Panic, procrastination and pot of gold

As I’m sure you’re well aware by now, we have reached week 10 already. How on earth did that happen?? If you’re anything like me that sentence just sent your brain into the upside down, inside out, Alice in Wonderland world of chaos and confusion.

Okay, so lets procrastinate for a moment or two and really give this some thought…. It’s week 10, you’re still working on that task from week 2 and your assessment to-do list that you wrote with all good intentions in week 1 has long been re-purposed into a coffee coaster, that is no longer legible for the coffee stains. It’s at this point you start thinking, what am I doing, I’m so far behind, I’ll never be able to catch up and get it all finished in time, I may as well QUIT!!

After you’re mini quitting meltdown, you think to yourself, “It’s going to be okay, I’ve got this! I’m going to write a new to-do list and I will get started on the first task straight away!” Full of optimism, you write that list, then look at it and think, “No problem, I can have that ticked off by week 12, maybe even a little earlier!!”

Now that you have your beautifully colour coded to-do list in your hand, it would be safe to assume that you sit down and get cracking on that first task, right?  Wrong! Instead you photograph that list and post it on all your social media pages, boasting to all your followers about how organised you are. You then take a break because you’ve worked so hard today making said list, plus you need to keep refreshing your feeds to make sure your fans are liking and commenting on your outstanding display of time management. We all know that this cycle continues with you cooking toast for dinner at 9:30pm because you flicked over to watch some funny cat videos online whilst waiting for people to comment on your post. It’s at this point you realise you didn’t tick a single item off your to-do list and you now have one less day to get everything completed. But this doesn’t phase you too much as you trundle off to bed at midnight (you had to just check in on your social media accounts one last time for the day) you think to yourself, “I WILL get started on it first thing tomorrow”.

As you drag yourself out of bed at 10am (“Oh no! I overslept, how on earth did that happen??”), you have a serious case of the dreaded ‘can’t be bothereds’, which let’s face it was pretty much inevitable after a dinner that lacked some serious nutrition, followed by a really late night, smashing down red bull, eyes hanging out of your head scrolling through mind numbing news feeds.

It’s right about now that I’m going to hit you with some tough love, prepare yourself, it’s time to get real! If you stay on this current trajectory, it will be week 11 before you can blink, you won’t have achieved anything you set out to do and the stress levels will be completely unmanageable. But if you want to see the light at the end of the tunnel and calmly walk (well maybe run) into it, you have got to do things differently.

I have two techniques that I have picked up over the years that may be of value to you. I did not design these and I stumbled across them far later in my degree than I would have liked but never the less they made my last year of university my least stressful.

Tip # 1: Just do something, anything!!

The idea here is that you have that beautifully colourful to-do list already complete, first job done, tick! Now let’s get cracking. Pick one thing on that to-do list that you can do really quickly. I mean the quickest easiest task on there, do it now and cross it off. We all know how satisfying it is to cross something off a list, so much so that I have even been known to write things on my to-do list that I already accomplished before writing said to-do list just so I could cross them off straight away, everybody does that right; right? Each day for the next three and a bit weeks make it your motto to ‘just do something, anything’ on the list, because something is better than nothing, and the more somethings you do the more motivation you gain to do the rest of your somethings.

Tip # 2:    5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Blast Off!

The first tip is great but there’s a a grey area to it’s success and that is the over-thinker. You and I are the people who pick a something on a our to-do list and then decide to make a cuppa and give it some thought before starting. We are also the people who put off making that call to the doctor/hairdresser/tax accountant to book an appointment, we sit and we think and we think and then we think so much that we eventually talk ourselves out of doing it, because we probably don’t have the time to do it now, and we put it back on the list to deal with tomorrow, which soon becomes next month. The 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, blast off theory is that once the rocket is launched there’s no way to stop it from taking off. So, pick your something to do and then in your head do the count down and when you hear the words blast off, just do it there and then. Job’s done, cross it off in big black marker, so very, very satisfying!!

Although there’s always a bit (sometimes a lot) of pressure, stress and tension at this time of the semester, everyone around you is usually feeling the same way, you are definitely not alone. All you can do is take a deep breath, eat well, get plenty of sleep and give these tips a go, you just might find your pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Good Luck!!

Beck

ASK Desk, SMB.

 

Finding the right study/chill balance

Hey there everybody. I’m Alisha, a Berwick student as well as student futures crazy. I am a mentor, PASS leader and SAL this semester.

So, it’s almost time for our mid-semester break. Also known as, two weeks of watching Netflix whilst eating too much junk food. Then having that guilty feeling in your stomach that you should be doing something a bit more productive. In my first semester at FedUni, I did just that. I maybe read one or two chapters of a textbook but that’s it. Then after the break I was swamped with assignment after assignment which caused me to come to uni at 9am then leave at 7pm each day.

