GRAD

Students stress. All of us. It can spur us on, but beyond a certain threshold it can be debilitating. We look at practical ways of dealing with it. And as a final word in this series, we give you an inspirational poem written by a successful first-generation student.

Many students are stars at school, but fail miserably in their first test or exam at university, losing all confidence. The good news is that you can come out the other side. Let’s learn from students who have walked the road.

Your goals are your map for your journey towards a qualification and beyond that a career – but also for other facets of your life, like your health and your friendships. We give you a template to help you define them and draw a map that will get you there.

University life is about more than merely acquiring an academic qualification. It offers a rich environment for building skills and networks which will last a lifetime. We also talk about the sometimes awkward reunion with family and friends after a term or two at varsity.

When we feel insecure and inadequate, our emotions may overwhelm us, making us panic so that it is impossible to think clearly. Let’s give you some tools to handle those emotions, and introduce you to the ABCDE of resilience.

Handy tools to help you make every minute of your study time count. We introduce you to focused and diffuse thinking, the pomodoro technique, chunking and spaced repetition, with a reminder that sleep and exercise are essential for your brain to learn.

The one basic skill you will need regardless of what you study is the ability to handle information. You have to understand what comes your way, which means listening and reading, and you have to communicate, which means speaking and writing. We take them one by one, giving your practical tips to help you on your way.

Feeding yourself on a very small budget can be frightening. Many young people find it almost overwhelming. Let’s work out a practical plan to make it easy.

So little money, so much you want and need! Let’s help you take control by creating a budget and staying on track. Perhaps you can even start building up a reserve.

Time is like money. You only have a limited amount of it, and you have to choose carefully what you are going to spend it on. We give you a practical took to help you do that.