#wiwikbu

[optomstudies]

What were the main differences between university and high school? Did you find it hard/easy transitioning?

Hi there! Interesting topic, thanks for asking :)

Transition between University and High School

I wasn’t someone who found the academic transition between university and high school particularly difficult as I had already been going to a competitive high school. 

On top of that, I’d been someone who had more of a consistent work ethic, so I was pretty used to studying a little everyday to deal with high workloads. Dealing with university studies is about self-accountability and making sure you turn up to lectures and finish tutorial questions on time!!

Uni was just one step above that because it’s a little easier to find yourself falling behind just because you get really tired on long commutes. One thing I had trouble with at first was finishing maths tutorial sets on time, as I had to sleep an hour or so later everyday to get things done for all 4 subjects. Coupled with waking up 1.5 hours earlier, I was pretty exhausted the first semester and often slept on the train to and from uni. Protip make the best use of your time: get as many tutorial questions done in between classes and on the train home as you can, because you’ll be physically exhausted from commuting, which makes you mentally exhausted doing tutorial questions, which can end up cutting into your sleep and exacerbating the whole cycle. 

The first semester is always the hardest because you also need to balance social commitments - making new friends does take time because you share lunch regularly with other people, occasionally you’ll want to go out and explore the restaurants around your university, particularly if your campus is further away from where you usually live. 

Added bonus is that there’s no trouble with just hanging out with someone else if you don’t click with someone. Degrees where there’s no set subjects are good because things don’t get clique-y, and you don’t have to see people after one semester if you’re lucky. Conversely, keeping in touch with and making strong friendships is tricky because of a lack of contact. 

Furthermore, it’s also the time where everyone encourages you to join clubs. I went to a lot of club meetings but didn’t really end up finding one for me in first year that suited my hobbies. I wrote a post about Extra-Curricular Activities, but main point is: you either join to make a few friends or you join to make a nice notch on your career ladder, but don’t worry about it otherwise. 

You’ll also be trying to keep in touch with high school friends as well, and I would advise that you do, as it can be hard to make as deep a connection with others when you don’t see a particular person as often as you did in high school.

On top of that, a lot of people want to find a part time job to help with university expenses. I was tutoring after high school because I did okay academically, so I worked a little during weekends the first year. I did a post about finding a Part Time Job as part of my University Series below, so have a read of that if you’re interested, though I feel like I need to update it because it covers so little. 

So yeah, add all that up and it can really take time out of your day!

Differences Between High School and University

I ~kind of~ have a whole series on that LOL, but let me know if there was anything that I didn’t cover below! Main differences are basically more flexible timetable, friendship circles, workload and study topics, but more commitments, greater difficulty in study, and added stress of applying for jobs and internships. 

WHAT I’D WISH I’D KNOWN BEFORE UNIVERSITY 2016-2017

Part 0 Choosing a Degree - how do you know what’s right for you? popular!!

> Things to Consider Before Switching Degrees!

> Changing Degrees

Part 1 Administration - choosing majors, available services, choosing class times etc.

Part 2 Getting to Class - pros and cons of attending class, when you should choose not to attend, laptop and notebook recommendations, advice about choosing a backpack and other essential equipment.

> Laptop Considerations and Recommendations

Part 3 Studying - differences between high school and uni, basic tips on how to keep on track, class types like lectures, tutorials, etc.

Part 4 Extra-Curriculars - what clubs to join, what to do outside class, and other great things to discover around campus.

Part 5 Exams - everything to know about pesky examiners, how to prepare, what happens during the whole examination process.

Part 6 Social Life - differences between high school and university, some hard learnt lessons, etc.

Part 7 Part Time Work - how to land a part time gig

Part 8 Four Secrets The Uni Tells You

Part 9 Best Study Spots On Campus

Part 10 Saving Money 1 - Food, Transport, Entertainment

Part 10 Saving Money 2 - Textbooks, Tax, Scholarships

Part 11 Adapting to Uni Study popular!!

Part 12 How to Study From Textbooks in Uni

Dealing with Lazy Group Members - five options for what to do and how to do it! popular!!

Hope that helps! ^__^

[optomstudies]

What to do when you're stuck with a lazy group? I'm with two guys and we still haven't chosen a topic. We have to present in two weeks. Nobody replies to my messages and both left after class this week. I just wanted to choose a topic and leave!!!! So I booked a study room today and they all made excuses. Ugh. I'm gonna be the one who's doing all the work. This is worth 40% of our grade. Same as the exam. FML

Hi there, thank you for asking, as this is a super common problem in high school, university and the workplace! I’ve never seen this question answered in depth on studyblr, so I’ll give it a go! 

NB. It depends on your personality as to the approach you want to take, so let everyone who’s reading this not pass judgement upon others in such a situation~ Remember in all of this to be polite, understanding and gracious no matter how much you want to flip tables. The following 5 Options go in order of how many bridges you want to burn :’)

Option 0. Wait for a bit longer and try communicating with them again.

