Being in my final semester and reflecting over my university experience, navigating through your first semester of university can be difficult. Coming straight out of high school, it can be hard to adjust to a new environment, new faces and a new way of studying. Essentially, you can consider yourself starting the journey into adulthood and the start of exploring future career pathways, which can often be quite overwhelming. However, there is no need to fear as many say that "university years are the best years of your life." This article is going to share a few insightful tips on how to navigate all the resources around you to ace your first semester and get into the groove of what university entails.
1. Read the Subject Guide
Every subject that you enrol in has their own subject guide, which lists all the important information regarding assignments and their due dates, attendance requirements, pre-readings and of course, a schedule of the topics you will be covering throughout the semester. This would be found in most module sections on Canva under each subject. Consider the subject guide as your bible. Personally, I would get your diary and write each assignment, due date and weighting to understand what to expect throughout the semester.
Trust me, these assignments come around faster than you think. Therefore, you can begin planning how certain content covered in lectures can be applicable in your essays or important to remember for those Mid-Sem Tests.
Additionally, sometimes there might be weekly quizzes that are graded or even attendance for that matter. This can be an easy way to get extra marks by just rocking up to class. Be wary of attendance being a hurdle requirement too!
2. Scout People for Group Assignments
After reading the subject guide, you might realise that you have a group assignment that needs to be completed during the semester. From your first tutorial, I would try to put yourself out there. Most people do not know each other, hence aim to introduce yourself to different people sitting near you. From this, you can start to get a feel as to who you think would be good to partner up with for group assignments. I like to change who I am sitting next to over the first few weeks to engage in discussion with different classmates. Even better, you might meet your future best friend!
Not only interact in your tutorials but watch who is contributing to class and see if they would be a good match in your group. Many people want to have a strong first semester, so keep a look out for who seems invested in doing well in the subject. Often, when you are in a group with eager students, collaboration is easier and working on the assignment becomes more enjoyable. The formation of group assignments is often student-led, so I think it is helpful to add fellow classmates on Facebook or Instagram. Create that Messenger group chat! You will thank me later, as I think this is the best method for communication over group assignment catch-ups and the delegation of work that needs to be completed.
3. Understand how to Cite
Transitioning from high school to university, I realised that I did not really know how to properly cite references. Most commerce subjects require you to use APA 7 referencing, whilst some of your breadth subjects may ask you to use Harvard referencing (Your subject guide will state this!). Understanding how to cite using the correct referencing format takes time, so I believe it is better to reference as you write rather than leaving it till last minute. Do not underestimate the time it might take to cite your references - it takes longer than you think!
Unimelb Library have a website called Re:Cite which shows you how to do in-text citations and create a reference list for different resources that you may have used throughout your assignments. Journal articles, images, company reports to even social media posts - they have examples for each source to make citing so much easier. Correct referencing is usually a part of the assignment rubric and is where many people lose easy marks. By the end of your degree, you will become a referencing expert!
4. Read the BCOM Newsletter
Even though O-Week is over, it does not mean there are no opportunities to go to club events and keep up with what is going on at university. The BCOM News is the weekly Faculty of Business and Economics newsletter sent to all BCOM students that shares not only course related activities, but industry opportunities, club events and wellbeing initiatives to help enrich your university journey. If you want to get involved in a club or tune in to potential networking nights, then this is a great resource to take advantage of. By the way, SAMM's Annual Networking Night Is Coming Up!
5. Sign Up to The UNiDays!
Finally, it can be hard as university students to make time to study, work and maintain a social life. With all the delicious food options around campus and the city being at our footsteps, it can be easy to spend money. And as student's, I would not say our budgets are very big. UNiDAYS is an online platform that students can sign up to for exclusive discounts on numerous products and services across some of your favourite brands. Who doesn’t love a discount?!
Source: https://www.myunidays.com/US/en-US/list/all/AtoZ
Whilst these are only a few tips to help tackle your first semester, I hope that you find them helpful as I wished I had this during my first semester of university!
Written by Isabella Papavasiliou
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