High School to University Transition
There's little doubt that the end of high school years marks a major turning point in the lives of most people. For many, it symbolises an entry point into adult life and an awareness of the choices and decisions that are to follow.
Facing the range of options, which open up once school is over, can seem bewildering, even overwhelming. It can be pretty hard to work out what you really want to do. If you've worked hard at school and have achieved the grades you need to gain entry to a course you want to do at university - Congratulations! You deserve your success and a university education is something that will be of value right throughout your life.
Keep in mind that you will find university to be very different from school. The responsibility will be yours, and yours alone, to learn and to make the most of the challenges and opportunities that are presented. You won't find teachers breathing down your neck to make sure you get your assignments done or to make sure that you attend your required classes. After six years in a familiar high school environment, university may seem, at first, to be very big and impersonal. All those big grey buildings, people striding around as if they own the place! You may be fortunate enough to have some friends from school on campus to hang out with, when time permits. If so, you can team up with them to get to know your way around. If not, then try not to be overawed by the size of the campus and the sea of unfamiliar faces. There are many people like you, all in the same boat! Remember, too, that people often form life long friendships during their time at university. Sure, study and learning should be your prime goals and you need to be committed to them....but university life can be greatly enriched by the opportunities for friendship and social interaction it offers. There is a question of balance involved.
To help you to make the most of your time at university, listed below are a few things you might like to keep in mind. They are really "common sense" type things but they should help as you make that transition from high school to life at university. They should help you as well to maintain a sense of purpose and direction as you pursue your studies towards your degree. Think about them, refer to them as you progress in your studies. You may want to add some of your own ideas to the list.
Maintain a focus on your goals
This is probably THE most important thing you need to do. Without goals, you are without direction. Without direction, you are simply drifting. So, think about long term, medium term and short term goals. If you haven't already done so, make it a long-term goal to get your degree. (This might sound like stating the obvious but some students just drift along at university without actually doing this.) You might give yourself an incentive as you study by thinking of the way it will make your future more secure (for example, it should help you to find work in an area that appeals to you).
A medium term goal might be to work towards gaining all your credit points throughout the forthcoming year, to consolidate your academic progress. As a short term goal, you might want to make sure that you make an early start on your assignment work in first semester, so that you avoid a backlog of written work prior to your mid year exams. There are many other goals you might decide to make for yourself.
Goals don't have to relate exclusively to study, of course. You could set yourself a goal to find out as much as you can about the university. Check out the Students at Macquarie (SAM), Macquarie University Sports Association (MUSA), the Students' Council and the clubs and societies on campus, and find out about the various services that the university provides to assist students. This will be useful information for the future. If you happen to feel a bit overawed by the whole university scene to begin with, think about setting yourself a goal to talk with someone you don't know on campus each day. It's a good way to 'break the ice' and will help you to feel positive about being at university!
Be clear on your goals, short, medium and long term. Write them down, if you like, to help in remembering them.
Develop strategies to help achieve your goals
Remember that goals and strategies go together. Once you've worked out some goals for yourself, then you'll need to develop some strategies in order to make them happen. There's no time like the present to make a start on this! Think of this as your plan of action. Keep in mind also that both your goals and your strategies must be realistic. If you have unrealistic expectations of yourself, then you run the risk of disappointing yourself by failing to achieve them.
Both your goals and your strategies may need to be reviewed from time to time, so that they remain relevant to you. By reviewing them periodically, you are also helping to maintain your motivation! (If you think motivation may be an issue for you, then read Motivation...Some Thoughts On How To Find It)
Be clear about your strategies and develop a "problem-solving" approach towards what you have to do. It can help if you write down possible strategies that help you work towards achieving specific goals. For example, if you feel you may have a problem in coming to grips with writing essays at university, make a note to enroll in one of the excellent seminars that are run on campus by the Writing Skills Programs (Phone 9850 8770) or contact the Linguistics Enquiry Office (Phone 9850 8740) Or, you may have a goal to improve your skills in time management. If so, review your commitments and your available time and work out a weekly plan, covering your scheduled lecture and tutorial times, as well as study "blocks", travel time, part time employment and so on. Don't forget to put in some time for relaxation and pleasant events! (The University Counsellors can help you to look at ways to manage your time, if you feel you need some help).
Maintain a sense of self worth
Quite a few people experience feelings of shyness, or awkwardness, when they make the move from high school to university. After all, it is a big change to make, coming to a new and unfamiliar environment. You can help yourself to deal with these sorts of feelings by reminding yourself of the qualities and abilities, which have made it possible for you to be at university. There is no doubt that you have proved yourself to be intelligent and capable. You can call this "positive self-talk" and it's a worthwhile thing to practice.