I have seen a similar question asked once on tumblr where the studyblr blogger answered “two weeks is plenty of time, you’re probably over-reacting”... Obviously, I’m not going to trivialise your answer by giving you just one option like that - I frankly thought that studyblr was quite rude for answering so shortly to someone who took the time to ask them a question.

How to do it: The way you communicate with them now might not be effective, so make sure that you’re ticking off the following boxes if you choose this option, rather than just letting nothing change: meeting face to face, setting mini-deadlines for each part instead of just allocating once at the beginning, and make sure each member knows what and when they have to complete something.

This option is best suited for people who:

really don’t want to create a commotion and would rather wait a little longer and reduce the time available for them to do the project,

or people who would answer ‘Strongly Disagree’ to “Being organized is more important to you than being adaptable“ and “In a discussion, truth should be more important than people’s sensitivities.” in a personality quiz (a strong prognostic factor for Option 1 tbh),

or people who know they can tackle everything in less than 1 week,

or people who just realised/kind of know they’re actually overreacting,

or have just realised whilst reading this that maybe they didn’t actually try contacting the other group members all that well (i.e. don’t have enough evidence for Option 3).

Pros:

Nobody gets angry at anyone, and it doesn’t reflect badly on you either (because no one finds out if you don’t say anything - people tend to be judgemental if you pick one of the three options below).

Less stressful for some people than confrontation.

You might get eventual cooperation.

Cons:

You might not get eventual cooperation, and end up being stuck with all the work anyway (hence resulting in options below).

More stressful for other people as you feel time is ticking away and nothing is changing.

The time you spend waiting for the others will result in less time for you to tackle all the actual work.

Pro-tip: doing as much individual work as possible sometimes will egg those team members to finally start pulling their weight, or can help you with Option 3 if you do end up going for it.

Option 1. You make all the decisions and do all the work.

Best suited for people who: are academically gifted, like doing work independently, have excellent time management skills.

Pros:

You can ensure the quality of the work will be excellent.

You get to choose what topic to do and direct the overall project turnout.

No one hates you for anything, but NB. your friends and family relationships that suffer as a result of the time you have to sacrifice might not have anything pleasant to say about it all.

Cons:

You need an extraordinary amount of time.

The other people in the group get a free ride and in nastier words, some would say you get taken advantage of for your goodwill.

Lack of group opinion may make the quality of your work suffer.

Other subjects you’re taking may suffer.

Option 2. Badger the other group members until they do some work.

Best suited for people who: don’t want to be stuck with Option 1, but don’t want to escalate to Option 3. Give them an ultimatum about the work, or just decide the topic by yourself if they don’t step up.

Pros:

Very similar to Option 0 in that you wait a bit longer before taking drastic action, so you might get eventual cooperation, and you don’t bother your professor.

Cons:

You stress yourself out badgering other people.

Other group members get annoyed at you, and your classmates that happen to watch you badgering have a not-so-great impression of you.

Option 3. Document a significant amount of evidence that shows your effort to get them to contribute and contact the professor about it.

Best suited for people who: would like to do things independently but just cannot afford the time because of other commitments.

Pros:

Professor can step in and (hopefully) offer some sort of alternative solution.

Your other subjects won’t suffer.

Sometimes you have a really great professor and they end up taking into account that you’ve done the project by yourself and mark super nicely/give a bonus mark, or even penalise the other students.

Cons:

Professor may snuff you and say “the purpose of this project is also to learn about team cooperation”. Had a prof before who told us straight up at the beginning of the project that “you work it out, not me”

Professor may help you out, but in a way that doesn’t really end up helping e.g. he just emails the two members of your group to tell them to start working once and that’s it.

Other group members hate you for life (and I know this bothers some people enough not to go through with it, again pls remember no judgement fellow readers)

How to do it: Email should be along the lines of the following:

Dear Professor _______,

I am a current student undertaking [course code]. I am sorry to contact you in unfortunate circumstances, but I have been having severe difficulty convening with the other members for the remainder of the _____ project. While I am aware that group projects have a dual purpose to both educate us on the academic topic as well as to improve our cooperation and communication skills, I have tried [insert whatever means you attempted to contact them by, attaching evidence is up to you]. I have already completed the intro/background research/other individual task, however I cannot complete the ______ by myself/without group input.

I would appreciate any guidance you could offer/I would greatly appreciate your help/If it is possible, could you please [insert action depending on how desperate you are - don’t ask for anything unreasonable!]?

I apologise for having to inconvenience you, and thank you for your understanding on the matter.

Kind regards,

[Name and student number]

Option 4. You do all the work and then leave their names off the work.

