Helpful tools meant to make uni easier!
As a first-year student, adjusting to a new environment can be super difficult and overwhelming but, most institutions have a couple of things which make it easier for you to adjust. And in this article we’ll be talking about a couple of the things that are meant to ease you into uni and why they’re helpful.
1.Guides
The first and most helpful resource which familiarizes you with university are the guides. These are usually handbooks which have information on your faculty, within them you can also find information about your specific course.
Read through them! Besides guides, there are also course outlines which outline all the information you need to know about your course and your requirements to pass. Reading is an integral part of your university experience, regardless of which course you’re doing, always, always make use of the information available to you even if it takes a bit of time to read through it.
2.Tutors
Most institutions have tutors who are your first point of contact if you need help with academics, tutors are there to guide you through your journey as they have also been through it. Make use of their time, consult with them to explain things you may not understand and don’t hesitate to reach out to them.
If your institution doesn’t have any tutors, just find a senior who’s studying your course and ask them for help, it’s important to note that, they may not have time but it’s still worth a shot if it means you’ll adjust to uni faster.
3. Lecturer Consultation Hours
Most lecturers have hours outside the lectures they give, and they essentially use these hours to answer any questions that you may have about the work. Yes, it’s very important to attend your lectures but if you’re not understanding the content then it’s probably best to speak with the lecturer during these hours so they can understand where you’re coming from and help you.
It’s also helpful to be known by lecturers in case you need their recommendations for job applications or post-graduate opportunities. So, familiarize yourself with them and give them the opportunity to help you become a better student by taking advantage of their consultation hours
4.Library Staff and tools
For many first year students, course content can be overwhelming since it’s new but when searching for resources the librarians are usually well versed in where to find what, whether you’re looking online or in the library itself be sure to reach out to them for any help with finding academic material.
5.Free Software Applications
Universities equip their students with software programs such as Microsoft suite, one drive and licenses to apps such as LinkedIn learning to help you in different ways. The Microsoft suite gives you access to word, excel and PowerPoint and these are applications which you will use throughout the year to get your work done. Onedrive helps with storage and then LinkedIn Learning just gives you access to free online programs which you can learn in addition to your lecture content. These are just examples, be sure to research which apps your institution has access to.
That’s all from us today, please make use of all the tools we’ve told you about today and don’t hesitate to reach out to your tutors or lectures. Enjoy university and make use of all the resources while you still have the chance to!
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