounding environment also affects some people’s efficiency in learning. If you find out that you can’t focus in our room, try going to the Library or the Learning zone. Or if you are more of an alternative learner, go to some of the bars on campus and put your headphones in. If anything comes to mind, just try it and share in the comments if it worked for you.

Best,

Nevena

Shopping for academic success

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by Melissa (Student Blogger: MA English Literature)

Whether you are just starting, or a confident student approaching your next year of study, purchasing academic materials can often feel like a chore.Nonetheless, it’s a necessary part of most subjects.

What is a reading list?

A reading list is a list of all the books that you might need during your course. You don’t necessarily need to buy all of them, and you might not even need to read all of them! If you are experiencing any confusion over which books you are expected to buy, and those which you can avoid emptying your wallet over, please check out this article on CORE, PRIMARY, and SECONDARY texts – Getting to grips with reading lists

Why is it important to purchase texts over Summer?

Purchasing early in Summer will give you plenty of time to read ahead of your course, thus giving you more time to study at a relaxed pace later, or a few extra nights on the town during term. Early reading also means that you have more time to thoughtfully consider the texts which you will later be expected to argue, explain, and reference. It can be useful to leave reminders in the margins when reading ahead of your course, this way, you won’t forget any essay ideas or questions you have for your seminars.

The First Step to preparing for the next academic year is to find out what texts you will need. The method for achieving this differs between tutors and courses, as some modules do not finalise their chosen texts until the start of the year. If this your case, I advise sending an email inquiring your tutor(s) about which texts you will be safe to buy without worry of them being swapped out by October. Asking about texts shows enthusiasm in your studies, which is sure to please your tutors as well as benefit you.

If you are lucky enough to be in a course which details its reading list in the course description (such as most Literature modules), then congratulations; you have already completed step one!

The Second Step, once you have acquired your list of materials, is time to purchase your texts. Academic books can be expensive and sometimes tutors will ask for specific editions of certain texts, so it is important to spend some time researching your texts.

It is important to note the wealth of free resources available to you as a Lancaster University student before you start buying books. You can login to the student portal to access OneSearch (at the top right of the Moodle home page) which allows you to search for texts you can read for free online through the library, or it will direct you to services such as JSTOR and EBSCO which contain various academic journals for you to peruse. Be wary that you may not need to buy all of your books, and that some older texts may even be available as royalty free pdfs accessible via popular search engines.

High street book shops can be expensive, but useful in a hurry. Our campus bookshop stocks a range of books specifically requested by tutors from the university, so if you find yourself in a tizzy because you left your primary texts by the beach, it might be worth stopping by.

Online stores are good alternatives, especially when buying second hand. Books described as containing notes often function as an echo of seminars gone by, and help me to consider particular passages from new angles outside of university seminars.

Student managed Facebook groups may also be worth searching for, as older students wanting to offload last year’s books may have materials that you can haggle for cheaper prices.

The Final Step is to start reading! Don’t push yourself too hard as it is your summer break. You might choose to leave the heavier texts for later, but any reading is a success and a chance to get ahead of your peers. I advise a cup of tea and a cookie with every chapter!

Overcoming challenge

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by Shentao (Student Blogger: BA English Language and Linguistics)

Last term I was nearly overwhelmed by my ‘mountainous’ academic workload. Anxiety was haunting me so much that I finally turned to our university’s mental health service and NHS health centre both at campus and in town. I also talked to teaching staff in my department. Thanks to the consultation and teaching staff’s efforts to comfort me, I started to calm down. I redesigned my learning strategies, went to the gym more frequently than before to release academic stress by building my body and I also joined a mock business negotiation society to make friends with my peers.

Redesigning learning strategies

I believe for most international students in the UK, the priority is that they have to adjust themselves to the English speaking environment with which they might possibly lack familiarity. Particularly, as a student in the Department of English Language and Linguistics, it is a necessity for me to master the language skills in academic communication (e.g. consultation with the teaching staff) and production (e.g. essay writing) given that I have to use a second language to carry out these tasks whose requirements on language skills are significantly higher than those of daily lives.

The onset of my learning experiences here has witnessed multiple problems related to the English language skills. For example, there are some sentences in my essay that do not look very ‘natural’ from the perspective of a native speaker of English, which was pointed out by one of my tutors in Year One. My old habit of referring to English dictionaries when I compose English articles has been meaningful in many occasions but it is not the ultimate solution because English (even academic English) is a ‘live’ language that has always been undergoing changes. It is not a bunch of words hidden in those huge heavy volumes. That is, the English language is always ahead of the dictionaries. Therefore, in order to master the most practical language that is employed in academics by native speakers of English, I contacted the native speakers of English around me and asked them for help when proof reading. They pointed out some sentences and/or phrases whose wording looked ‘unnatural’ or even ungrammatical to them and gave suggestions on how to improve or correct them. Modification would be added by me if, after consulting more professional people such as the teaching staff, I was confirmed that mistakes arose in those parts.