Best suited for people who: work independently, don’t mind burning a few bridges. I won’t actually recommend this option, but I’ve seen this happen in real life.

Pros:

Sense of self-satisfaction for some people when the lazy members don’t get a free ride.

Again, you make sure the project quality is exactly what you want.

Cons:

Similar to Option 1 minus the free ride bit.

Not only do the other group members hate you, but their friends in your cohort will too. At least in Option 3, those guys can’t try and gossip behind your backs because whoever they tell will realise that they didn’t do the right thing either.

Do this at your own risk, as it can backfire depending on the professor - if anyone’s watched Cheese in the Trap - the main character does all the work but the professor managed to suss out that the other group members didn’t do anything, and as a result penalised her with a D grade for failing to make it “group” work despite the fact she would’ve gotten an A. Some profs are really... they just don’t see it your way :/

Hopefully things don’t have to escalate to Option 4, but whatever you choose to take, I’ll wish you the best! I’ve given quite detailed instructions and written comprehensively, but feel free to contact me any time if you need any more help :)

MY STUDY TIPS

Please see my #optomstudies tag or my study tips directory (web only) for the full list of study tips + see my langblr posts + stationery + bujo spreads! ^_^

UNIVERSITY STUDY TIPS SERIES

Part 0 Choosing a Degree - what’s right for you? popular!!

> Things to Consider Before Switching Degrees!

> Changing Degrees

Part 1 Administration - choosing majors, available services, choosing class times etc.

Part 2 Getting to Class - pros and cons of attending class, when you should choose not to attend, advice about choosing a backpack and other essential equipment.

> Laptop Considerations and Recommendations

Part 3 Studying - differences between high school and uni, basic tips on how to keep on track, class types like lectures, tutorials, etc.

Part 4 Extra-Curriculars - what clubs to join, what to do outside class, and other great things to discover around campus.

Part 5 Exams - everything to know about examiners, how to prepare, what happens during the whole examination process.

Part 6 Social Life - differences between high school and university, some hard learnt lessons, etc.

Part 7 Part Time Work

Part 8 Four Secrets The Uni Tells You

Part 9 Best Study Spots On Campus

Part 10 Saving Money 1 - Food, Transport, Entertainment

Part 10 Saving Money 2 - Textbooks, Tax, Scholarships

Part 11 Adapting to Uni Study - 3 big differences from studying in high school popular!!

Part 12 How to Study From Textbooks in Uni

Part 13 Dealing with Lazy Group Members popular!!

Transitioning from High School to University popular!!

OTHER POPULAR POSTS

Weekly Planner Printable with Extra Space for Sat/Sun  popular!!

Overcoming the Planning Fallacy

Study Spaces Masterpost

Studying and your Visual System

Catching Up with Your Studies  popular!!

Sleeping and Waking Up Early  popular!!

My 2017 Planner and Bullet Journal  popular!!

[optomstudies]

#optomstudies here with a post about university studying! I’ve been reading many study tips masterposts in the community, but some of these won’t work that well for university. So here are 3 tips for adapting to uni study!

Loose leaf? Notebook? Neither! (but if you must choose between the two, I recommend hole-punched loose leaf - easy to file :D) There is just no time, especially once you get to your higher years, that you will be able to write paper notes especially considering the level of detail that you are required to learn things to get good marks. 

When I was studying therapeutics, lectures were more like an essay crammed into 60-80 ppt slides! Using 10pt Calibri, 1.15 spacing, custom 1cm margins - I still had 12 pages for a 2 hour lecture (see below)

Two lectures / week, for 12 weeks! Although this was the most-content heavy subject, my other courses were still way too time consuming to write notes for. Sadly, you can’t summarise much, because MCQs pick at details.  

As for laptops, cheap netbooks are only ~$300, but I’d recommend these really great student laptops. 

And yet, you have to wonder why #studyblr doesn’t have more digital notes? Isn’t every studyblr the owner of a computer as a tumblr user? I’m trying to encourage everyone to feel more confident about posting their digital notes as part of the “#studyblrs get real” tag (see here), so if you have some great typed study notes, please tag me with #optomstudies and I’ll be happy to reblog you!

Read through your lecture slides so that you have a basic grasp of the topic before classes. If you have any readings assigned, do them too. This means that you’ll

go in knowing what concepts you need clarified

revise one more time (remember the forgetting curve?)

be much better placed to answer questions and participate in class discussions (get those participation marks!! ;))

find it easier to follow along with much more complicated topics than you’ve experienced in high school!

remember a lot more of the topic when you come back to revise later on!

Yes, I know, studyblr blasphemy right? But this is what you do when strapped for time. Particularly with biological/chemical sciences, lecturers will have basically summarised what you need to know on the slides. 

