Since I finally decided to (re)start Uni in April I made a list about things I wish I would have done before I entered Uni the first time. I also made some additional research, combined everything and made a step by step guide from it. Ideas are added in italic.
Let’s start assuming that you got accepted at a university or college (although I can’t say much about those specifically), you sorted out your future living situation but there still is some time till it really starts.
For each point on this list you have digital or physical options, choose in every case what works best for you. My tip from personal experience is, while you can use both, that you shouldn’t mix it up too much - handwritten notes for one lecture and digital ones for another can get messy easily.
choose a system for dates, deadlines, to dos etc. some options are
prepare a structure for documents, notes and other study material, like
colour code by lecture or subject
find a technique or format for your notes
don’t think about digital or handwritten here!
it’s about how you want to structure and design your notes
think about what was the most useful during school or other learning experiences, for example:
colour coding and what kind
clear structure vs. variation
sources or additional reading
prettiness, clear handwriting
then think about if handwritten or digital is more useful for your preferred structure
get everything you need - paper, files, software, pens, …
and get used to it, you don’t want to sit in your first lecture and wonder about the features of your note taking app
To not plan my semesters was one of my biggest mistakes in the past. Everything was a great mess and I don’t want that to happen again.
most schools / university offer model outlines from the first term to the last, according to the standard period of study
- get the outline and make a loose plan for the next years
stuff those outlines typically cover:
all the courses you have to take
recommended semesters for the courses
the kind of course - lecture, tutorial, seminar, …
the type of test / exam - actual exam, presentation, paper, …
Credit Points / Credit Hours / ECTS
conditions - you can only go to lecture y if you passed lecture x; or have to complete an internship before this seminar
in which terms the courses take place - winter, summer, whatever
(recommended) books and other study material
stay in the standard period but know the dead-deadlines for exams (there might be some, you can only take twice; or some you have to pass till the third semester or something like that) and use that knowledge to prioritise
make a checklist of all the exams you will have to take, as loose or precise as you like, so you can keep track of what you accomplished and what you have to keep in mind for the future
remember that it isn’t a bad thing to study longer than that the standard period but a loose structure over the years can help keeping track of your journey
plan the upcoming semester
With all the following things to plan keep in mind, add a bit more time than you think you will need. Hardly ever something works as it is planned, but that’s not a bad thing. Just add a little extra time to avoid stress and on days where everything works according to your plan, you can use that extra time for a coffee with a friend, an episode on Netflix or whatever makes you happy.
if you have to sign up for your courses, find out when you can do that
sometimes they send you this information with other papers, sometimes you can find it online, sometimes they tell you during orientation week
if you don’t have to sign up - you lucky devil ♥
find all the courses you (should) take in the next term
when and where does the lecture take place?
how many hours are you supposed to work on it? (Credit Hours / ECTS)
how many points will it get you? (Credit Points / ECTS)
get the syllabus as soon as possible in addition to the general topics
get the contact detail of the lecturer as soon as possible
get the list of recommended books, readings and other material (but don’t buy yet!)
create a weekly schedule in your preferred planning system
start with the courses you have regularly
add time for the stuff that can’t be avoided: getting to uni, sleeping, eating, housework, …
add time for preparation and review, so you full fill the credit hours / ECTS points
add free time! it’s a reward and recreation and damn important
keep if flexible enough to be spontaneous with friends
as soon as you know deadlines for papers, dates for presentations and exams add them to your planning system
Make a study or work plan for each one and try to avoid overlaps
by holding a presentation as soon as you can
by submitting a paper earlier than the deadline
you can’t always avoid overlaps, especially with exams but there are plenty of tips out there on how to work in such a situation
Orientation Week & First Week
use orientation to get orientation in the cartographic sense
find the rooms your courses will take place at
a campus can be big and a mess and there are those special cases where no real campus exists cause the uni buildings are spread in a whole city or two
find important buildings like the library and the cafeteria
find friends!
obviously you don’t have to be friends with everybody, but find a few people you get along with during orientation and first week and everything will be so much easier
when you have your first lectures pay attention to which books the lecturers say are really important
ask older students which books are really important / helpful
find out which books are permanently in the library and can be only read there, not borrowed
look for free PDF versions
buy what you really need second hand to save money
read the texts your lecturer tells you to read, even if they are boring, even when the guy will tell you the exact same thing again in the lecture
you will have to study less and you have more time understanding the matter and practising!
keep everything organised!
in school you could sit down a week bevor a big test, write everything from your textbook and some worksheets and get a good mark, in uni that is not likely
as a resource for study material and research
bring food, snacks and water
“A fat belly, a lean brain.”, they say. But all hungry your brain won’t work either.
hydration is important, we all know that
and it saves so much money, even when you can use student discounts
learn to cook some basic stuff
So far, so good. I’ll make some follow up posts on the first three sections, with some more details and my solutions. Mainly cause that way I will force myself to put a good plan into action.