HEADING BACK TO SCHOOL

(How to Survive and manage it all)

I am in the final stages of my double degree - Arts/Law. In my Arts degree I majored in World Religion and Indigenous Studies, as I would like to pursue a career in Advocacy - Giving People without a voice ... a voice. 

It has been a long and hard slog and as I approach the end I realise I have learnt more than the finer details of Buddhism and Contract Law. In fact, the institutional knowledge is only a small facet of this journey. I have grown and learnt so much about me as a person and educated myself and formed opinions and beliefs on topics I had previously never contemplated. 

But this Blog post isn't about Mindfulness or Indigenous Art, it's about survival. It is about getting through and making it work, balancing life and family and work and study and health and fitness and you.

And because I am a list person.. Here are my

Top 7 Tips for Getting Through University

1. Try to decide from the outset EXACTLY what you want to study, and why. Make a clear picture in your mind of where you see yourself at the end and strive towards that goal. I started out thinking I wanted to do Education and wasted a lot of time and money realising it just wasn't my dream.

2. If you are going to study online look for a Uni that offers excellent online learning. I am studying through UNE and have found them to be absolutely AMAZING with their digital teaching. Lectures are recorded and Power Point presentations are uploaded so you can literally follow a lecture from the comfort of your own lounge chair, bed, back deck, beach chair etc. I have also found UNE to offer excellent resources and the library staff are always willing to assist locate cases and journal articles.

3. Spend your first semester with a light load and take the time to navigate your way around your school - whether that be online or in person. The Law School at UNE offers extensive tours and orientation where you learn how to research and find your way around the campus (virtual and in person). 

4. In your first semester ask a million questions. Work out how you are expected to present an assignment, what referencing style are you expected to use, how do you upload assignments, download pod casts or lectures etc. Get involved with online chats and live Tutorials. Join Facebook groups for your subjects and find out where and how to source second hand books. Keep asking questions. Listen. Learn and grow.

5. Every now and then sit back in your chair, or your bed/lounge/beach chair and remember Tip number 1. Remember why you are doing this, what you are slogging away for when everyone else is watching Netflix and sleeping. Remind yourself of your dream and remember it is YOUR dream and only YOU can make it happen. 

6. Learn to say NO. I am still working on this one. Say NO to just about everyone and everything. You DO NOT have the time nor energy right now, stay focussed on YOUR dream and stop trying to help everyone else reach their dreams. Learn to say NO and to not feel guilty about it (and share this tip with me). Choose what social events you can attend carefully and always allow yourself an extra buffer of time to get assignments done and exam preparation. It is tough, there is no doubt about it, BUT, if you want to reach your goals you need to make sacrifices and the people in you life that matter will get it and love and support you.

7. This one took me a while to learn. LOOK AFTER YOUR HEALTH. Long days working and family, then hours of study on top will take its toll on you. You will get tired and run down. I take a multi vitamin and am currently looking into other ways I can boost and support my immune system. I always end up sick around exam time as I have just busted myself so much. And then come Uni break I am exhausted and spend the time getting well again, ready to fall flat in another few months. GET WELL now, focus on your health and nutrition and do all that you can to give yourself and your family a healthy lifestyle.

Well, that's it for me tonight. I am off to hit the books...

This is my last EVER unit of Contract Law and I am going to NAIL it!!!!