Before your lectures, read through the slides (should take about 30 minutes for a 2 hour lecture) and mark/circle anything you don’t understand - then when you get to the lecture, jot down a clarification in your own words based on the professor’s explanation. Eventually, you’ll find that you have studied the topic well enough to not need your own footnotes. 

It takes a little experience to know which professors have slides you can study off (tip: it’s usually the ones where you don’t have to write down much) but it’s totally worth the time you save!

Additional Clarification

Firstly, you need to be able to know which subjects you need to make study notes and which ones you can just study off the lecture slides.

The therapeutics notes were my study notes, not my lecture notes. I just whacked a colour scheme onto the headings since I’m a visual learner. For that subject, the prof just uploaded her ppt files onto moodle. It took me and my classmates 4-5 hours to go through the content, because the recording was written in the notes beneath the slide itself (see below)

See here, if you just take away the colour scheme, it’s literally just dot points and insert needed pictures from the lecture slide afterwards.

Usually if it’s an in-class lecture, I’ll do exactly what I described in my original post. I’ll annotate on the lecture slides themselves. Either print the slides out and handwrite, or use Adobe Acrobat to add comments.

^ Binocular vision was one of those subjects where I would write notes afterwards, because there’s a lot of explanation during the lectures.

WHAT IF I DON’T GET SLIDES BEFORE CLASS?

There’s two ways that I think both merit a mention.

Summarise from the slides projected on to the screen and the professor’s words as you go. 

Pro: quick way to make notes, no need to rewrite much

Con: can miss details from what professor is saying if copying down from slides too much.

Write down only a slide number, and then focus on only what the professor says about the content. 

Pro: don’t miss any information, less stressful because there’s only one source of information (the prof) instead of two (the prof and the slides)

Con: need to integrate information later at home in study notes/lecture slides, and if you misnumber the slides during class it can get confusing. 

Personally I prefer the second, because for me, not missing information is more important than the time I save. The second one is better for professors who are the type to add in more information to what’s already on the slide, rather than just going through each of the dot points, i.e. professors who use slides as a simple outline, rather than a complete guide to lecturing. Do what suits your style, and what suits the class speed/format.

Hope this has been an informative post about the differences between university and high school studying! Please follow me for weekly study tips, study pics and now kpop vocab lists!

Follow optomstudies for daily original posts and study masterposts! Links: all originals + langblr posts + 15-part college 101 series + web directory!

[optomstudies]

#optomstudies talking about using textbooks 📚📚📚! @slowtownstudies​ Unlike high school, teachers won’t usually assign specific pages or problem sets to do, and you’ll be using it as a supplement to your studies. There’s no one way of using textbooks because there are multiple types. 

Quick reference type

Characteristics: Usually pocket or A5 sized, bit hard to understand without having background knowledge first, basic dot point summaries. E.g. Wills Eye Manual and Kanski Clinical Ophthalmology Synopsis. 

Benefits of this type of txtbk: good for things you can forget easily, great to revise with before exams, doesn’t break your back to carry around. 

How to make notes: you don’t. Just read straight off them - they are quick reference and require you to understand concepts first. 

Explanatory type

Characteristics: thick, typically 2-3 inches in thickness, written in easy to understand language, as wordy and comprehensive as a print text can be whilst still being able to be carried home out of a bookshop, updated but usually not much difference between versions E.g. Campbell’s Biology. 

Benefits of this type of txtbk: can be studied from without attending lectures, easily readable even when university has sucked the life energy out of you, so comprehensive your lecture usually uses it as the basis of their lecture notes. 

How to make notes: 

Make your lecture summaries first

Get a good grasp of topic

Read textbook and jot down notes or write down on a post-it anything you didn’t already know/needed clarified/anything the textbook explained better. 

Use active reading and make sure you try and word it in your own way!

Add these post-its into your lecture summary notes

Springboard/Basics type

Characteristics: typically 1-2 inches thick, author will specifically say in their Preface that the book is intended to cover the basics, is updated regularly every few years often with overhauls of content. E.g. Kanski’s Clinical Ophthalmology. 

How to make notes: Similar to Explanatory type, but since it’s written more in a dot-point fashion, you’ll find it to be similar in format to your lecture notes. Judge on a case-by-case basis whether or not you want to make notes. 

MY STUDY TIPS

Please see my #optomstudies tag or my study tips directory (web only) for the full list of study tips + see my langblr posts + stationery + bujo spreads! ^_^

UNIVERSITY STUDY TIPS SERIES

Part 0 Choosing a Degree - what’s right for you? popular!!

> Things to Consider Before Switching Degrees!

> Changing Degrees

Part 1 Administration - choosing majors, available services, choosing class times etc.

Part 2 Getting to Class - pros and cons of attending class, when you should choose not to attend, advice about choosing a backpack and other essential equipment.

> Laptop Considerations and Recommendations

Part 3 Studying - differences between high school and uni, basic tips on how to keep on track, class types like lectures, tutorials, etc.

