Exams and revision - tips and tricks

The exam period is always a daunting time throughout University. We are about to reach the end of the first week of exams at the University of Southampton, so some lucky people might already have finished theirs - I have still got another week until it's my turn.

One would think that, as I enter my fifth exam period as a student here, I would be a pro at this whole 'revision techniques, de-stress before exams' thing... but I'm not. Mostly because I generally do worse in exams than coursework, and I always end up with exams in my most challenging modules.

Putting that aside, I was revising earlier and thinking about the things that help me the most during exam periods. Here are my 4 strategies that may help you too:

1. Organisation and planning

How annoying is this point and how many people have told you about it before? I'm sure you've heard this loads of times and, as students, we sometimes just can't be bothered to do it. That's fine most of the year (not really), but during exams I have found it INCREDIBLY (underline that again) helpful to plan ahead. It does not take up more than 5-10 minutes and really pays off in the long-run.

I've basically written down in my diary what subjects to read on every day, and such a small effort has helped me stay on track with my revision. Further, I've got my building, room, time etc. for my exam written down to avoid any last minute confusions, and I always spend the first 10 minutes of an exam reading all the questions carefully and planning how to answer them.

2. Don't go straight to past papers

This is very tempting when you first start revising, and of all the possible revision methods, past exam papers are the best. However, they are quite useless if you don't have enough information to answer the questions. 

Make all your notes, go through the lecture slides, notes, important reading etc., before you start doing the past papers. This brings me back to point number 1: plan ahead so you have got a good structure of what you need to read and by when, in order to have sufficient time to do past papers.

3. Take breaks, think about summer, travelling, cats - whatever helps you relax

Self-explanatory really, but breaks are the alpha-omega of good work. Sometimes we forget about them and sometimes we take them for too long. I know I am, because I'm cat-sitting this beauty for the next two weeks!

4. Get enough sleep

This is the first exam period where I have actually made an effort to get enough sleep, and it has been life-changing. I'm a lot more productive, but also less stressed and anxious, which I usually am in times like these.

I appreciate people who stay up until 5am revising if it works for you (thank you 24 hour Hartley Library), but do remember to get into some sort of sleeping pattern a couple of days before your exam.

Hopefully this is of some help to people, or just a friendly reminder of things you already knew.

Regardless of how your exam goes, at least we are approaching warmer and longer days.

Best of luck to everyone in their exams!

Alexandra

The Countdown to Exams

Hi everyone! 

So the Semester One exams are upon us and we’re all trying to ram into the library and taking longer day naps. It’s the most wonderful time of the year! 

But really, this period in the year is stressful, and I thought I’d share my tips on how I prepare for the run up to my exams.

A week before

• Create overviews of your module.
  I do this by making mind-maps of subjects from memory, or flowcharts (e.g. for problem solving in my statistics module).
  
  
• Index cards are key at this point.
  I write key words or concepts on index cards and stick them all around my study space, as I find that it goes in almost subconsciously. I never used to believe this before, but I tried it last exam period and it seemed to work!
  
  
• Don’t be scared to look up new things.
  If I find an interesting new article or journal piece, I often find it helps me remember everything in a more coherent and well-rounded way. I’m very good at remembering small, weird facts, and then I find I can remember a whole topic that way.


• Get together with friends and study.
  You don't have to book a study room in the library for this, you can use your halls flat kitchen, or your student house (provided you won't be distracted by Super Smash Bros), and make it fun! You don’t all have to be sitting in silence with heads in books - one study game I like to play is Definition Hangman: it’s like hangman up to guessing the letters, but instead of guessing the word, you have to explain the definition or case study.

OK, maybe make time for a little bit of Super Smash Bros.

Two days before

• Don’t lose momentum.
  I don’t like to cram on the last day or make it seem like I’m stressed the day before the exam, so I use this day spent with index cards and mind maps, alternating between the two, making notes from memory, and maybe doing some last minute past papers.

If you've been studying at home - consider changing your environment.

One day before

• Chill out day.
  I like to use this day to condense everything I know on to one piece of paper, and by this point it could be names for case studies or key terms, so it won't be as hard as you think. This ends up being what I take with me to University on the bus to have outside the exam room, and even though I won't use it for cramming, it gives me peace of mind.


• Pack your bag.
  You will need everything: calculator, ruler, rubber, pens and pencils - just take everything, even if the lecturer hasn't specifically said you need it. Also, you should take water to sip during the exam, to keep yourself hydrated and help with concentration.


• Sleep!
  Do try and get to sleep early - don't go to bed at 2am because you spent all day worrying; aim for 10pm and set your alarm so you have ample time before the exam begins, to make time for traffic and hold-ups, etc.

