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My first post of 2020! Its been a while!
Today's post is quite a reflective one and one that links to my previous post where I shared that I had graduated from university! The reflective aspect of this post comes from how this time last year I was in my final few weeks of being a student. It was a time filled with stress and anxiety but one that I definitely look back on with pride. Like me in 2019, I am aware that many people are now in their final few weeks and are facing a similar time to what I was (with the added stress of the current global pandemic!) and in this post I wanted to note some tips and advice that I feel helped me in the final stretch. I really hope they are just as helpful to anyone reading this.
1) Manage Your Time
Managing your time is very important as it keeps you organised. My tip for managing your time would be to plan your day and make a list (I always prefer writing things down rather than taking notes on my phone etc.) of how you want your study day to go and stick to it. For me, I would always find it easier to start study or work on my dissertation in the morning - as early as possible. I always found I was more motivated in the mornings and beginning work in the afternoon (or thinking, 'I'll start working after lunch') was a no-go as I knew that I would be more likely to procrastinate or get the bare minimum of work done.
Also make sure you have a time in mind when to finish studying for the day. I would always say before dinner (for me around 6pm), although sometimes, especially in the very last week or two, I would still be working until 8/9pm as time became limited. This allows for time to wind down and relax before sleep.
2) Take Regular Breaks
Always make sure you take regular breaks away from your laptop or study books to relax. Make sure this time away is not study based. This could be something like reading a magazine or listening to music. I would always get very irritable when I knew it was time for a break! Make breaks around 20-30 minutes - but, in my experience, if you feel you a slightly longer break (maybe if you've done more work than you had planned to by that time), do not punish yourself. Allow yourself this time but be more strict when returning to study.
3) Reward Yourself
Rewarding yourself at certain points through the final weeks is a nice way to push yourself along and make yourself feel proud for all the hard work you are putting in. Rewards could be something like buying yourself something small or something as simple as watching your favourite movie at the weekend with a tub of ice-cream after a busy study week!
4) Keep In Contact
Make sure you keep in contact with people around you. These people include; your lecturers and tutors, university peers and family/friends. If you are struggling in any way - work-wise or physically/emotionally/mentally, do not hesitate to reach out. Never feel as though you are being a burden to them. They all want you to do your best/succeed just as much as you want to! There are always people to help.
5) Remind Yourself How Far You've Come!
In that final stretch, its very easy to feel down and unmotivated but, remember, this isn't going to last forever. As hard as it was, I always tried to think of how far I had come in my university journey. University is, typically, three years of study and you only have a matter of weeks or days (depending on how you look at it!). Think of all the lectures and seminars you have attended and all the hours spent writing assignments - one (maybe your dissertation) - or a few more - and you are there! Every day is a step closer to graduating!
I really hope this post has been helpful or at least motivating in some way. Good luck to anyone in their final few weeks at university! Remember you aren't alone if you are feeling anxious or stressed and this feeling will not last forever. The day you submit your dissertation or your final piece of work will feel absolutely amazing and you will feel so incredibly proud of yourself!
YOU CAN DO IT!
Lauren x
