
For all undergraduates, the academic year 2019/2020 has already ended, and for us postgraduates there’s only a couple of months left as well. While semester 2 didn’t exactly go according to plan we have all made it this far! 😊
There are a few things I’d like to share with you that I’ve learned in this past year:
You know more than what you think!
At the start of the academic year, you might feel like you have forgotten everything that you’ve learned in previous years but it is absolutely not the case. Of course, you might not remember every single detail from every single lecture, but once you settle in and listen to all your new lectures which (most of the time) build on the very things you’ve learned before, you will realize that you remember more than what you thought!
Everyone manages their time differently, and it’s all okay!
Everyone has different ways of studying that works for them, and there is not really any point in comparing yourself to others. Some people are early birds, some are night owls, some likes to send in essays early, and some swears that the last-minute rush helps them to produce their best work. Managing your time at uni is not easy, but once you have found what works the best for you, then you should definitely stick to it! 😊
All of us need help at some point, and it’s okay to ask for it!
If you feel like that something from your last lecture isn’t quite clear, or you are a bit confused about an assessment you might have, don’t be scared to ask your professor! They are always happy to arrange a time to answer your questions. If you have any other kind of problems it is generally advised to talk to your Personal Tutor first. However, it is okay if you might not feel comfortable to do so. This is where other options come in handy. There is always EUSA’s Advice Place where they can offer not only academic but accommodation, finance, and wellbeing advice as well. The university also has a free Student Counselling Service where you can self-refer. But if you would rather not meet face-to-face to talk about your problems, you can always call the Edinburgh Nightline which is a non-judgmental listening service run by students, for students.
What have you learned this year? 😊