Awesome! You made it to your first exam, congrats! Now, take deep breaths and don't panic. 

You can do this!

Georgia

3 lessons University has taught me

The fact that we officially have entered 2017 is daunting. I remember picking up my student ID when I first started here at Southampton in September 2014. The “valid until” date, which said 2017, felt so far away, yet here I am revising for my fifth exam period at University of Southampton. It has led me to think about what I have learned throughout the years, beyond very course specific things.

It is quite a lot, which I without doubt will bring with me when I graduate. I have tried to sum it up to the top three things I value the most from what I have learned so far:

1. Statistics are misused badly on a daily basis

People and newspapers toss around figures all the time, I’m sure you have heard someone say “but 9/10 times this is the case” or “80% of students have experienced this and this” – since I’ve started doing statistics, this agitates me so much I want to scream – “what data are you basing this on, what is your sample size??!!”.

One of the main things the University has taught me, apart from how to use statistics properly, is to be critical of figures and data I see on a daily basis. Most newspapers who conduct their own "statistics" often do so with biased samples and over-generalisations - an opinion poll in the Daily Mail on immigration won't represent the whole of the UK's opinion on immigration, for example.

Statistical interference isn't what most people think about when reading headlines, but you wouldn't do a presentation at work without knowing that the figures you are using are as factually correct as you can get them, and therefore you shouldn't just "take everything as good fish", as we say in Norway.

2. What works in one place might not work somewhere else

What works in one place might not work somewhere else. This strangely came about when we were learning about different types of governance in my first year – democracy was used as an example of something that works great in certain places, but maybe not in all of the world. 

Later, I have seen in almost all of the modules I have been doing, from politics to economics, that this still holds. Even outside the University I see certain things that work great in the UK, but probably wouldn’t work great in Norway... such as driving on the left side of the road.

3. The importance of referencing

What a pain it can be to make sure you have used proper Harvard referencing on a 3000-word essay – but oh so important! Not only important when you write an essay, but in general when you speak on important issues. Especially in a world where it can be hard to distinguish between real news and fake news, being critical to what you read and your sources is imperative. 

This has only become more and more clear to me as the years have gone by at University. Again, you wouldn't hand something in at work without double/triple checking that what you are claiming is factually correct. I think the bottom line is that the precision and eye for detail you put into anything related to professional work or university should also apply to what you share privately.

Some people might not be as good at distinguishing "bad fish" from "good fish", but the fact that you are and that this is important to you is something I strongly believe future employers will appreciate, and something that without doubt will pay off in regards to university coursework.

Although I have not graduated yet and I still have the most challenging part left of my course - these are a few of the many things I will bring with me into the life of “grown-ups”.

Some Southampton love - one of many beautiful sunsets we have had throughout my time here.

Now - to dissertation work and exam revision!

Alexandra

Holiday Motivation

It feels amazing to make it to the Christmas break after what has been a tough, work-heavy first semester, but it’s also been a great term!

The exams and coursework deadlines seem a lifetime away – a new year in fact – but some of us can still struggle to switch off over Christmas with the overhanging fear of the workload to come.

I know from my own experience the feelings of guilt when I’m not feeling too productive over this period.

But uni work, and indeed life, is always about finding the suitable balance between work and fun so I’m here to offer a few tips of my own.

Do things in a group

When I’m struggling to do work, I like to surround myself with other people, whether it’s with family or friends. It actually proves to be more relaxing in a different environment and you can be in a better frame of mind when you do knuckle down to work.

Equally, setting goals and treating yourself when you’ve succeeded at a personal hurdle is great for morale, like when I went for a Christmas meal with two of my housemates last week, Alex and George.

 A meal out with my housemates

Practice a hobby

It sounds obvious and that’s probably because it is. Being a complete working machine is all well and good but often exercise is the best remedy to revision blues and this has always worked for me. Luckily in Southampton, we have the Common where we can go to get some fresh air and fresh perspective, plus in recent weeks, I’ve been playing tennis, squash and badminton to raise my motivation levels.

Take breaks between working

Everyone has their own personal studying and working techniques, whether it’s doing an all-nighter study session at the library or setting strict hours for when to work and when to relax.

Personally, I’ve never been able to spend hours on end concentrating on the same task without taking breaks, or maybe it’s just that my mind is hyper-active! I also like working in various locations, whether it’s in my room, on Avenue Campus or at a friend’s house, but the main Hartley Library during exam week is just a no go for me when everyone is in full work mode.


The main message here is that it’s important to make the most of this break, both in terms of recharging your batteries and completing small milestones for assignments, which you can do without bashing out 2,000 words in one go. It’s easier said than done, but we’re already almost halfway through the academic year so that’s already one big milestone reached!

