While completing secondary education, plenty of things keep you occupied, from GCSEs, Sixth Form, college courses, etc., and we haven’t even touched on the social opportunities! So, when it all ends, and you’re burdened with choosing what you want to do next, it can all feel overwhelming. How are you meant to determine your plans for the immediate future when you can’t even remember what you had for breakfast this morning?
With various choices lying in wait after secondary education, leavers might need to decide which one to opt for. But since 2021-2022 saw an influx of 2.86 million students enrolling in higher education institutions, it’s safe to say that university is one of the most popular choices for leavers. Whether you plan on enrolling in a criminal justice course or a business studies and management program, higher education can open many opportunities.
Yet being one of the most significant milestones in our life, going on to higher education can be an exciting (but daunting!) experience. You might wonder, what will higher education be like? Will I make friends? Is it a big jump from secondary education? Etc. The answer to these questions can be complicated. Still, since we were all nervous students once, we’ve created this article outlining several pieces of advice for those enrolling in higher education below:
Learn That It Is Okay To Be Nervous
Dizziness, tiredness, palpitations, sweaty palms, etc., are noticeable symptoms of nervousness; chances are, during your first few days of higher education, you will become very familiar with them. Generally, most people associate anxiety with negativity, so you might feel annoyed with yourself for experiencing these emotions. However, feeling nervous about something is one of the best indicators that you’re passionate about what you’re doing (although it might not feel that way!).
Our lives are filled with so many insignificant moments that when were hit with a rush of anxiousness, it can send us into panic mode and have us juggling the urge to stand and fight or run out of the room as fast as we can. But providing that you figure out how to get a handle on your nerves, it will make all the difference between giving anxiety the finger and letting it rule over you for the rest of your miserable life in higher education.
Ultimately, it is essential to remember that all your peers have felt the pressure of the spotlight being on them at one point in their lives and that they’re probably battling similar feelings as you! Once you learn this, it’ll be one step towards managing your anxiety. Armed with other nerve-busting techniques, you can soon channel these unpleasant feelings to boost your performance and feel much more confident when starting your higher education journey.
Brush Up Your Essay Writing Skills
If you’ve enrolled in higher education straight from secondary education, chances are you’ll be well-versed in essay writing. However, writing essays at a higher education level can be a completely different ball game, and the tips/tactics you use in secondary education won’t cut it anymore. Today lecturers expect you to produce a convincing argument by understanding your task, conducting thorough research, and evaluating your findings while being presented per the study guide.
It’s confusing enough that you’ll be asked to write in ways you never have before and to present your argument legibly and aesthetically. You might also be asked to submit your essays differently from how you were used to when you were in secondary education. Gone are the days of handing over a wad of paper to your teacher in higher education; you’ll more likely be instructed to submit your assignments by uploading them to an online portal or compressing it using a PDF compressor and attaching it to an email.
So, not only will you have to get your head around style guides, referencing etc., but you’ll also have to teach yourself how to compose an email and compress pdf to make your higher education experience easier. Fortunately, there is a way to make this easier (at least the latter part!) using online tools from providers like PDF Tools, which aim to help you get to grips with PDFs faster and more efficiently. Consider visiting their site for more information and see how their tools could help you learn the skills you need for higher education today.
Understand Where You Work Best
Unlike secondary education, where you have teachers, support staff, and heads of years to support you every step of the way, in higher education, you won’t be surrounded by authoritative figures twenty-four-seven as you’ll be expected to manage your own learning. Due to this, it is essential that you determine how you study best, in what environment, etc., so that you can work to the best of your abilities always.
One of the most important factors to consider is your work environment. It directly correlates with your mindset, productivity, etc., so it’s essential to consider which setting works best for you and stick to it! Do you enjoy the tranquillity of the library, where the only distractions are the gentle sounds of others working? Or do you concentrate better in the comfort of your room, where you can listen to music or stick the TV on for background noise?
Or do you prefer studying as part of a group so that you can compare notes or ask for help when needed? You might discover that you focus better when there is a general buzz of chit-chat around you, akin to a classroom setting. You might find background noise distracting and require total silence to produce your best work. Whichever appeals to you, ensure you prepare your study times around these environments to create your best quality work, don’t get distracted, or catch up on your days off!
Be Prepared For Downtime
In secondary education, students are used to attending classes for set periods throughout the day with rare study breaks. In contrast, in higher education, your timetable is completely randomised. So, while you might have a full day of classes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, you could have an entire day of study periods on Tuesday and Thursday or vice versa!
Either way, it is worth preparing yourself for downtime, especially if you’re the kind of student who finds it difficult to focus when you’re not in an academic setting. How you spend this time will determine whether you’re behind or on top of your work!
Lighter work days are the opportune moments to get ahead on that assignment you’ve got creeping up at the end of the month or the paper on the Spanish Civil War that’s due on your professor’s desk in several days and you’ve been putting off.
Even if you have no upcoming assignments, papers, or coursework coming up, you should still use your downtime effectively so that you don’t find yourself swamped with work later. One way to ensure you don’t become overwhelmed by work is by dedicating a set amount of time each day to your studies and spreading this throughout the week instead of cramming it into one long study session. Then once you’ve completed everything for one week, you can start on the next!