New Horizons: how a future student can prepare for the academic year
There is a new academic year ahead, which will also affect newly enrolled applicants. Future students are already thinking about what to do to make studying easy and relaxed. Experts told us how to do this in the Izvestia article.
I see a pile of books, but I don't see any obstacles.
The first thing that can frighten yesterday's student is the need to cover highly specialized educational material, which is many times larger in volume than general education.
According to Daria Atyaksheva, a lecturer at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, a common mistake of a first—year student, whether a college student or an institute student, is to grab all the books in a row. She explains that the strategy should be selective. So, to understand the topic, it is worth comparing information from different books using the "three sources" method, but not trying to read everything, but learning to identify key ideas.
Larisa Mikallef, Associate Professor of the Department of Foreign Languages and Intercultural Communication at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, noted that, as a rule, when a student enters the first year, teachers provide a list of references in each discipline and the need to look for something additional does not arise immediately.
— If you are just starting to study the subject, choose clear and visual tutorials with examples, diagrams and step-by-step explanations. More academic publications are suitable for in-depth study. Pay attention to the authors and publishers — books published under the auspices of leading universities or recognized specialists are usually time-tested. Also consider the year of publication: this is especially important for rapidly developing fields such as IT, economics, and medicine," the expert added.
The presentation of the material plays an equally important role. Larisa Micallef noted that in addition to textbooks, many universities have the practice of additional online consultations.
— Get involved and feel free to ask teachers questions, as well as contact senior students. Their recommendations can save you a lot of time and effort," Micallef said.
For students of institutes, it is especially important to use university libraries and scientific databases: eLibrary, CyberLeninka, RSCI and others — because it is convenient to filter publications in them, which means it will be faster to find relevant sources, including articles, abstracts, courses and manuals on the topic of interest.
Not going through the torments
Experts unanimously say that starting college or college is a new stage, full of both opportunities and difficulties. As Viktor Shabelnik, Deputy chairman of the All-Russian Trade Union of Education, explained, over time, all difficulties pass and many student friends remain like that for many years.
— Indeed, at the very beginning of studies it is very difficult to adapt and find friends in a new team. Over time, this passes, and many student friends remain friends for many years. It is important to be open and proactive. Even a simple "Hello, what's your name?" is already a step towards new contacts," the expert emphasized.
Daria Atyaksheva said that everyone experiences conflicting feelings. According to her, the teachers were the same and felt "like kittens," but it is possible to cope with this. First of all, it is important to be proactive — to get to know each other first, offer joint training and create a study group, because explaining the material to each other is more effective than "cramming" alone, as well as participating in student life.
— Don't be afraid to look like a "dunno" — everyone started out once. And also respect the teachers' time — come to consultations with specific questions and do not write at night. You're owls, of course, but the teachers aren't. These are already adult owls," said Atyaksheva.
Larisa Mikallef added that a student should not be afraid to ask for help: ask classmates, the headman or teachers, but at the same time he should show kindness.
In a new team, it is vital to respect other people's opinions, not spread gossip and maintain a good tone of communication, including sharing notes. The same applies when communicating with teachers — ask questions about the case, follow the business style when writing.
It would be useful to get involved in the life of your group — organizational meetings, social events, as well as walks or joint training. Student clubs, electives, and volunteering will help you find common meetings — according to Larisa Micallef, this is a great place for new acquaintances.
Don't be gnawed by the granite of science
Viktor Shabelnik called Izvestia the most common mistakes of first-year students of both college and institute: overload, when they take on everything at once, but do not know how to say "no" and burn out, the expectation that teachers will "lead by the hand", and the fear of asking questions, although it is important to clarify at first and don't be afraid to appear "off topic."
— To avoid these problems, it is useful to learn to set priorities, not to be afraid to ask for help, to accept that adaptation is a process, and it is not necessary to be an "ideal student" at the start, — the expert noted.
He also added that it is important to accept that worries and anxiety before the start of the school year are normal. The installation can help with this.: "I don't have to know everything—I'm going to study."
— Maintain motivation through short—term goals: to complete a session, find friends, and long-term goals: to become a specialist, get an internship, and implement a project. If you feel overwhelmed, contact support. Now there is a psychological support service organized by the Ministry of Education and Science, which any student can contact," Shabelnik added.
Petr Shcherbachenko, an associate professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, told Izvestia that the main thing in studying is a balance between discipline and perseverance in studies and personal life.
— Procrastination can be solved by breaking down tasks into small steps. Don't be afraid to ask undergraduates for help or ask teachers questions in class. Start preparing for the first session in advance — this will help to avoid stress," the expert shared.
During preparation, it is worth using the "tomato method". It consists of simple blocks: a list of tasks for today and a priority, where each one is completed within 25 minutes with a five-minute break. The essence of time management techniques is to digest information and switch to a new period of focus to give the brain a break. Shcherbachenko added that after four repetitions it is necessary to take a long break, from 15 to 30 minutes.
There is another time management method that helps you set priorities: do the important things and not waste time on unnecessary things - the Eisenhower matrix. In this case, the schedule is divided into urgent and important, non-urgent but important, urgent but unimportant, non-urgent and unimportant tasks. It is important to remember that 20% of efforts produce 80% of the result, which means that you need to focus on the most "weighty" topics.
Daria Atyaksheva also added that typical mistakes of first—year students are taking notes without a system, "scoring" on consultations, taking too many activities, and skipping pairs "just like that." According to her, the key to successful studies is the proper allocation of time, so you need to allocate blocks in your schedule for lectures, training, sports and recreation.
— Motivation as fuel: You can't get far without her. How to maintain it? Set realistic goals for the SMART system — not to "pass everything by 5," but to "figure out three difficult topics." Relax consciously — sleep, exercise, walking, hobbies and detox from social media. Accept failures — mistakes are inevitable, the main thing is to draw conclusions.
Larisa Micallef emphasized that it is better to refrain from part-time work in the first year, since the adaptation period requires concentration and time. According to her, there will always be work, and the student years will pass quickly. If you can't do without it, you should find a format that doesn't interfere with your studies.
— Many students also get lost without the usual school control system. Underestimating the university workload, lack of self—organization, fear of new acquaintances, domestic and financial difficulties - all this can complicate the beginning of student life. The main thing is to learn how to find a balance between study, rest and personal development. This is what helps to adapt with minimal losses and maximum benefit," said Micallef.
According to her, it is best to tune in to change and to the fact that a new stage is not stressful, but a chance for growth and dating. It is important to formulate goals, imagine success, motivate yourself from the inside, and think about support.
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