Before I sign off, the Erasmus society with which I’m involved recently received some gifts through the post, courtesy of Uludag Erasmus Student Network in Turkey. Every year, all of the ESN societies across Europe send off a special parcel packed with gifts that are synonymous with their own country and their Christmas traditions and below are a few pictures of what we received, including luggage tags, Turkish tea and Turkish delight!

At our Erasmus Christmas meal

Some of the gifts we received from ESN Uludag

Finally, I’d like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas with family and friends and a Happy New Year in 2017!

Paul

Organisation 101

Getting organised for semester one exams may seem years in the future.

Some might even have a problem with thinking about the possibility of an assignment next week.

However, I myself am an avid organiser, and in the run up to exam period, and in the midst of assignments, I wanted to share my top tips with you.

1. Break up your tasks into sizeable chunks

Don’t just write ‘study’ on your to-do list. If you made a plan of all your modules and the topics within them, you can then work towards making a study schedule in the lead up to the exam. I like to vary my days and have options of study in case I get stuck or get bored of the current thing I’m studying!

I like to get a year planner where I can write different topics each day (and use colours!) and then I can easily see my plan for the say, so I don’t waste time watching cat videos on YouTube.

2. Get a planner.

One of my favourites is the Palgrave Student Planner, which you can find in John Smiths Bookshop
on Highfield Campus. Alternatively, using iCal on Apple products or Google calendar where you can colour different subjects makes it easy to plan for deadlines and assignments.

I also really like the app ‘ToDoist’ which has a really beautiful interface, the option to add subjects and projects, deadlines and reminders etc., and you get points for completing tasks!

3. Write to-do lists.

I have a big obsession with writing lists; lists for everything from shopping, to assignments to do, for sections of the assignment I’m working on, sections of the sections… My best recommendation is to get a desk planner, or some kind of pad which you can scribble on. That way you can get all of your thoughts out of your head and onto paper.

This helps me to not feel swamped with thoughts, and then I won’t constantly feel like I’ve forgotten something (great success!)

4. Stay motivated and on track with work.

Make your study space work for you. Keep it clean and make sure all the supplies you need are within reach or won’t require much effort to get to.

I like to use Momentum, it's an add-on for Chrome which opens every time you open a new tab. It has a to-do list to remind you what needs doing, tells you the weather if you haven’t been outside in weeks, and also has a daily motivational message!

Remember, take breaks, get lots of sleep, have snacks on your workspace, and drink lots of water. You can do it!

Georgia.

How to survive an all-nighter (if you have to!)

Okay, so this post is not at all endorsement of ‘all-nighters’. Everyone knows how important sleep is for your concentration and memory. If you’re revising, the only way you can retain information is through your sleep cycle.

However, even the most organised student has to go through staying up late or, even not sleeping at all. Maybe this is because they have not anticipated that that one essay was going to take so long. Perhaps they have forgotten that they had an assignment due the next day in the midst of other coursework and exam prep.

Either way, all-nighters are almost like a rite of passage for students!

In this blog post, I compile a list of 10 student approved* hacks to getting in those extra hours of work especially now that exam season has dawned.

…if a picture had to summarise my exam season, this would be it.

1. Stay clean – shower or splash some water on your face

This is one of the easiest ways to maintain your productivity level. Showering offers a few moments of peace away from your notes. Additionally, it’s the best time to mull over your ideas. Research has shown that when you feel clean, you feel renewed making you more productive.

2. Caffeine is your friend …but vitamin supplements may be your BEST friend

Caffeine and energy drinks are effective in keeping you up and improving focus. However, it is best to make sure to only drink these later on at night. Drinking throughout the day actually reduces their effectiveness. You’re better off keeping yourself awake around the 9pm mark by getting fresh air or going for a quick shower than finishing off a can of energy drink.

On the other hand, taking vitamins won’t offset an unhealthy lifestyle (…such as frequently pulling all-nighters) but you can’t really go wrong by adding antioxidants into your body. Vitamins B is best for memory retention and can be naturally sourced from green veggies such as spinach, broccoli and fruits such as oranges.

3. Turn your break into a gym session

It’s 3pm and you’re already getting lethargic from that sandwich you had for lunch. You need a nap. Well why not shoot two birds with one stone by dropping by at the gym for a half hour session? The Jubilee Sports Centre on Highfield Campus is open until 10pm. Even non-members of the gym can join in selected activities such as swimming, ball sports and fitness classes by paying a one off fee. Did someone say Zumba?!

