Beginning a new academic year can be daunting – juggling readings, essays, societies and friendships can sometimes seem like an impossible task. To make the struggle a little easier, I am going to give you my best tips and tricks for academic success so you can start the year off on the right foot!
To begin, although this may be an unpopular take, attending lectures in person is crucial for university success. As much as watching lectures online can be convenient, there is something both enjoyable and rewarding about physically showing up for your degree. If you’re anything like me, structure is key to staying on top of a heavy workload, and therefore having a reason to get up and out of your flat – even if it’s the last thing you feel like doing – is essential for both general wellbeing and academic achievement. Especially if you’re doing a humanities degree like I am, where there are so few contact hours, I find attending lectures essential for creating a positive routine in my week.
My next piece of advice is to try to do your readings. I am not going to take the academic high ground and pretend that I don’t find it challenging to stay on top of these at times, but one of my biggest aims for this year is to try to read both more effectively and efficiently to maximise productivity. In practice, this means being more selective with the information I am reading and taking notes on.
Although it can be difficult to find the time to sit down and do your readings, grabbing a coffee and scheduling in an hour-long library date with a friend between lectures is a great way to get things done and make the most of spare time. If you’re feeling a little more bougie and need some motivation, Old College and New College both have beautiful libraries to help you romanticise your study sessions in true Edinburgh style!
Finally, it is always important to remember to look after your general wellbeing and mental health, particularly at the beginning of a jam-packed (and often overwhelming) new academic year. Having hobbies outside of your degree is vital – a personal favourite of mine is reading, and I also love to sing. I find that my non-academic interests provide comfort and respite when university work gets stressful, and I would encourage you to spend time on your hobbies and maybe even try some new ones. Joining clubs and societies is a great way to get involved in university life outside of your immediate degree programme.
I hope this article has been helpful – remember, the new academic year is always slightly overwhelming at first, but with organisation and commitment, there is nothing stopping you from acing your studies this year!