Sarah Porter (a nursing student from Portsmouth) and her cohort of "older, tired and a little bit wiser students" offer their top 10 tips for new students…
Always believe in yourself and your abilities
Even when it feels like you can’t do it – take a few deep breaths, phone a friend, have a glass of wine! And you will see that you can!
Keep in touch with your tutor group
Swap phone numbers and email addresses. You will find that you will get a lot of help from your fellow students. Even if it’s just to air a thought or swap ideas, or even someone to just share your moans with.
Don’t leave things to the last minute
It is easy to think – I´ve got loads of time to do that, I will leave it a while.
DON’T! Anything could happen and put you off course. Give yourself plenty of time.
Be organised
Buy a diary, calendar, wall planner or all three and use them. Have lots of folders and organise your work into their relevant subjects – it makes life so much easier when trying to find something later on.
Try to stay on schedule or if possible one week ahead of the calendar
You never know what might crop up, and it is easy to fall behind.
Know when the closing dates are for ICMAs and TMAs
Keep a close eye on these. These dates are set in stone, but your life isn´t. Plan around them.
Don’t be disheartened by your marks or your tutor’s comments
When you receive your marked TMAs, don’t be disheartened by all the red (or blue or green) comments all over your essay. Your tutor makes comments on your work to help you, not to put you off. You will find that if you take on board their comments and apply them to your next TMA, your marks will improve.
If you don’t understand – ASK!
It is so much better to ask a fellow student or a tutor rather than plodding along not really understanding something.
Keep on track with your placement hours
As the course goes on you will see that there are quite a lot of placement hours to be done. Keep on schedule. It is easy to fall behind if you are sick or something crops up.
Keep your sense of humour
You will need it!