Part 4 Extra-Curriculars - what clubs to join, what to do outside class, and other great things to discover around campus.

Part 5 Exams - everything to know about examiners, how to prepare, what happens during the whole examination process.

Part 6 Social Life - differences between high school and university, some hard learnt lessons, etc.

Part 7 Part Time Work

Part 8 Four Secrets The Uni Tells You

Part 9 Best Study Spots On Campus

Part 10 Saving Money 1 - Food, Transport, Entertainment

Part 10 Saving Money 2 - Textbooks, Tax, Scholarships

Part 11 Adapting to Uni Study - 3 big differences from studying in high school popular!!

Part 12 How to Study From Textbooks in Uni

Part 13 Dealing with Lazy Group Members popular!!

Transitioning from High School to University popular!!

OTHER POPULAR POSTS

Weekly Planner Printable with Extra Space for Sat/Sun  popular!!

Overcoming the Planning Fallacy

Study Spaces Masterpost

Studying and your Visual System

Catching Up with Your Studies  popular!!

Sleeping and Waking Up Early  popular!!

My 2017 Planner and Bullet Journal  popular!!

[optomstudies]

#optomstudies here to stop your 💸💸💸 from flying away! This is to answer an ask I received from @psychblr (thank you for asking!!). For some pointers on how to make money, please also check out my 7 Part Time Work post. This first part will cover food, transport and entertainment. The next part will cover textbooks, tax, and scholarships. 

Detailing all your income and all your expenses for the month, sort it into categories like food, rent, entertainment, etc. then circle everything you could’ve cut down on. 

FOOD

Don’t buy coffee on campus. One cup is $3-4. Bring your own coffee if you must in a thermos. 

Plan your meals. Make a list so that you don’t overbuy or get duped by instant microwavable meals (which taste kinda gross anyway). 

Bulk buy at supermarkets. Make meals with multiple servings that you can store in the fridge for the next week. 

Stick to home brands. Compare the unit price ($/kg) on items so that you know you’re getting the best deals. 

Buy fresh fruit and veggies at markets. 

Also, if you can find an Asian grocery near you, they usually sell meat at a much cheaper price than you can find at Coles or Woolworths. 

Buy at ALDI if you have one near you. 

Bring your own bottle and refill from the water stations on campus, rather than buying bottled water and soft drinks. 

Join free food pages on Facebook. There’s usually sausage sizzles that sell lunch for $2.50 at least once a week, and occasionally they’ll be free!

Consider eating lunch off campus. If you don’t mind the trek, you can look for places off-campus. Around our uni there’s many cheap eateries that sell different cultural foods, usually catering for international students. 

At places like Starbucks and other places that sell coffee, ask for "hot water", they charge $0.43 and you can bring your own tea bag or instant coffee, thanks @bambooboss

Asking for “a glass of water” is legally free anywhere in Australia. So save yourself from spending money on $3.99 bottled Mount Franklin water :)

TRANSPORT

Travel during off-peak hours. Most full time students are eligible for a concession Opal card, but you can also get an additional 30% off the travel fee outside 7-9am and 4-6:30pm weekdays. 

Arrange your classes later so that you start at 11am and finish around 6-7pm. 

Use public transport instead of driving. Saves you petrol, speeding fines and parking fees. 

If you live close enough, try cycling or bike loans. Our uni has bikes available for rent that are provided with helmets a lock and a light. 

ENTERTAINMENT

Use your student discounts. Discounts on movie tickets and local shops can be attained just by flashing your student card. 

Use your uni WiFi - Library is open pretty much all day, so if you ever have a free day, just lounge around and watch Youtube to your hearts content. 

For parties, your uni usually holds a beginning of semester and end of semester events that are super cheap to attend if you’re looking for that kind of entertainment. Faculties will also hold cruises with free drinks and formals once a year, but those are a bit pricey. 

For outings, do something that doesn’t break the bank, e.g. hiking, stargazing, visit to the art museum, bike riding, perusing the flea market, watching uni sports events, cooking dessert with friends, etc. 

Avoid any unnecessary purchases. Do you really need that third set of highlighters? No. To avoid impulse purchases, just sleep on your decision. When you wake up in the morning with a fresh mind, most likely you’ll realise that you don’t need it after all. 

MY STUDY TIPS

Please see my #optomstudies tag or my study tips directory (web only) for the full list of study tips + see my langblr posts + stationery + bujo spreads! ^_^

UNIVERSITY STUDY TIPS SERIES

Part 0 Choosing a Degree - what’s right for you? popular!!

> Things to Consider Before Switching Degrees!

> Changing Degrees

Part 1 Administration - choosing majors, available services, choosing class times etc.

Part 2 Getting to Class - pros and cons of attending class, when you should choose not to attend, advice about choosing a backpack and other essential equipment.