I learnt from that mistake. Second semester I adjusted my time pretty well doing around half study and half chill. My after break shock wasn’t that bad this time. This semester break I want to do that again. I am a morning bird so I plan to study in the morning then chill later in the afternoon. I am also week 2 into a 12-week body transformation with exercise and meal plans. I hope I can keep it up this break and don’t slack off the hard work I’ve done so far.

Overall, I think it’s best for you to figure out what works for you. Do what you want this break but remember Uni assignments might come up and haunt you.

Have fun and do what you love this break!

Your Berwick Butterfly, Alisha

Never Work with Children

So after hours of organising I have finally got the children to sit down in front of the TV to watch their favourite show on Netflix. They have snacks, drinks and their favourite teddy bears. I should be able to get at least an hour out of them to finish working on my assignment that’s due at the end of the week, right…? WRONG! No sooner than I sit down and turn the computer on, I hear the dreaded “Muumm, Nate’s hitting me!” (insert frustrated face). I go down and sit them on separate sides of the couch and promise that if I can have just an hour to do some work, I will take them outside to play afterwards.

I know it’s not ideal, but bribery is one of the only ways I can get some time to work. Having 3 children ranging from 2 to 7 years old they are not at the point where they understand deadlines and “mummy has an assignment due”.  So in an attempt to get a little time to myself, I resort to bribing them with TV, food, drinks and some play time afterwards. I know — bad parenting moment — but as a student, mother, wife, housekeeper and taxi (just to name a few of my roles) there never seems to be enough hours in the day to get what I need to get done.

Anyway, back to trying to steal an hour to do some homework. Did this end well? Did I get any work done? Did the children sit down and watch TV as planned? The answer to all of these is: NO! In between the dirty nappy, the spilt drink, the fighting and the crying, I achieved nothing. NOTHING!

So here’s my advice on trying to study with children: try and plan your week so that you get as much study done when you’re not home. Then when you are at home you can focus on being mummy and the many other roles you play. It is ok to say that this is important to me and I need some time without the kids to get it done. Ask your partner, your family and friends and, if finances permit, get a babysitter or try the kids in day care. In an effort to keep these two role separate on the days I am at Uni, I stay later and get my husband to do the school/day care pick up. This allows me time after my classes to get my study done. Then when I get home the kids can have my complete attention as I am not distracted with what homework I have to do. During the busy times when assessments are due I may even come out to the Uni on the weekends for a few hours and I achieve a lot more in a couple of hours than I would all day at home trying to bribe the kids.

If you do find yourself in the position of having to study while you’re at home with the kids I have found that the kids are happier to allow me a few minutes to myself if I break it into smaller intervals. Start by asking them to do an activity or watch a show for 20 minutes while you work and then you will come and play with them. If you continue this cycle you will at least reduce the stress on yourself.

Remember that it is ok to put yourself first sometimes, and don’t allow the parental guilt to creep in. You are important and what you are trying to achieve is important as well. Think of the positive role modelling you are doing at times when you feel you have been away from the children too much. Remember: it is the quality, not the quantity, of time you spend with the kids.

– Bonnie

To New Students, Welcome! And to Old Students, Welcome Back!

The start of semester is now here, for some of you this is a brand new exciting adventure, for others it is a slightly agonising process of dragging yourself back into university mode after the lovely, yet lengthy summer holidays.  Whichever group you belong to, the university is going to be a bit hectic, especially during the first few weeks.

New students will be running around trying to find their feet, struggling to find classes, teachers and where to get a decent coffee. Old students will most likely be trying to avoid the busyness, and groaning at the excessive amount of time it has taken them to find a car park, leaving them precious minutes to dash to their lecture.

Both groups will possibly be feeling quite overwhelmed, and a little stressed out. It is important at the start of the semester to get a little organised — make a game plan for your studies, and how that is going to work in with your social and work life. You need to know what the important things to be aware of are, and who to talk to if you are starting to struggle.

The most important thing to remember is if you are struggling, or have any queries, or concerns: ask. It doesn’t matter if you are a new student, or a returning student. The best thing to do if you don’t know something, are unsure, or just need to discuss something is to ask, and talk to someone about things.

No one ever really jumps for joy when they hear the phrase ‘time management’, but it is an important part of succeeding at university, and not only university but life in general. It doesn’t have to be the horrendous task that it is made out to be — you can start out small, buy a diary and write down when all your assessments are due, and block out deliberate time to work on that task. Unfortunately, assessments don’t write themselves. Remember that time is the currency of life, so spend it wisely!

