We asked our wonderful Alumni of successful graduates if they had any advice they wish they could could to their former second-year selves. The results have been amazing, and what we got back is all exceptional advice for any student!
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Learning is a process, if you could already do everything then being a student would be pointless!
Understand that it takes time to learn a new way of writing, researching and reading. It is okay to find it difficult. That is why you are at university; to learn how to get a degree. If you already had the knowledge, you wouldn’t need to go to university!
— Tia Byer (@TiaByer) September 14, 2018
2. Feedback is a good thing, seek it out.
If Lecturers offer to read bits of your work don’t be embarrassed, feedback helps so much! Also if you don’t know what a word means just ask, it doesn’t mean you’re stupid ?But mainly enjoy talking about fab books 24/7 because it goes so fast ?
— Lydia (@Lydia_loo) September 14, 2018
3. Read actively and work with your peers.
Read actively, make lots of notes, get involved as much as you can. And as @mmmmegan29 said, say what’s on your mind in seminars and listen to your peers’ ideas: my best writing was born from ideas discussed in seminar ?❤️
— Nicoletta Peddis (@MissNicolettaP) September 13, 2018
4. Embrace Literary Theory and if you struggle with a text, talk to your friends about it.
Don’t be afraid of the Literary Theory course, it’ll help when gearing up for dissertation. Try to have study sessions with friends if you can even if it’s just to bond of a shared hate of text or critic. That’s where essays are born and mine still proofread my work! pic.twitter.com/0yDYfCDKkG
— Ms.A (@vanteya37) September 14, 2018
5. You can always book a tutorial!
If you feel like you can’t go to a tutorial because you’re behind on your work…just pluck up the courage to go. Lecturers are there to help you! (But also don’t take them for granted!)
— ChloeLindley (@ChloeLindley_) September 13, 2018
6. Read, read and read some more.
Read as much as you possibly can!!!! And make the most of every minute ?
— Abi Sears (@abi_sears) September 13, 2018
7. Remember to make notes in seminars.
Make notes in seminars!! It’s sometimes v. easy to just listen + be involved in the discussion but when you come to write your essay, you’ve forgotten what was discussed half the time! (learnt that the hard way) ?
— Jenna? (@jennahouston_) September 13, 2018
8. Speak your mind in seminars, you’re in a safe space.
If you’re thinking something in a seminar then say it. I was never made to feel like there was such thing as a wrong answer, and you grasp concepts so much quicker if you say them out loud- also input from others on what you’ve said can be so helpful!
— megan (@mmmmegan29) September 13, 2018
9. Make the most of every opportunity, University is about more than the course you are on (but manage your time carefully).
Say yes to EVERYTHING. The more opportunities you take, the more opportunities you create for yourself. Watch those emails, keep your eyes open for all the amazing possibilities YSJ has to offer you. Say yes!
— ThomasJonathanYoung. (@tomjonyoung) September 13, 2018
10. Everything is dissertation inspiration!
Enjoy every moment, attend all of the lit fest events you can and use the year to find out what interests you the most and that you can talk passionately about – it’ll give you a hint as to dissertation topics for your last year!
— Zoe B (@Zoay23) September 14, 2018
Bonus point: Spellcheck is more sophisticated than you might think!
Also set your spellcheck to detect the passive tense in ur essays and learn how to use the active tense instead bc it makes ur essay writing sound more sure of itself!?
— Zoe B (@Zoay23) September 14, 2018