> Laptop Considerations and Recommendations

Part 3 Studying - differences between high school and uni, basic tips on how to keep on track, class types like lectures, tutorials, etc.

Part 4 Extra-Curriculars - what clubs to join, what to do outside class, and other great things to discover around campus.

Part 5 Exams - everything to know about examiners, how to prepare, what happens during the whole examination process.

Part 6 Social Life - differences between high school and university, some hard learnt lessons, etc.

Part 7 Part Time Work

Part 8 Four Secrets The Uni Tells You

Part 9 Best Study Spots On Campus

Part 10 Saving Money 1 - Food, Transport, Entertainment

Part 10 Saving Money 2 - Textbooks, Tax, Scholarships

Part 11 Adapting to Uni Study - 3 big differences from studying in high school popular!!

Part 12 How to Study From Textbooks in Uni

Part 13 Dealing with Lazy Group Members popular!!

Transitioning from High School to University popular!!

OTHER POPULAR POSTS

Weekly Planner Printable with Extra Space for Sat/Sun  popular!!

Overcoming the Planning Fallacy

Study Spaces Masterpost

Studying and your Visual System

Catching Up with Your Studies  popular!!

Sleeping and Waking Up Early  popular!!

My 2017 Planner and Bullet Journal  popular!!

[optomstudies]

#optomstudies here to stop your 💸💸💸 from flying away, again! This is to answer an ask I received from @psychblr and also the anon entering uni who wanted to know about textbooks! (thank you for asking!!). 

For some pointers on how to make money, please also check out my 7 Part Time Work post. The first part will cover food, transport and entertainment (linked here). This second part will cover textbooks, tax, and scholarships.

TEXTBOOKS

Generally the only free textbooks... aren’t usually prescribed for your course by your professor. Meaning they’re essentially useless. I mean, sure they’re good resources, but if you need to do any specific reading or questions, you’re out of options :L

After 1st year, you’ll find it really difficult to find free textbooks (legally). It’s the publisher who decides whether a textbook is available or not. If they’re being draconian, they’ll actively take down all the .pdf links on Google.

You can try some of the websites here, they seemed pretty good, but it will take a little digging. Anything that links you to a site where you need to purchase the textbook means that the publisher hasn’t made it free, and hence it’s illegal to get it for free. Note: Don’t download anything that tells you to download a specific download manager though.

Save money by renting or purchasing second hand. 

Okay so what to do? I study optometry, meaning like all university degrees, there aren’t any free textbooks once you get past 1st year sciences LOL. It’s just too niche. My principles are:

I only buy ‘prescribed’ textbooks.

Wait until the second week to see whether you actually need the textbook a great deal. Your professor will usually tell you.

NB. if your professor wrote the book, and is telling you that you need the book, I’d suggest you try for an older version, used version, or share with someone, since they have conflicting interests. This actually happens so much with the Management and Accounting Schools lol.

Go to the library to peruse the textbook. There are copies in the High Use Collection where you can only borrow the textbook for 2 hours. Just stalk the place. Your uni library website will tell you whether a textbook has been checked out or not. 

If I feel like the textbook is useful for more than 1 year then I’ll purchase it. Otherwise I just make copies of the chapter I need to use (as far as copyright law goes, you can copy up to 1 chapter or 10% of a book, whichever is larger).

Try the Book Depository if you are buying new - reputable, plus occasionally cheaper than university bookstore prices (which are already 10% off RRP). 

For every other textbook, just camp out at the library for it. When the teacher suggests you read something, zip off to the library as soon as class ends.

Sell the textbook to next year’s students once you’re done using it to recoup your losses. 

TAX

So if you’ve managed to get a job directly in the area that you’re working towards in the future, you’ll actually be able to claim back some of the course expenses as tax deductions since money you spend on your university degree is a work-related self-education expense since it “result in, or is likely to result in, an increase in your income from your current employment” (source). 

You can claim the following expenses in relation to your self-education. I’ve marked the ones that uni students should find the most useful. 

accommodation and meals (if away from home overnight) !!!

computer consumables !!!

course fees (but not HECS-HELP repayments)

decline in value for depreciating assets (cost exceeds $300)

purchase of equipment or technical instruments costing $300 or less !!!

equipment repairs

fares

home office running costs !!!

interest

internet usage (excluding connection fees) !!!

parking fees (only for work-related claims)

phone calls

postage

stationery !!!

student union fees !!!

student services and amenities fees !!!

textbooks !!!

trade, professional, or academic journals

travel to-and-from place of education (only for work-related claims) !!!

To claim, make sure you keep all your receipts, and logbook anything needed!

SCHOLARSHIPS

I’ll focus on Australian scholarships. There’s plenty of information about American scholarships, and how to write a scholarship essay in this masterpost answer here. 

Unlike American scholarships, Australian scholarships are usually tethered to the university that you apply to. 