Another important thing to keep in mind at university is the need to maintain a social life. Being a university student should also be a social experience. You can meet new people and form friendships with individuals who have similar interests to you. Don’t be afraid to get involved! Become part of the university community, and I guarantee it will make your whole university experience that much more enjoyable!

This leads me to my final piece of advice: be aware of yourself. Self-care is vital. Know your limits, and make sure that you take care of yourself. If you start to struggle with this at any point, we have numerous services available to assist you. That is what they are here for so don’t feel bad for accessing them — everyone needs assistance from time to time.

 

There are these services and more:

  • PASS: Peer Assisted Study Sessions, these sessions are offered for 1st year classes that have been deemed difficult, to offer students extra assistance. These sessions are ran by students who completed the subject to a high academic standard, and wish to assist other students do the same.
  • ASK service: This is staffed by your Student Academic Leaders. This is where you go to ask any university related question, and if the question doesn’t fall within our area of expertise we will know exactly where to refer you to, to ensure that you get the best assistance possible.
  • Learning Skills Advisors: Here to assist you with improving your academic skills, whether that be polishing up your writing style, getting used to university language, or all those tricky referencing and formatting queries.
  • Writing Space: A designated study area within the library in which Learning Skills Advisors, or Student Academic Leaders sit, and are available to assist you whilst you study.
  • YourTutor/Checkmate: Online assistance, where you can ask questions, and submit essays asking for specific assistance with things such as grammar, flow and similar queries.
  • Counselling Services: You can book appointments with skilled counsellors to listen and assist you with stressors that you may be struggling with.
  • Disability Liaison Unit: Here to help people who may be suffering from a physical or mental health concern. This may be for long and short term assistance. If you need help with planning around your anxiety, or have done a sporting injury that hinders your ability to perform at university these guys are here to help you.
  • Health Centres: Because who doesn’t like conveniently located nurses to assist with your medical concerns, when you’re a busy uni student?

Whatever your concerns, we are here to help you! Don’t be afraid to ask. I promise we don’t bite, and are quite friendly and eager to assist you in achieving your university goals!

Good luck in your studies!

Angel

The Struggle is Real: How to Have Enough Time to Study and Play Video Games

angel photoIt’s the start of semester and assessment tasks are flooding in. There are chapters to read, quizzes to do, reflections to write…the list of study related things that need to get done seems endless! During these times at uni I often find myself asking the really important questions, such as when will I have enough time to play my favourite video games? The answer to this all-too-real struggle is seemingly simple, yet difficult: time management.

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I know no one wants to hear these words, and we all know the theory behind needing to be organised and manage our time, but the practicality of it is a little more elusive. Yet time management is so vital for making time for the most important things in life, gaining that extra level on that all-too-intense video game that you play with your friends, finding that hidden treasure after tracking through the forests battling monsters, whilst undertaking random quests.

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On the other hand, how do you do these things and still end up doing your required study? The struggle is a real problem for some of us. We all know it’s important to have a timetable for your classes, and that you have to stick to it. Well, why not schedule your required study time in the same manner? Why not go that extra step and schedule in your beloved gaming time? I know it sounds crazy but it can work rather well! We all talk about the importance of study, but maintaining an appropriate work-life balance is also of vital importance if you want to succeed at University.

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Trying to stay motivated to get on top of your homework, assessment tasks and exam study can be an extremely difficult task. Attempting to do all these things, stay in contact with friends and family, and still have that all important “me time” is something that we frequently forget to focus on in our attempt to succeed at university, but it is these things that often assist us in pressing on to achieve our study goals. Why not consider having a reward system in place?

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For every two hours of solid study you complete, play an hour of video games. If playing video games isn’t your thing then make it a reward that works for you. Go read the new Harry Potter book for an hour, go hang out with one of your friends, even go attempt to catch that all-too-elusive Pokémon. Whatever works!

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– Angel

The Dreadful 24 Hour Deadline

This post is what it feels like to leave an assignment to the last minute. If you currently have 24 hours until the assignment, don’t read any further and get to work. Trust me, get it over and done with. DO NOT repeat this 24 hour timeline below.

If you are planning on leaving an assignment until the last minute, read below. This is a timeline of what happens when you leave your assignment until the last minute.

24 hours until submission

Realise that you have an assignment due in exactly 24 hours.

This is when you will say to yourself the famous old saying “due tomorrow, do tomorrow.” You will slip off to bed to watch six hours on Netflix. Even though you won’t really enjoy Netflix, as you will feel guilty the entire time.

