1. Plan and prepare ️
When I’m feeling overwhelmed, sometimes the best action I can take to de-stress and feel in control is to plan out my life. If you’re a visual learner, creating a mind-map of your daily schedule might be helpful to categorise and plan your day. I find that writing out what time I'm going to study, or what I want to learn, really gives me a sense of clarity. My top tip is writing out 'to-do' or 'to-learn' lists the night before so that you wake up feeling motivated and organised. 2. Prioritise If you have an essay due in a week or a couple of days, but there’s also 3 x twenty-page readings you need to do for your tutorials - it is more productive to focus on the essay. There have been so many instances where I've completely overwhelmed myself by trying to stay on-top of class content when essays are due. I've realised that if I have mid-semester essays approaching, it’s best to focus my energy and time on research for my graded assessments. You can always catch up on class readings after submitting an assignment. It’s also important to prioritise your wellbeing and safety within the stressful university semester. If you find that mid-semester essays are all bunched together and you need more time to do your best - you can reach out to your tutors and subject coordinators for help or extensions. Alternatively, the university offers special consideration for certain on-going circumstances. You should always come first! 3. Take breaks I wish I could study for 5 hours at a time, but I’ve found that taking small (or large!) breaks benefits my learning. After studying for 2+ hours, my eyes start to glaze over and I start to read the same sentences over and over again. Taking a small break for 15-20 minutes, or a longer lunch or tv-watching break allows my mind to relax and rejuvenate before jumping back into essay-writing. 4. Ask for help If you’re struggling with an essay topic or assignment question, reach to your classmates, tutors or lecturers for help! The university LMS discussion board is often a good place to ask general questions. Emailing lectures (it sometimes feels daunting) is also a very beneficial way of receiving feedback on your essay plan or answer to a math problem. WE are always here as well to have a chat and connect you with support resources. You've got this!
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