4. Eat protein, not carbs

Sure, your body needs to release energy throughout the night and although carbs are the most obvious source of this, too much of it can actually make you sleepy. Carbs store energy for later but can even make you sleepier in the short term. Go for protein instead.

5. Don’t get too comfortable

The summer weather is upon us, finally. However, this means that everywhere we go it’s going to be warm and cosy and, simply, fantastic! But not if you want to finish off that Biology report for the next morning.

If you’re working from home, try not to do your work in bed whilst you’re snuggled up to the duvet. You’ll most likely end up snoozing off by the time the birds start chirping outside. On the other hand, now is the time to turn your heating off and open wide those windows to let the cool spring air in! If you’re working on campus, many of the University’s buildings are air-conditioned such as Level 5 in the Hartley Library. Cool off and keep concentrating.

6. Set half an hour goals …and reward yourself once you reach them

Study smarter by giving yourself an incentive to perform your best. Of course, aside from the overall reward of competing that assignment or mastering that equation, the prospect of a chocolate bar or some fresh air can make you word more efficiently.

Why not treat yourself to some karaoke this Friday night? After all, you do deserve a break!

7. Drink water

Staying hydrated can help you stay awake by keeping your body feel refreshed. At the same time, it will keep you from dozing off by making you visit the bathroom more often.

8. Chew gum

Ultimately, the key hack to staying up all night is making sure that you stimulate your senses at all times. I find that keeping my mouth busy by chewing some gum keeps me alert.

9. Get a study buddy

Study buddies can help develop understanding, learning and confidence. Have you ever explained a concept to a friend and thought to yourself  'wow, I didn’t realise I knew that much!' If you don’t understand a concept, asking someone for help not only boosts your confidence in knowing that you have someone on your side but asking, in general, is a big part of having a growth mind-set.
Besides, at the 3am mark, it helps to have someone poking you from sleep.

10. The best tip of all: start early and stop procrastinating so you simply just don’t have to do it!

Here are just some of my tips for when I’m in desperate need for more time to work. The point of this blog is give you some help. It is definitely not to encourage you to stay up all night in a desperate attempt to get that paper in the next day. It’s not healthy at all.

But, we’re students and, like I said, sometimes, these situations are just something that we have to go through.

If you have any tips on hacking all-nighters, why not comment below? Good-luck with exams and coursework!

Rylyn

*…self-approved by the author through past experience…

Preparing for your dissertation

It’s that time of year – exams are finished and semester two begins, bringing along with it the dreaded dissertation. I was fortunate enough during my undergraduate degree to have been an intern within ECS (Electronics and Computer Science) after my second year, where I began a research project that became my dissertation completely by accident.

However, keeping momentum on any project is tough. This time last year, despite having started technically some months ago, I was still fairly unsure of what I was actually supposed to be doing. I’ve jotted down a few key pieces of advice for those of you embarking on your dissertation marathon. Take it with a pinch of salt; it worked for me, but ultimately this is your project and you know how you work best.

1. Read

Read everything about your topic that you can get your hands on. If you aren’t sure what your specific research question is yet, read an array of literature and write down questions that arise as you go - maybe one of them will be interesting enough to become your project. Once you have your research question, don’t jump into the literature review straight away. keep reading and learn as much as you can. Then when you sit down to actually write something, it will be much, much easier.

2. Talk to your supervisor

Supervisors are your best resource for advice and guidance. Arrange meetings with them and make sure to attend prepared, make a list of the questions you want to ask so that you don’t waste your time. Some departments have a limit on how frequently you can meet with your supervisor, so make sure you check your department’s rules and regulations.

3. Plan your time

Discuss a timeline with your supervisor, set reasonable deadlines for each stage of the work and try to meet them. Setting deadlines helps to avoid things being left to the last minute, and by involving your supervisor it becomes harder to miss the deadline.

4. Don’t let it take over your life

Remember that you have other modules and coursework to do, don’t let the dissertation become the only thing that you work on. Third year is a crucial time and you don’t want to ensure success in the dissertation at the expense of your other modules.

5. Talk about your ideas

Get together with friends and coursemates and talk about your ideas for your topic. Talking to someone else can really help clarify your ideas; it doesn’t matter whether or not they actually know what you are going on about. It’s like the ‘programming teddy bear’; the idea that, when you are programming, talking to a teddy bear on your desk explaining your code helps you to avoid mistakes and helps you understand what you are trying to do. The exact same thing is true with your dissertation. Find your teddy bear!

My teddy bear is actually an owl – poor thing has listened to me talk about my work far too often

The final piece of advice isn’t really so much advice as it is a cliché. Don’t leave it to the last minute. As with most things, the way to ensure a really strong dissertation is to give yourself plenty of time to write and re-write. It’s an organic process where things improve the longer you give yourself to understand what it is you are trying to do.