18 hours until submission

You decide that you will give your assignment a good crack. You think to yourself “if I write my introduction, and first two paragraphs, I can watch episode 12 of Gossip Girl season 4”.

So you give it a crack, and you make solid progress. You get to the stage where you have decided on the heading, format and have done three lines of an introduction.

17 hours 48 minutes until submission

You decide to reward yourself, as you should. You did some great ground-breaking work. You assure yourself that, next study session, you will easily smash out paragraph one, two and three. You run off to bed to watch more Gossip Girl.

13 hours until submission

You just finished the season of Gossip Girl, and decide to give your assignment another crack. You sit down at your computer, look at the time and think “its dinner time, I’ll start after dinner”.

12 hours until submission

You sit down at your desk, feeling full of energy after your solid two packets of Mi Goreng, and feel pumped to destroy your assignment.

You spend the next 30 days of your life working on this masterpiece of an assignment, and get to the conclusion.

10 hours until submission

You look at the time and realise that that what felt like 30 days was less than two hours, but you don’t mind as you have almost finished your assignment. You decide to take a break and see what your housemates/family are doing.

8 hours until submission

You realise that you just wasted two hours of your life fighting with your housemates about whether the tomato sauce belongs in the fridge or in the pantry. (The correct answer is the pantry. WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU WANT COLD TOMATO SAUCE ON HOT ITEMS OF FOOD!?)

You sit down, look at the time, and realise that tonight is going to be a late one.

4 hours until submission

You are now a walking zombie. You have stayed up until 5am to finish off this assignment. You can’t even think straight but you are happy that you have completed the assignment. You go to bed feeling like you have just conquered Mount Everest.

1 hour until submission

Your alarm goes off. You hate that you’ve done this to yourself yet again. You promise yourself that you will never ever ever ever EVER do this again, as it is too draining on yourself. You get up and drag yourself into the shower.

30 minutes until submission

You wake freezing cold. You realise that you have been in the shower so long that the water has turned to ice. You get out and get ready. You run out the door without grabbing any food as you’re running late.

5 minutes until submission

You arrive at uni and start heading to the submission office. You see your lecturer walking towards the box to collect your assignment. You start sprinting, run into 4 chairs and fall over twice. But you manage to overtake your lecturer. You’re in the clear!

2 minutes until submission

You hand in your assignment! WOOO! You can now go home and sleep. You’re really excited as you plan on sleeping for 20 hours straight.

Then you realise that you can’t do that. You have classes from 9:30 until 5:30. And then another assignment due tomorrow afternoon.

You then cry.

*Writers note

This experience may differ from person to person; however, I guarantee you will say to yourself once you have finished that you will never do this again. If you need any help with time management, the Learning Skills Advisors (LSAs) that the uni provides free of charge are an awesome asset and will do wonders for you. They can also help you with your assignment if you are organised so it’s a win/win! If you’re about to face that dreadful 24 hours, best of luck! And remember, you can do it.

– Aaron

Census Day

Eric.2Alright folks, this is a public service announcement from your friendly neighbourhood SAL, Eric.

August 31st is Census Day.

What’s that you say?

“All the commercials on the tv say that the census is on August 9th

Well, yes, that’s true too.  But it’s a different census.

Continue reading Census Day

Planning Life and Juggling Commitments

SamAs Uni students, we can often feel like we are trying to juggle hundreds of commitments at once. For example: finding the time to go to lectures, tutes, study, do assignments, keep healthy, work, family, friends, partners, getting drunk every now and then — the usual stuff! If you leave everything up in the air and unorganised it tends to get very easy to miss things and you end up having that dreaded feeling of regret when you know you should have done something but decided to take a quick nap instead.

I know you would have heard it all before: plan out this, plan out that, blah blah blah. But coming from somebody who never used to plan out anything, it really does pay off to spend a little bit of time to plan out different things in your life.

Continue reading Planning Life and Juggling Commitments

Uni HACKED (Study Tricks and Tips)

BethSo it’s 2016. You’re starting classes for the first time or again  You want it to be the best semester ever, whether that’s get lots of friends and party hard, or get good grades and ace this course. Whatever your goal is, you gotta study smart.

Study Smart. That’s right, not hard or well, but efficient. Every lecturer has told you “to get good grades you have to put in the time”, and then they’ll give you tips on what they did back in their day. Most of the time it’s setting time aside and reading their literature – but nobody got time for that.


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Revision Tactics for Exams

LilyHello friends! Now it is the end of the semester, and final exams are coming! Are you excited? Well, I am, because this is my last semester at uni! I have successfully survived five semesters of exams, and only need one more semester to unlock the “Graduation” achievement.

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