Two Tips for Preparing for University

Let's talk about studying and budgeting!

This article was written by Shelly, a University of Birmingham student.

If you’re about to begin university or you’re trying to get back into the right mindset for school, then I’ve got the tips for you! Let’s talk about the top two topics that plague students: studying and budgeting.

Tip one: Choose your studying method

It’s important to think about which studying method you want to use prior to starting university. This will help you plan which technology and stationery you want to buy. When it comes to choosing a studying and revision method for university, my advice is to choose something that is effective but simple.

Before starting university, I researched as many effective ways to study as I could. I then devised a studying and revision plan that used as many of these techniques as possible. The problem, however, was that the method I set out was overly complicated and didn’t take into account the fast pace of university.

I’ll give you an example. During my research I read that handwriting notes may be more effective than typing notes, and that flash cards are a great way to incorporate spaced repetition. So, I decided that during my lectures I would handwrite my notes, and afterwards I would convert my lecture notes into digital flash cards. The issue with this method was that I spend hours converging the handwritten notes into digital flash cards because I had to type out all the questions and answers. This took up a lot of time which made it hard for me to keep up. Whereas, had I opted to type my notes, I could have utilized the copy and paste function to save myself some time.

Thus, while it is important to use effective studying techniques to ensure you are absorbing and understanding your content and committing it to memory, if your revision plan is overly complicated, or involves some time-consuming steps, then you may find that it’s difficult to keep on track with the technique. And thus, in the grand scheme of things, it may not be very effective.

To summarize, one of the key things when it comes to studying techniques at university is TIMING!! After you come up with a plan, a good question to ask yourself is, will you realistically have the time to implement all the steps?

Another thing to keep in mind is that your studying method will likely change throughout the years. Depending on your degree, you may have some subjects that are more calculations based, and some that are more content based, and this may affect the studying method you use. Your studying methods may also differ depending on the lecturer and how they structure their course. So far in my course, some lecturers have given pre-reading, some have given practice questions, some have recommended books/textbooks to read, and some have given summary word documents. Thus, my studying methods have changed to suit the type of resource I was given.

Tip two: Planning and budgeting

If you’re planning on moving outside of your home and living independently whilst at university, then you may find that you have more bills to pay and manage. It’s important to consider all the bills you would likely have to pay and try to assess what your monthly income and expenses will be. This can aid you in effectively budgeting and managing your money.

So, what things do students typically spend on monthly?

As a student, you can expect your typical expenses will include rent, internet, energy bills (water, electricity and gas), phone bills (sim contract or phone contract), groceries, gym memberships, subscriptions (Netflix, Spotify, etc.), self-care (hairdressers, barbers, skincare, makeup), and socializing (going out with friends, society events).

What about less frequent purchases?

While you may not have to purchase some of these items very often, you may still have to spend some money on these items every once in a while: technology (laptop, tablet or iPad, headphones or AirPods, etc.), clothes and shoes, stationery and books, and home furnishing products.

These are some of the main expenses that students have during university. Before starting university, you may not know the exact cost of each expense, but a rough estimate can still be used to help you budget and plan.