Going into final year of university

I understand third year or university will be daunting and the work load will be overwhelming but can anyone give me any advice on how to ensure I do really well,
Also im very nervous

Reply 1

McGinger

Stay on top of things - don't get behind on anything.

If you are faced with several assignments etc all at once, plan how you will allocate your time - specific time slots, 'read for essay#1', 'draft essay#3' - write the plan down, and stick to it.

And, best advice a tutor ever gave me, do the easiest task first - complete that, submit it, take the books back to the library etc. One task done, now you have less to do and don't have the stress of carrying three tasks/topics in your head, just two. Then do the next one. It helped me enormously in the lead up to finals when I got into a total panic about the amount of stuff I had to do all at once. Recommended.

Reply 2

UniLancashire

Official Rep

Hi there,

It's completely normal to feel nervous and apprehensive about going into third year, many students will also be feeling like this right now. If you've successfully completed second year, you're more than capable of achieving great results in third year.

The demands and workload will definitely increase due to the nature of third year, having more exams, writing a dissertation etc. However, as long as you prioritise workload correctly, and follow a schedule that works well for you, you will be absolutely fine. My personal advice is:

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Plan ahead and stay organised: You've probably heard this a lot but it's the simplest way to stay on top of your studying. At the start of a semester I would go through all my modules and make a clear note of deadlines, exams, and important dates and put these into my phone calendar. This allowed me to visually see all the important dates and keep track of where I was up to in the semester. This can be broken down further, I would often make weekly plans to keep myself on track. This included writing down what module/topic I would be focusing on, if I had an deadlines that week, designated free time/days off etc. This allowed me to stay on track and avoid the last minute panic of a deadline.

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Use active learning techniques: If you're particularly studying a course that has a lot of academic content and exams, it's important you understand how you study most effectively. This could be active recall, making flashcards, doing past paper questions, for example. This will ensure you get the most out of your study sessions.

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Don't be afraid of asking for help: In third year I really utilised my lecturers' knowledge as well as the support services on campus. It's important to get the most of of your teaching, if there's something you don't feel confident on, go and speak to your lecturer. I had so many meetings with my lecturers and dissertation supervisor to clear up things I was struggling on, asking them to proof read my work, or simply just asking for advice. They want to help and see you do well!

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Finally the most important, take time for yourself: Don't burn yourself out in the beginning of the semester, ensure you take breaks and have down days away from studying. This also applies to days that you're studying, it might feel productive to power through but your brain needs a rest. I follow the Pomodoro technique, 25 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minute break, to maintain concentration. Going for a walk or grabbing a snack can help reset your mind and keep you fresh.

Hope this advice helps, and best of luck for third year. Believe in yourself!
^Hannah

Reply 3

Kingston Eve

Official Rep

Original post

by adam_kerno

I understand third year or university will be daunting and the work load will be overwhelming but can anyone give me any advice on how to ensure I do really well,
Also im very nervous

Hey @adam_kerno!

I just finished the final year of my undergraduate degree last year, so I definitely know how you're feeling. It's normal to be nervous - your final year grades contribute majorly to your overall degree classification, so it's important to do the best you possibly can in your exams.

My main piece of advice is to do something every day. Even when you have no scheduled lectures/class/workshops, doing a small piece of work every day will make a huge difference to your overall workload in exam season. Whether you're formatting sources, reading a new research paper or drafting a paragraph for your next assignment, those small bits of work will all eventually add up and save you a lot of time in the long run.

I always made to sure to spend half an hour each day in the library - even if I didn't complete a full half hour of work, I still felt like I'd done something productive, and it helped me develop a much more regular study schedule.

Finally - have fun! Your university experience is (slowly!) coming to an end, so make sure to enjoy the small moments. 🙂

Best of luck,
Eve (Kingston Rep).