The final thing! Sending it to be bound is only slightly less terrifying than actually handing it in.

Good luck!

Emma

Student study tips for all subjects

We all have our different ways of working during exam season. Have you ever wondered how other students at the University of Southampton cope with theirs? I spoke to five students from different subjects, each with different studying styles, about their best exam revision tips. Of course, it helps to have done some work over the holidays but if you’re in crisis mode right now, I hope these help!

I’m going to start off with the top three most useful exam tips I have collected over my two and a half years here.

Name: Rylyn
Course: Politics and International Relations
Recognisable revision trait: the one who can only study at the library

1. Start writing – you can’t edit a blank page.Try this trick: imagine you only have five minutes left to get a task done. Time yourself, and within that five minutes do everything you can to finish it, as if your life depended on it. You’d be surprised at how effective this is to get you to realise starting isn’t really that difficult at all. You may even want to go over the timed five minutes once you get yourself going!

2. Make sure you have a good sitting position and comfortable lighting. There’s nothing worse than ruining your eyesight and your back at the same time. I bought myself a cheap wireless mouse and keyboard online. This means I can rest my back on my chair so I don’t have to be hunched over my laptop, and my laptop screen is at a safer distance from my eyes.

3. Here’s a good tip from my lecturer after going to his revision session: try and compress everything you know in one page using colours to help. You can use mind-maps, bullet points or even prose, but the ‘one page trick’ really can ease your mind into remembering – you always seem to remember everything in one page!


It helps to give yourself some short and timed breaks. SUSU held their annual petting zoo this week as part of the #StressLessFest. This means some on-campus perks and events to keep you sane during revision period.

More from the SUSU petting zoo. Alpaca-way your revision woes! 

Name: Sarah
Course: Criminology
Recognisable revision trait: the one who has no gaps in between exams

“Explain your work to your stuffed shark toy.”

If you can explain your subject well to someone else who doesn’t know it, then you’re doing it right! If you don’t have a stuffed shark toy, try a real person!


Name: Tim and Toby
Course: Civil Engineering
Recognisable revision trait: the ones who are always highly strung and/or anxious

“Buy a safe and lock your phone in it.”

…or just turn your phone off! It’s hard to get away from any electronic distractions. You can get sites blocked temporarily so you’re not tempted, or you could hand your phone to a trusted friend and have them swear to not give you back the phone after an hour of good, solid work. Remember to lock your phone with a password, though!


Name: Guilly
Course: Marine Biology
Recognisable revision trait: the one who’s never at home because of jobs, societies and everything else…

“Make a list.”

Using lists is an excellent way to make sure you complete the most urgent tasks for the day. During revision time, they are especially helpful. The trick with lists is to keep it to the top three things you HAVE to complete for the day. This keeps it manageable. There is nothing better than crossing something from that piece of paper. Again, it helps to start creating a list for what to revise for very early on in the revision process so you’re not inundated by tasks.

Tip: start with three things on your list for the day and as you gradually reach the exam period, reduce it to one.


Name: Georgie
Course: English
Recognisable revision trait: the one who’s a party animal

“Alternate your study space.”

For some people, having a dedicated study space is one way they learn. But sometimes even someone like me, who always chooses the library to study in, benefits from a new environment. Studies have actually shown that memory is coloured by location, so changing the view increases the likelihood of remembering what you’ve learnt. Of course, make sure that the new environment you choose is conducive to studying. So, no, don’t try and revise at The Stags on Karaoke Thursdays!


Don’t forget!

The SUSU Safety Bus runs from 8pm till 6am during exam season will take you within a 3-mile radius of uni for £1.50 or more if outside it. If you don’t have cash, they can take your student ID and you can pay for the fare and collect your card the next day at the box office. This service is my knight in shining armour during late night study sessions at the Library. SUSU’s priority is to keep you safe. Taking the bus is better than walking home alone in the dark and rain!

There is a light at the end of this tunnel: Refresher’s Week is coming up after exams. Use this to help you think of all the stuff you can get up to when this is over!

If you’re feeling a little blue, why not have a look at my fellow Life at Southampton Blogger Ben’s tips on how to cope with the January blues?

We’re almost there, guy!. I wish you all luck in your exams and well done to those who have finished!

Rylyn

Five ways to make the most of your time as a student in 2016

First of all, Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a lovely and peaceful holiday, without too much university or school work hanging over them.

I bet we all have a few New Year’s resolutions and, whether they consist of joining the gym or starting your coursework earlier, I’m sure everyone’s resolutions could be helped with better time management in 2016.