Each grant has specific criteria for who can apply, e.g. females, sports achievements, indigenous students, etc. Some are just open to any high achievers. 

Most scholarships are for high-school leavers and first year students, but there are a few that are offered for higher years too (I wish I had known this!)

Each grant is a couple of thousand dollars, which can really help you out. Grants for next year usually open during second semester, so just go for it! You can’t win any if you don’t even put an application in!

MY STUDY TIPS

Please see my #optomstudies tag or my study tips directory (web only) for the full list of study tips + see my langblr posts + stationery + bujo spreads! ^_^

UNIVERSITY STUDY TIPS SERIES

Part 0 Choosing a Degree - what’s right for you? popular!!

> Things to Consider Before Switching Degrees!

> Changing Degrees

Part 1 Administration - choosing majors, available services, choosing class times etc.

Part 2 Getting to Class - pros and cons of attending class, when you should choose not to attend, advice about choosing a backpack and other essential equipment.

> Laptop Considerations and Recommendations

Part 3 Studying - differences between high school and uni, basic tips on how to keep on track, class types like lectures, tutorials, etc.

Part 4 Extra-Curriculars - what clubs to join, what to do outside class, and other great things to discover around campus.

Part 5 Exams - everything to know about examiners, how to prepare, what happens during the whole examination process.

Part 6 Social Life - differences between high school and university, some hard learnt lessons, etc.

Part 7 Part Time Work

Part 8 Four Secrets The Uni Tells You

Part 9 Best Study Spots On Campus

Part 10 Saving Money 1 - Food, Transport, Entertainment

Part 10 Saving Money 2 - Textbooks, Tax, Scholarships

Part 11 Adapting to Uni Study - 3 big differences from studying in high school popular!!

Part 12 How to Study From Textbooks in Uni

Part 13 Dealing with Lazy Group Members popular!!

Transitioning from High School to University popular!!

OTHER POPULAR POSTS

Weekly Planner Printable with Extra Space for Sat/Sun  popular!!

Overcoming the Planning Fallacy

Study Spaces Masterpost

Studying and your Visual System

Catching Up with Your Studies  popular!!

Sleeping and Waking Up Early  popular!!

My 2017 Planner and Bullet Journal  popular!!

[optomstudies]

Hi! It’s #optomstudies with a new part to my University 101 series :) Here are 4 points, which are oft ignored by the student population... only to resurface later as some sort of hidden parable (they’re not though).

Of course, everyone studies differently, and this is a rule of thumb that has been suggested by a few universities, but what they’re trying to get at, is that you need to invest some time into studying. 

Students seem to think that you can expect to pencil in a part time job a couple of days a week, church, time to cook meals and do chores, time to chill and relax, time with family and friends, footy night, time at the gym, 8 hours of sleep and what have you, but still expect to have enough time to study. I’m not saying that you can’t have a balanced work-study life (you definitely should), but you need compromise if you want good grades, and obviously with the non-necessities first (don’t go straight for cutting sleep! it’ll mess with your mental health! health is number 1!)

The human psyche is incredibly bad at estimating how long you’ll take to do your own homework. It’s actually been noted as the planning fallacy. It results from both underestimating the amount of time a task will take, as well as overestimating your ability to get the task done. The problem with uni work is, every assignment is slightly different, meaning you don’t have much of a reference guide when planning for a task.

—it’s ineffective, because you’re taking in so much information at once that it’s impossible to memorise it all. You’ll hardly retain anything and will be tired and stressed when the time comes to actually sit the exam. -- Taken straight from our university’s student support site [source].

Personally, I would say it’s only about 4 weeks if you have a memorisation-heavy subject. Anything more math based may need a little less time, because you’ll mainly be doing past papers and practice questions to maximise your time. And try spaced repetition people! Use Anki, open-source flashcards that are free. You can store as many cards as you like, and it’s better than manual paper flashcards because of the algorithm it uses to choose which cards for you to revise each day.

(I didn’t want to put this one because I figured it was unoriginal, but I guess every studyblr needs to have said this point at one time.) I heard some girl say, “oh lol, i never go to lectures because i never pay attention anyway” what is the logic in sitting there for a whole hour, but just playing on your phone the whole time and tuning out?

Benefits of attending lectures - as quoted from my university website [source]

- The lecture contains copyright materials, video, annotations on slides or other multimedia materials that cannot be made available on recordings. - The lecture incorporates problem solving in small groups, discussions or other interactions that are difficult to capture in a recording. - The content of the lecture is needed for a follow-on tutorial, practical session or similar. - The lecture is used to get to know you, gauge your progress, identify problems you are encountering and give you immediate feedback. - The social advantages—You get to meet others in your course, exchange ideas and make new friendships. - The convenience—Attending lectures in a regular timeslot can help you establish a routine for study. Some students find they don’t get around to listening to recordings when they don’t have an established routine.

