Being October 2018 and all, you’re probably well and truly over the uni madness for t̶h̶e̶ ̶y̶e̶a̶r̶ ever. I bet you’re ready to smash out the rest of the studying year and move on to your glorious three-month university summer break. And you can! And you most certainly will, but not before you remove yourself from underneath that sweaty duvet and go the whole nine yards!
You’re ready, right? Ready to kick some goals, reference some academics from journals you may or may not have read from start to finish, pull some powerpoints out of your usually unprepared ass — all that jazz? YEAH YOU ARE!!!!!
Except the prospect of working your butt off for the next few weeks wigs you out, and you don’t know how long this just-keep-your-head-above-water thing is going to last.
Fear not. We’re here to help. In the words of sea octo-biatch Ursula: It’s what we do. IT’S WHAT WE LIIIIVE FOOOR.
MAKE A+ FRIENDS
Some of the best people you’ll ever meet will be found at uni. Everyone’s in the same boat. You *get* each other. Even if you’re in your final year, you’ll find yourself beautifully brain dumping on someone new with every new lecture, tute and lunch line you find yourself in.
Not only will these smarty pants stimulate your mind in ways you didn’t even know it could be stimulated, they’ll get your butt into gear in the same way a gym buddy can. They’ll call last drinks when you’re in no state of control, with tomorrow’s exam in mind, working as kween motivators throughout the year.
Picking who you surround yourself with is key. Natch you’ll want to team up with someone who hits up the library like it’s going out of fashion.
GET BALANCED & RECHARGE
The on-and-off three-month drinking/eating/siesta-ing bender got you all buttered up for finally getting your shit together, yeah?
That’s ‘cause you got your fair share of socialising, and therefore are ready for some head down, ass up. This can totes be implemented throughout the year of studies ahead.
If you see an opening between assignments, slide in some ~you time~/friend time/ bae time while you can so you’re feeling balanced and all that. But more on that HERE.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CAMPUS RESOURCES
Unlike your high school days, you can’t get away with not “fulfilling your potential” ’cause you were born #blessed with natural smarts anymore.
Legit everyone needs to put in the hard yards of listening, studying and applying themselves in an even playing field at uni, which might knock you down a few levels and have you wondering when you became so friggin’ dumb.
You’re not a lost cause. The Self Determination Theory (SDT) reckons we need competence — AKA good marks and self development — to stay motivated rather than deflated.
The good thing is, help is errywhere on campus. Advisors, tutors and lecturers all wanna see you go forth and succeed, and will provide you with answers like the majestic wizards that they are.
MAKE SURE YOU’RE WHERE YOU BELONG
If you’re still feeling wack about it all, chances are that you’re not smashing your own personal needs, like studying the course you really want to.
Why are you completing a law degree if you’re passionate about veterinary science? Beats us, but you’re not going to be the kween of keen if you’re not working towards a bigger-picture goal.
The SDT theory likes to call this need “Autonomy” — the freedom to pursue what actually makes you tick, not what the rents believe will make you the $$$.
According to the good guys at The Department of Education, up to 13,000 students change courses or institutions within the first year. You’re not alone.
The good thing about uni is time spent is rarely time wasted, as you’ll usually earn credit if you want to move courses. Hit up your faculty to see what options you have.
Christina Rita, External and Professional Engagement Officer/ former Student Advisor at The University of Sydney, tells P.TV:
“We see a lot of students wanting to transfer courses after a year or so of study. They often come to uni with preconceptions of what they want as a ‘career’ straight after high school and then the reality of what that course may really involve hits them.
I find I always encourage them to follow whatever genuinely interests them, whether that’s transferring or not. Luckily the system can be flexible enough so they can still get credit and not all of their time is wasted.
Either way, making that switch 90% of the time results in much happier and motivated students which means better marks and eventually more passion when they work in their chosen industry.”
MAXIMISE YO’ STUDY HOURS
If you’re about to make your foray into the wonderful world of intellectual invigoration, it’s friggin’ essential that your desk space looks as hot as it possibly can.
That being said, If you’re into your final year of study and don’t have a pimping desk space — shame on you — but THERE’S STILL TIME to get yo’ shit together.
A mundane, messy study area makes it difficult to keep the brain power flowin’, namely ’cause you keep thinking about your lack of organisation, which, in turn, makes you feel less motivated to kick goals.
Go get em’, studious ones.