Here are a few of my personal tips for making the most of your time in 2016.

Make use of ‘dead-time’

By ‘dead-time’ I mean the time it takes for you to get to campus, the time in-between lectures etc., so when you are actually home or at the library you can devote your time 100% to doing work. For example, I often use the bus ride home to check social media, call or text my parents, or read the news. Not too say I don’t do this at home, but when I’m home I can focus on other things and I don’t have anything I ‘just have to check’ before I start doing work.

Structure the day

Writing down everything you need to have done by the end of the day is a good way to plan ahead. This way you can hopefully avoid forgetting that you have to return your course collection book at 11am, or similar nightmares. This includes writing down what work/reading you should have finished by the end of the day.

Sleep

Probably not the most surprising point in this post, but sleep is so underrated. I mean, even if you are sleep deprived and haven’t slept properly in a week you still get your work done, hence it is possible to work without your 8-hours-a-day. However, to do well over a long period of time, having a good sleeping pattern is important. It makes a nice change to sit in those 9am lectures and focus on what the lecture is actually about, instead of focusing on staying awake!

Structure your notes 

I’m personally horrible at this because in lectures I just try to write all the things I find essential (which often is almost everything). However, by structuring your notes, you save so much time later on. Use markers on important concepts and devote one notebook to each, so it’s easier to find later. Instead of copying everything from the PowerPoint, focus on writing down the things the PowerPoint doesn’t tell you. The slides will be available online later anyway.

Stop the procrastination

This one is obvious, but just think about how much time you could save by diminishing the time you procrastinate. OK, you probably think about it all the time, because I know I do, but instead of half doing your work while you keep your eyes on your phone and then ending up with watching a movie, take breaks while you work. Use these breaks to do something other than university work and then go back to your studies. For example, work intensively for 45 minutes. and then a break for 15 minutes.


This year I don’t have a lot of New Year’s resolutions. My three resolutions are to be better at making the most out of my time, calling my grandad more often and start walking more. Yes, I have an obsession with the step counter on my iPhone - I want it to be above 7,000 steps every day!

A little picture from cold, cold, cold Oslo (currently -11 degrees here) 

Happy New Year!

Alexandra

Third Year Dissertation: tips and finding that work-life balance

It is easy for students to feel lost with what to do when writing their dissertations. I’m happy to admit that I myself feel a little overwhelmed with the workload I have right now; juggling a part-time job, societies, my three other modules, social life and, of course, writing my dissertation!

Where to get the extra help

Aside from meetings with your dissertation supervisor, there are loads of places where you can go find out about some of the skills you need to be successful in your studies and beyond. One such place is the Academic Skills Hub based in the Hartley Library. It is staffed by librarians who can cover a range of topics with you from:

• Academic Writing
• Critical Thinking 
• Information Management 
• Academic Integrity and Referencing 
• Presentation Skills 
• Exam Techniques 
• Research Skills 

The best thing about this is that you don’t have to book a one-to-one session. The Hub is open Monday to Friday from 10am – 12pm and then from 2pm - 4pm. You can just drop in for a 20 minute session with one of the team.

 

My Dissertation Bible. I got this from the Academic Skills Bookshelf on Level 3 of Hartley Library.

Some Tips…

I particularly like the fact that the Hub helps with research skills. It is extremely useful for finding the right academic sources for any piece of writing. I use a ton of academic journals for writing essays so I use DelphiS regularly. For those who may not know, DelphiS is a University website which has all of the library’s electronic and print items and lets you access most journal articles online that may not be in WebCat.

From dropping into the Hub, I have learnt that the way you enter search terms on DelphiS greatly affect the final quality of your essay. For example, you can use the technique of “truncation” to allow you to search for multiple forms of a term or when you are uncertain how a word is spelt. So instead of doing three or four separate searches, you are able to save a considerate amount of time by finding the maximum possible journal articles you need with just one click.

The database cannot sense what type of journal articles you prefer to come up. Its results will be based on what you input in that search box so using a truncation symbol helps weed out potentially irrelevant sources.

An example of different results that will come up with truncation. The truncation symbol for DelphiS is an ‘*’ or a ‘$’

My dissertation is about economic underdevelopment in South East Asia with a focus on the economy of the Philippines. I have found that over the years I have developed a huge interest in current affairs – I find myself constantly asking: “why is this particular event as issue?” Or “why is it that these groups of people choose to behave in this way?” After moving to England at the age of 10 and developing an interest in British and International Politics, have always been - and always will be - curious about the politics of my home country. Writing what is perhaps the biggest piece of academic work I have written in my life so far on the country that I was born in is one of the best things that I could do. Not only does it satisfy my love for learning about how power works but it also keeps me in touch with my roots.

