I’m returning to study this year (Ba. Arts in Biological Anthropology & Archaeology at the Australian National University). Its been almost ten years since my last stint as a student so I’m a bit nervous but mostly excited about the opportunity. Now I’m not the best student & I know it takes a lot of discipline to knuckle-down & do the work but as these are subjects that I’ve had a long-term interest in I figure I will do OK
I’m sure there must be plenty of people here who have gone through the same experience.
Got any tips for a new mature-age student. How to re-adjust to study, balancing work and Uni. or just good stories about your time as a student.
I went back to university in 2002 as a part-time mature-age student. I’ve just completed the third year of my LLB by distance education. I’ve found studying as a mature-age student really good fun and not too difficult. Here are some tips that you may find helpful. None of them is especially original or earth-shattering:
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make sure that you have all important dates (exams, essay due dates) marked on your calendar. Then count back the number of days that you’ll need to do the various tasks e.g. preliminary research/reading, drafting, proofing etc. Be prepared to block out whole weekends here and there to get things done (and make sure that your family and friends understand that you really can’t be disturbed at these times).
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don’t try to “perfect” everything, especially if you’re also working full-time. I find it easiest to set aside time for each task, do the task and then hand it in, in whatever state it has reached at that point. I generally don’t care whether another two days’ work would have got me a slightly better mark.
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keep up to date with lectures, tutorials and readings throughout the academic year. If you fall behind, it can be very hard to find the time to catch up.
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if you have regular tutorials, make sure that you have at least skimmed over the readings, and preferably read them properly, before the tutorial. You’ll get far more out of the tute that way. The tutor (who will probably be marking your essays and assigments) will start mentally considering you one of the better students (which is very helpful if you’re ever teetering on the cusp between a pass and a credit for instance).
Anyway, good luck with your studies Vagus. ANU is a great uni. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.
A couple of comments from the other side of the classroom…
As a teacher, I find that my returning/older/untraditional students are often my best. Not always my brightest in terms of sheer intelligence, but almost always my best in terms of engagement with the material, study habits, and having something to say. Typically this seems to be because they know what they want out of their education. Unlike my typical 18 year-old students, who are just there because “everyone” goes to college, right?
So my advice would be: don’t worry. You’re probably in better shape than you’re giving yourself credit for.