Try to build on the positive experiences that you have. As you get to know some people, through seeing them at lectures or tutorials and as you become more familiar with the layout of the university, you are likely to develop greater confidence in yourself. Take the initiative to get to know others, when you can. You can meet people with similar interests through the wide variety of clubs and societies on campus. Learn to give yourself credit for the things that are going well in your life.
Remind yourself of the progress you make in your studies. Remember that even small steps forward are worthwhile. Sometimes, for example, if you happen to be feeling the pressure of study, you may tend to lose sight of the real progress you have made. If you really do feel that you have become "stuck" or that you're not moving forward in your study as you would wish to, think of practical ways in which you might be able to change the situation. Talk with a tutor or lecturer if you don't understand some aspect of your required work. Perhaps you may feel "down" because of something that's happened in your personal life. If so, the University Counsellors may be able to help. By doing something positive and proactive you can really improve the way you feel about yourself and the way you see things. This can flow on to your study, as well.
Understand what is required of you
Early in the year, the lecturers in your different courses will give you a course outline, referring to the material to be covered in lectures, required reading and details of term tests and assignments. Make sure you understand all of this. Make clear notes in your student diary of all due dates for assignments. (It's a good idea to put some reminders in your diary before the due dates). If there is anything you're not clear on, make a point of speaking with the lecturer about it sometime after the lecture. Your course tutor and your course coordinator are good people to get to know, particularly if you find you're having a problem in understanding some aspect of the course work. As you get to know other students, you'll have the chance to talk with them about your coursework, too.
Its also important to be aware of the closing dates for additions to and withdrawals from your program of study and of regulations regarding "Special Consideration", withdrawal from study units and so on. These dates are all noted in the Macquarie University Handbook. You should familiarise yourself with them.
Develop an organised approach to what you have to do
It's an important habit to get organised in your work early on and to stay organised. Put structure in your days. This will help you to stay 'on track' and meet deadlines for your assignments and exams. To do this, you will also need to prioritise your commitments. Work out what the most pressing things are for you to do and give yourself a realistic timeframe to get them done. Your weekly study plan will help you with this. Also, avoid the trap of procrastination. Better to make a start sooner, rather than later.
When you sit down at your desk to work, have a clear idea in your mind of what you need to do. For example, if you're starting on an essay, first of all, make sure you understand what the question really means. Otherwise you can easily get bogged down in irrelevant arguments and detail. As another example, if you've set yourself a task of reading a chapter of a set text, make sure to take some notes as you go. Also, most students feel that it's better to work on one task at a time to avoid getting confused. A further point to note: its worth highlighting anything you're not clear about so you can clarify it later with your tutor or lecturer.
The University Counselling Service runs regular learning skills workshops through each semester. The Counsellors also offer students individual assistance with study skills.
Maintain a sense of balance in your day to day life
Your study is important but it shouldn't become a prison for you! In order to be effective as a student, you need a healthy and a balanced lifestyle. To do this, you need to maintain an awareness of your different needs. For example, make sure that your diet contains enough fresh foods (fruit and vegetables in particular) without too much in the way of fast foods, coffee and alcohol. Avoid tobacco and other recreational drugs. Also, it's important to maintain some sort of regular exercise in your routine. It's good for your circulation and your general health and it helps to combat lethargy and depression as well!
Many students complain of fatigue. It is often related to keeping irregular hours, for example, studying long into the night, when you are already tired. This is more likely to happen before exams or if there is a backlog of assignments to get done at the last minute. So, make an early start on your study and work progressively through each semester. If you happen to have ongoing sleep problems, you need to work out why this is happening. Could it be too much caffeine and/or alcohol? Could it be some personal problem you can't seem to solve, or perhaps its a symptom of depression? Maybe you need more regular exercise? The University Counsellors can help you deal with any of these issues.
By its very nature, study is an activity that isolates you from others. So, you need to maintain your social contacts to provide balance in your life. Keep in touch with old friends and cultivate new friendships that seem 'right' for you. Family support and good family relationships are important while you are studying. If you're in a close relationship, or if you start one up, keep it in perspective and don't neglect your study.
Finally, program some relaxation into your daily and weekly routine. This is most important. Make time to do something you enjoy doing, each day, to help you to unwind. Look forward to pleasant events in your life! You can talk with a Counsellor about relaxation strategies if the need arises. Some of the Counsellors do personal relaxation tapes for students. (You have to supply the tape.)
The University Counselling Service would like to welcome you to Macquarie and wish you every success in your studies! Don't hesitate to contact us if you need some help with any personal, social or study problems. The Counsellors are all trained and experienced professionals.
Further Reading
How to Pass Exams Orr, Fred
How to Succeed at Part-time Study Orr, Fred
Students Steps to Success MacGregor, Sandy
Study Skills for Successful Students Orr, Fred
You Can Make It! A Guide to Successful Transition to University Turney, Cliff and Teo Robyn