I have heard time and time again that writing your dissertation on what you’re severely passionate about is the main thing that will motivate you throughout any all-nighters you may encounter!

My academic poster for my dissertation. My course has a module called Research Skills in Politics and International Relations that encouraged us to come up with a topic idea as early as we can and gave tremendous feedback. The poster shows the development of how I’ve come up with my topic. 

One other thing…be prepared!

The other thing I must mention is to be prepared when you’re meeting with your supervisor. It is up to you to initiate a meeting with them as they are your first point of contact. However, you must remember that, like yours, their time is precious. Set a meeting with them but make sure you have an idea of what you want to talk to them about. It is equally important to actually do readings before your meeting so that you have an academic basis for your conversation. Perhaps what I should have done in my first meeting was to bring a copy of my academic poster for my supervisor to have a look at!

Finding that balance

Past Life at Southampton Blogger James wrote about working hard and playing hard…and he is absolutely right. All this dissertation fever can get you down what with the winter rain and minimal sunlight (it is autumn after all…)

So aside from making the library my second home, I have also found time to focus on other activities!
 
Getting as much sunlight as you can during the day is crucial to beating Seasonal Affective Disorder at this time of the year- and what better way to do that by enjoying the beauty autumn brings to Highfield campus.

Highfield Campus in Autumn (credit to the University of Southampton's Instagram account). 

The Filipino Society threw a Halloween party…

…complete with a buffet, games, and costume prizes!

The Big Bang! Fireworks display at Mayflower Park

It just goes to show that feeling overwhelmed about an important piece of work such as your Dissertation is okay so long as you make use of what is there to help you. Of course, it helps to be prepared by doing key research, planning your time wisely and rewarding yourself.

Now I’m off to do some more reading If you’re doing your dissertation as well, may no procrastination be ever in your favour!

Rylyn

Alternative Tips to Staying Sane During Assignment Fever

There are many upsides to pursuing a university course like mine that’s assessed entirely through coursework, namely the fact that you never find yourself getting sucked into the January/Summer exam panic. It does mean instead, though, that when assignment deadlines do finally come around, they’re not exactly the nicest things in the world.

Of course, the first bunch of this year’s deadlines are now fast approaching, so work-mode has very much been initiated. This obviously means different things for different people; we all have our own working methods. Whereas some like to hibernate away in the reclusive work pods of Hartley Library, I find my brain better suited to locking myself in my room and chaining myself to my desk for the foreseeable future. Okay, it’s really not that dramatic; there are no actual restraints to speak of, it’s more about remaining focused mentally.

So without much further ado, here’s a little breakdown of the things I personally do to keep sane during these slightly heavier working days.

Dance Breaks

From even as far back as GCSE level, the concept of taking frequent breaks whilst working is drilled into our brains. You obviously don’t want to burn yourself out, and we all know when we’ve reached that stage where nothing productive is actually really happening. The trick is in noticing this as soon as possible and then… dancing.

Stop laughing. It’s actually incredible helpful. I mean, this is probably a little bit harder if you’re in a crowded library (in which case, I’d recommend sneaking off to a quiet corridor or toilet cubicle), but the theory behind it is solid.

When we take breaks, we so often find ourselves getting incredibly distracted, what with the internet existing and all. So a 5 minute Facebook stalk suddenly becomes a half-hour cat-video-fuelled odyssey through the weirdest reaches of YouTube, and then your whole working persona is shattered.
Dance breaks, however, are far more structured, provide you with plenty of great exercise and, most importantly, they wake your brain up considerably. Pick one or two particularly funky tracks (extra funky if you’re the sort that listens to music whilst working), maybe something you can sing-along to if you’re in a particularly empty spot, stand up from your work space, and just go to town.

Just let yourself go and enjoy the music, letting all your fears and worries about revision and essay writing completely slip away. All you care about in that moment is the rhythm of whatever you’re listening to.

Five minutes later, lo and behold, you’re cured. Suddenly you can return to your desk with your brain reset, fully prepped to get back to work.

There is no shame in boogieing away your essay stress.

Talk To Yourself

This one’s definitely a whole lot weirder if you’re in a crowded public space, but I’ve found over the years that having brief conversations with yourself about certain topics can actually help cement in your mind exactly what you want to say. This works particularly well with more abstract concepts and theories; having to explain out loud exactly what it is you’re trying to say is a great way to help you articulate it more clearly.

Obviously you could go and find another human being to talk to, but this could well lead to further distraction. A conversation might erupt. Suddenly you’re not talking about gender politics in Die Hard anymore - you’re discussing dinner plans, or your unexplainable hatred of that guy in The Apprentice. Or worse…you’re on Facebook, and the cat videos are back and once again your entire work focus crumbles.

