Student Tips: Amy's final year advice

Student Tips: Amy's final year advice

Final year. The big finale.

As we head into our final months, for a lot of us it can cause anxiety and stress – amongst any other personal circumstances we may have. When I felt overwhelmed from my workload or revising for exams, I often felt like I was alone and the only one struggling, however when I offloaded how I felt the more I discovered that I was not alone. This is something important to remember. We often present ourselves as confident, however around 90% of students reported final year exams caused them stress greater than they expected. We’re all in the same boat – and don’t forget to look after your mates.

Look after your wellbeing 

Take a break. Your wellbeing and health are so important. The university gives undergraduate students Wednesday afternoons free from lectures. This means you can participate in sport or take some time for yourself and your wellbeing. You can get involved in some virtual sessions, like Arts and Crafts, Laughing Yoga or Self-Defence classes. Check out the SU website for different activities - it's the perfect opportunity to refresh mid-week and to give you a boost for the rest of the week.

Study Skills

As a mature student I hadn’t been in education for around 10 years. Writing essays, sitting exams and keeping up with the huge amount of reading, made my law degree a challenge.

I found out that here at Herts they have a scheme for Academic English and Study Skills Development. There are also tonnes of drop-in sessions and a whole bunch of different workshops you can attend from "structuring your writing to making a successful presentation" and "writing up your dissertation." There’s lots of skills and top tips that can help you out. Take a look.

Let’s get organised!

One of the ways I managed my workload was by buying a student planner (I know this is so secondary school! … but). Whilst the University give our timetable to us all digitally, I found the physical act of planning out my week helped me to visualise and organise my time much better. I have heard from a lot of other students that they also do this too, so why not give it a go? This layout is my fav, check it out!

Good Luck Everyone!

So, that’s all for now. Here’s my Number 1 Top Tip - Remember don’t compare yourself to others. Each of us is on our own individual path and there is more than one way to achieve our own personal goals.

Amy Holloway-Smith, Hertfordshire Students' Union Vice President Education