The new year (and new term ) is an ideal time to reflect on how your studies are going and everything you can do to take your university experience to the next level. Here are seven big ideas:
1. Build a weekly plan
Effective planning is the key to success. Create a comprehensive, realistic weekly schedule and stick to it. Your plan can include:
- Course scheduling: Block off dedicated study time around your classes.
- Extracurricular activities: Include your interests and commitments.
- Deadlines and midterms: Strategically plan for important university dates.
- Personal time: Prioritize self-care and relaxation.
The Faculty of Science’s tips on how to make a study schedule are useful for everyone.
2. Build strong study habits
- Be active: Adopt active learning strategies, such as summarizing, quizzing yourself or teaching others. Try using tools like Anki or Quizlet.
- Create a consistent study routine and find a distraction-free study space.
- Embrace paced repetition: Review the material more frequently when you first learn it and then space out your reviews over time. This technique is known to build long-term memory. Cornell versus Ebbinghaus (a blog about the Forgetting Curve theory provides insight into the evidence behind this).
3. Use campus resources
If you think your grades could be better, reach out! There’s a lot of help available on campus.
- Join a study group.
- Talk to your TA or professor.
- Try the mentoring resources at your faculty.
- Develop your academic writing skills.
4. Engage in experiential learning
Transform the way you learn and start living hands-on experiences. You’ll master your course subject matter when you put what you’ve learned in the classroom into practice in the real world. As you hone a range of key competencies, you’ll learn to identify what makes you unique and forge your own path.
- Seek out internships or volunteer opportunities related to your field.
- Participate in research projects, the Ideas Lab, case competitions or community initiatives.
5. Broaden your approach
Developing in-depth technical skills sets you apart, boosts academic performance and prepares you for real-world challenges. Take advantage of extra events, resources and workshops on campus to inform your academic approach.
- Consider taking part in applied workshops on data science and project management.
- Discover the Digital Skills Hub to learn about data visualization, digital content creation and more.
- Use learning resources such as research guides, tutorials and workshops offered by the Library. From short lessons on digital skills to a generative AI guide, it’s worth looking.
6. Focus on your mental and physical well-being
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle with plenty of sleep, a balanced and nutritious diet, regular exercise and time for yourself is truly a rock-solid foundation for learning. As a student, you have access to a variety of health, wellness and support services. Find out more by checking out the Wellness Café event January 29.
Here are a few other helpful resources:
- Peer Support
- Visit the Wellness Lounge
- Try the self-help tab on the uoWellness app.
- Seek support online, including Therapy-Assisted Online (TAO) resource.
- Book a personalized health education session with a health promotion specialist to discuss how to manage your workload and discover more support services on and off campus.
7. Set clear academic and career goals
- Take time to reflect. Evaluate your strengths, interests and areas for improvement.
- Define what success means to you: Is it landing a dream internship, contributing to research or developing a professional network?
- The Horizons program is a highly recommended way to develop a personalized roadmap for your studies and look ahead to your career. This program provides resources and guidance to help you set and achieve meaningful goals.