UNI: Study Tips
Timetable Arrangements
Go to your respective course website in NTU and download the recommended study plan for your academic year (AY). It will show you the list of modules and the number of AUs (credits) that are recommended to take for that particular semester. A great way to plan your timetable!
Although it isn't mandatory of you to follow the recommended study plan, it is RECOMMENDED to follow the study plan anyways so that you won't have an issue with graduating on time.
NTU allows you to customise your timetable according to your needs. It is possible to only have 3-4 days' worth of classes, leaving you one free day. Since the timetable in Y1S1 has been pre-allocated, make use of Y1S1 to discover your learning style so you can plan your timetable for subsequent semesters.
Just keep note of STAR wars. Your seniors may have shared with you how chaotic it can get fighting for popular modules/timeslots. Always have a few contingency plans planned out in case you weren't successful.
Be it iCalendar/Notion/Google Calendar/Evernote, I strongly feel that you'll definitely need some form of means to keep track of your work progress and deadlines.
Having some form of to-list every day helps you keep a good habit of keeping track of your progress/tasks and reduce a significant amount of inconvenience in your uni life!
I personally use Notion and I think this particular YouTuber explains it pretty well.
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An example of how Notion can keep track of your academic progress. If you are unsure of how/where to start. You can visit this website to download the templates. |
Study Groups
Studying at uni can get demoralising when you're scored badly on your quiz or even have problems with your tutorials. Having a like-minded group of friends to study (and rant) can make your day so much better.
And it goes beyond just studying, y'all can hang out after school to have a meal/supper. I've got a couple of good friends whom I would jog with them around NTU to de-stress. We would rant about how Heat Transfer destroyed us and we'll feel better at the end of the exercise 😅
Understand what you want to achieve in uni and find friends who share similar goals. The last thing you want is school drama 😭
Find your learning style
Some students can ace the exam with minimal effort, barely attempting any tutorials/PyPs. Likewise, you'll meet students who have to mug like it's no tomorrow but barely pass the course.
The message that I wish to tell incoming students is this...
IT'S A MARATHON. NOT A RACE. And you're running in your respective lanes. It'll do you no good to keep comparing your achievements/grades with others. It's a thief of joy.
Just because your friends are acing their mid-terms, doesn't mean they're having an easy life. They might be struggling with other things in life!
Networking
Networking is a way to exchange ideas/information with others who share a common interest/belief/goal.
At times it's not what you know. But who do you know that can make a difference in your university life. And I think this goes beyond just schooling too. You never know if
You can start networking through orientation camps, CCAs etc. The easiest way is to connect with people who share similar hobbies as you.
If you know you know 🙂
Familiarize with the School Infrastructure
Get to know the place ASAP so you can quickly identify the best spots to mug at. Certain tutorial rooms are empty after 5/6pm and you can use them for group work/studying sessions. There are also study corners in your respective faculty that you should explore too!
Check out the available rooms that you can book in the library because it can be a conducive environment for group projects/discussions.
Some conducive places to study
- The ARC
- Lee Wee Nam Library
- Business Library
- Hall Study Rooms
- Faculty Buildings
- Other Faculty Buildings 😋
- Your Room
- Koufu at 3 pm
*IMPORTANT* Find out the places that provide printing services/computer labs . Like Lee Wee Nam Library, Hall Study Rooms, Business Library, faculty building (CCEB has a few printers too) etc.
Learn how to handle expectations and disappointments
If you were one of those high performers back in JC/Poly/NS, you might be demoralized after the first mid-term quiz.
Take a deep breath and tell yourself that it's fine (ok if you didn't study at all then it's on you liao).
Take a step back and see the situation. Did you flunk because of the lack of time? Or was your study method flawed?
Identify the external factors (distractions etc.) and internal factors (lack of motivation etc.) to your problems and take steps to improve them.
Using Microsoft Teams to book for consultation/ask questions
It's normal for profs to get back to your email in a couple of days, considering how teaching is just a small fraction of their full-time job. Consider using MS Teams to get hold of your profs, schedule consultations, and even ask questions.
Of course, different profs have different means of communication that they prefer. Usually, this will be made known to the class in the first week of the lesson.
Learning how to filter what's important to you
Another beauty about going to uni is learning how to filter out important information that matters to you.
I decided to bring this up because I think almost every human being is a victim of this. We tend to compare our achievements with others. And the information that we gather, from our daily interactions with others might affect our mood.
Here's an example. There are times when you might find the exam/quiz to be extremely difficult, and you thought you are actually going to fail the module. You went around asking your coursemates and they said that the paper was easy peasy. Now you're even more worried and demoralized.
But what you didn't know is if the answers that they have given are right in the first place? No one knows exactly what the outcome will be so isn't it better to just filter out what they've just said and instead focus on what's ahead of you?
CATES
I'm not getting paid/being asked to say this but you really can't spell convenience without Cates. Basically, Cates is an app that you can use to deliver NTU canteen food to your hall.
It's super convenient because you can order your food and request it to be delivered to your hall (obv not to your room), and you don't have to compete with the crowd during peak hours.
This is very convenient if you're mugging for a test/rushing your assignments/simply too sian after your lessons.
Just download the app 'Cates" from the app store/play store and you can do the transaction via paynow/paylah.
But please make it a habit to also have your meals outside of your room. Go out there and have a meal with your friends/roomie because social interaction can help to improve your mood at times. (Thanks Harry😅)
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