And you also don’t get situations where a lecturer turns off the recording just because only a few people turned up to class... (happened to me!)

MY STUDY TIPS

Please see my #optomstudies tag or my study tips directory (web only) for the full list of study tips + see my langblr posts + stationery + bujo spreads! ^_^

UNIVERSITY STUDY TIPS SERIES

Part 0 Choosing a Degree - what’s right for you? popular!!

> Things to Consider Before Switching Degrees!

> Changing Degrees

Part 1 Administration - choosing majors, available services, choosing class times etc.

Part 2 Getting to Class - pros and cons of attending class, when you should choose not to attend, advice about choosing a backpack and other essential equipment.

> Laptop Considerations and Recommendations

Part 3 Studying - differences between high school and uni, basic tips on how to keep on track, class types like lectures, tutorials, etc.

Part 4 Extra-Curriculars - what clubs to join, what to do outside class, and other great things to discover around campus.

Part 5 Exams - everything to know about examiners, how to prepare, what happens during the whole examination process.

Part 6 Social Life - differences between high school and university, some hard learnt lessons, etc.

Part 7 Part Time Work

Part 8 Four Secrets The Uni Tells You

Part 9 Best Study Spots On Campus

Part 10 Saving Money 1 - Food, Transport, Entertainment

Part 10 Saving Money 2 - Textbooks, Tax, Scholarships

Part 11 Adapting to Uni Study - 3 big differences from studying in high school popular!!

Part 12 How to Study From Textbooks in Uni

Part 13 Dealing with Lazy Group Members popular!!

Transitioning from High School to University popular!!

OTHER POPULAR POSTS

Weekly Planner Printable with Extra Space for Sat/Sun  popular!!

Overcoming the Planning Fallacy

Study Spaces Masterpost

Studying and your Visual System

Catching Up with Your Studies  popular!!

Sleeping and Waking Up Early  popular!!

My 2017 Planner and Bullet Journal  popular!!

[optomstudies]

Finding the best study places! There are a lot of places you can find yourself studying haha. Here are a few of my favourites :)

Empty classroom - somehow these are rare to find when you need them, in fact you usually spend more time searching. And they usually aren’t available for more than an hour or two.

Your faculty’s computer lab - my go-to study place is the optometry computer lab. It’s really nice having a place specifically for optometry students. It’s occasionally taken up by a class, but it’s got aircon, great chairs, big monitors and has a lot more hours where it’s completely empty ^__^

Another faculty’s study area - yup, crashing business school for those office-level-over-9000 chairs.

Obviously, at the library - best when you’re by yourself, difficult when in pairs or groups unless you rent out a study room. Try not to study on those beanbags - they usually just make you fall asleep - and think of the drool! D:

On the lawn - subject to windy weather, muddy pants and stray caterpillars. I’m a vampire and have a phobia of bugs so I usually don’t sit outside unless I have to ^^”

Numerous benches and chairs - I sits where I fits. 

MY STUDY TIPS

Please see my #optomstudies tag or my study tips directory (web only) for the full list of study tips + see my langblr posts + stationery + bujo spreads! ^_^

UNIVERSITY STUDY TIPS SERIES

Part 0 Choosing a Degree - what’s right for you? popular!!

> Things to Consider Before Switching Degrees!

> Changing Degrees

Part 1 Administration - choosing majors, available services, choosing class times etc.

Part 2 Getting to Class - pros and cons of attending class, when you should choose not to attend, advice about choosing a backpack and other essential equipment.

> Laptop Considerations and Recommendations

Part 3 Studying - differences between high school and uni, basic tips on how to keep on track, class types like lectures, tutorials, etc.

Part 4 Extra-Curriculars - what clubs to join, what to do outside class, and other great things to discover around campus.

Part 5 Exams - everything to know about examiners, how to prepare, what happens during the whole examination process.

Part 6 Social Life - differences between high school and university, some hard learnt lessons, etc.

Part 7 Part Time Work

Part 8 Four Secrets The Uni Tells You

Part 9 Best Study Spots On Campus

Part 10 Saving Money 1 - Food, Transport, Entertainment

Part 10 Saving Money 2 - Textbooks, Tax, Scholarships

Part 11 Adapting to Uni Study - 3 big differences from studying in high school popular!!

Part 12 How to Study From Textbooks in Uni

Part 13 Dealing with Lazy Group Members popular!!

Transitioning from High School to University popular!!

OTHER POPULAR POSTS

Weekly Planner Printable with Extra Space for Sat/Sun  popular!!

Overcoming the Planning Fallacy

Study Spaces Masterpost

Studying and your Visual System

Catching Up with Your Studies  popular!!

Sleeping and Waking Up Early  popular!!

My 2017 Planner and Bullet Journal  popular!!