Better to be safe than sorry. Those cat videos are mental poison.

Cloning not 100% necessary. 

Bring Your Deadline Forward A Few Days

Okay, this one is very easily the trickiest to do properly, and requires a lot of mental self-manipulation but if it works, you’ll never miss a deadline again.

I’ve found since first year that almost every single one of my assignments is due on a Tuesday afternoon and I’ve always been one for fail-safes in almost everything I do. If I need to get a bus or a train somewhere, I always get the one scheduled to arrive before the one I absolutely have to get. If I need to set aside some money to pay a certain bill, I’ll always set aside a little bit extra, just to be safe. And the same works for deadlines: if I have a deadline on a Tuesday, mentally my deadline is actually Sunday. Thus, no matter what happens, I have an extra two days packed in just in case something goes horrifically wrong. Like those cat videos taking over again.

This is a particularly hard one to pull off, because a lot of people (students in particular) need the stress of impending doom to actually get up and do something. To force yourself to do something early requires quite a bit of self-control, and so, if you don’t feel like you can manage such things, here’s a simple, although not exactly 100% foolproof solution: lie to yourself early on.

When you first get those deadline dates and you’re putting them in your calendar, bring them forward a few days. If your lecturer says it’s due on Thursday, put it in your calendar for Tuesday. This way, every time you check to see when your essay is due, you’ll always be thinking a few days ahead. As much as you might trust your own brain, fail-safes are always a good idea, just in case.

These are just a few of my own methods for keeping on top of things during these harsh working months. Feel free to give some of them a go but do remember, we all work differently and so we all have our own ways of remaining sane. Some of your methods might even be better than mine!

I do recommend that you try a dance break though, even just once.

Ben

The dreaded P-word

It is finally complete! I handed in my Masters thesis in the first week back after the Easter break and on Friday I had the corresponding Viva, which means that I can finally say that my project has come to a close.

A Viva is an interview in which academics (two in my case) scrutinise your final report and you are expected to defend your decisions, whilst showing off your wider knowledge of the theory behind your results. In the morning before it I had re-read my report several times (finding a few unfortunate typos, although none as bad as my partner’s 'lover mass black holes', instead of 'lower mass black holes') and had thought about how I might answer certain questions if they came up. Fortunately I was well prepared for the topics that arose and the thirty minutes seemed to whizz by! It’s a major relief to have that behind me – now I can turn my full attention to revision.

 

The print out of my final report I took to my Viva. 

Revision is something that every student knows all too well and although I wrote about it during the January exams, I wanted to discuss it again in today’s blog. It is my final set of University exams (and when I say set, I do mean set – I’ve never had fewer than three exams in a semester – my highest number has been five!), so I feel like I have enough experience to give some advice.

Those of you who have read my previous revision technique blog post will know that I have quite a peculiar method of revising. I pretend that I’m teaching the material to someone, either to an individual or to a whole class of imaginary students. It might sound weird, but just like my Space Plasma lecturer said this week, “If you can explain these concepts to a friend unaided, then you’ll do fine in the exam”.

Recently, I’ve even gone as far as investing in a whiteboard for my revision method; there’s just something inexplicably fun about using them regardless of your age and any way to improve the revision process is worth it in my book!

My imaginary class found 'Magnetospheric Size' enthralling! 

However, it was not the revision techniques I wanted to discuss, but more the ways to avoid the dreaded p-word: Procrastination. We all know the feeling; you’re half way through revising a chapter and suddenly you find that you have Facebook, Twitter and YouTube open on your laptop.

One of the ways I avoid procrastinating is not having my laptop turned on, unless I need it for work. This means it actually takes more effort to look at the sports news or my emails than it does to actually stay revising. If this means moving to the library or another quiet space, instead of your distraction-laden bedroom, then go for it – there’s plenty of revision-friendly spots on campus!

Another technique I use is to write a to-do list of manageable tasks that I know I can achieve in the day. Having five or so small and detailed tasks, for example ‘Revise Chapter 7’ or ‘Do questions 5-12’, instead of the open-ended task of ‘Do revision’, helps keep you focused and allows you to track your progress too.

A reward for revising hard all morning! 

The final step I take is to ensure there’s always something to look forward to when I’ve finished my to-do list. This can be video games, TV shows, a pack of fruit pastilles or, like I had at the weekend, a lunch time trip to Trago Lounge (a popular local café in Portswood) with my housemate. As long as you set yourself realistic goals and rewards, and minimise distractions, then revision should be a piece of cake!

I hope this helps and I wish you well with your exams and other deadlines!

James