Doing more exercise

The benefits of doing physical exercises go beyond keeping myself physically healthy. It is also a great way to release one from academic pressure. As a member of the university sports centre I go to the gym as a matter of routine. I received professional training of badminton and used to play for the school badminton team when I was in China. Here in Lancaster University I prefer to run on the treadmill because I can start it anytime I want without inviting a partner. If my memory serves me correctly, I have run over a hundred kilometres on the treadmill since I gained the membership of the sports centre here. From my sporting experiences I can say that the speeding blood flow and modification of inspiration and expiration greatly relax both my body and mind. Besides, after doing such exercises I can have a nice sleep which is really an asset to academic tasks.

Joining a society

I chose to step out of my comfort zone and I decided to learn how to communicate with people in a more efficient way. To do this I joined a model business negotiation society in which communication skills do matter. In the society I made friends and learned how to express my feelings and ideas while absorbing others’. This has proven to be a great start for me to interact with others in order to exchange information. For now, my marks on coursework have been significantly improved and I am much more open to interact with people all around the world not only to learn from them but also present myself to them.

With all these efforts my anxiety was fading away and my brain started to function more efficiently than before. Ultimately, I successfully finished all the academic tasks of the last term.

 

Finding your formula

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by Nevena (Student Blogger: BSc Hons Business Studies (Industry))

“First year doesn’t count!” “Aren’t you going out today?” “I can’t bother going to a 9 am.”

Do these phrases ring a bell when you think of your first year in university? I bet this is the case.

Let’s face it, all of us (or nearly all) underestimate the importance and seriousness of our first year. We go out every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, can’t skip ‘Sugar,’ right? We are excited by the sudden and yet powerful feeling of freedom we are experiencing. Feeling of freedom which gives us momentum to keep socialising with others and practically do whatever we decide without having our parents tell us what we can and can’t do, what we should and shouldn’t do. We skip a lecture from time to time, (we don’t really manage to catch up…just because we were too busy with other things), we go to all the societies we signed up for (after reducing the list of 10 during freshers’ week to 3 at the most for the period after), we search for events or just chill with our flatmates all day long.

Suddenly, the end of first term comes and everyone starts panicking about submitting their first assignments. However, this is not the only problem… the most worrying issue is that you don’t really know how to do it and how it will be marked. “There’s still time,” you tell yourself; “It shouldn’t take me that long,” – your inner voice keeps whispering. There are still a few days left and you realise that leaving an essay for the very last minute wasn’t really the smartest decision and you try to mobilise yourself and still finish it on time. You press the button “Submit assignment,” it is 23:59, you realise you have a minute left (but let’s think of it as 60 seconds because it looks more), your heartbeat fastens… and you see the window on your screen “Successful submission”; and BOOM – everything is finished (you were lucky this time)! You go home for a whole month around Christmas, enjoy your time with friends and family and come fresh for the second portion of uni – the Lent term. But trust me, it is not until the summer term when you start feeling concerned about the 5 exams (at least) that are on your exam timetable. The material is so much that you spend a whole week trying to get back in the studying routine after the second looooong break, and then suddenly you have a few weeks left to the Great Battle… Panic. Panic. Panic!

 

Wait! Stop for a minute. Breathe in. Breathe out. And don’t let yourself press the panic button. You are capable of getting the grades you want (and need) at those exams. Gather yourself, talk to second year students from your course, ask them for advice, make a revision plan and start. Focus and find what studying strategy works best for you. Trust in yourself and work hard for your goal. The results will come soon if you give all you can from yourself.

 

Now, I’ll ask you to do something. Close your eyes and try to visualise the challenging situation as an equation with several unknowns. Remind yourself that you have taken some basic Math lessons in your past and know how to find the result of 2+2. I bet you can calculate an even more complicated problem as 2×22. It’s the same here. Start with small steps. Go through the addition process: revise lecture notes as well as your notes and try to synthesize them in points you can easily remember. Link topics, use arrows, draw mind maps and you will save some extra work. Divide large topics in smaller chunks of nuclei and find associations or real-life examples, so you can relate to theories more easily. Finally, change the way in which you revise – don’t let revision become stagnant. Study on your own, practice past papers with friends, discuss potential exam questions, criticize objectively the theories and concepts. Then, when you sit on the chair behind the desk on your exam date be focused, stay on topic, and think positively. By that time, you will have found out the unknowns of the equation, and your X, Y, and Z will give you the result that you want.

 

We all make mistakes. However, it is important to acknowledge them and learn from them. Look at what you experienced throughout the year and how you approached what happened to you. Draw the conclusions from that and incorporate the lessons next year. You have the ability to find the right formula for yourself. There’s little time left and you can do it!

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.

 

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!