HOW TO BECOME A FIRST CLASS STUDENT

So, you finally got admitted into a University to study hard for the next fewyears. You are determined to make the best our of your time there.  You want to be bestowed the highest honors. And you wonder if there are any tips/tricks you should be aware of. Below, we take a look at the things you need to graduate with a first class degree in the course of your choice.

Your Attitude: It is easy to dream about graduating with a first class degree, but most people do not have the right attitude for it. Students do not just accidentally graduate with top honors. You have to really want it. You have to desire it and you have to stand firm in your belief that this is what you want. This means planning, organization and not leaving your assignment until the day before. You need this conviction because, there will be times you will want to deviate from plans in the course of your time in school, so you need to be sure that you have absolutely no other option than to graduate with a first class. Think about the reasons you want to get a first, write them down and stick them on your wall. Whenever you feel like crumbling they will stare at you.

Research: If you have the attitude of ‘I ve been to my lectures and seminars, I’m done’, then you may as well quit now. You have to make an effort and you do that by digging out books, searching for journals and articles and searching the famed world wide web. To get a first class degree you have to read around your topic (outside of the reading list) and interpret the ideas for yourself – always be critical as while your lecturer may not agree it shows you are driven by the subject. The majority of students who achieve firsts will spend hours and hours researching and pooling together critical opinions with their own thoughts. Library: Don’t just rely on the internet as a source of all wisdom; the best students will use a range of different sources from ancient textbooks to online journals. First-class assignments use critical sources wisely. Understanding the critics and making a decision whether you support or oppose their views is extremely important.

Your Presentation: A large proportion of students miss out on a first class degree simply because of their presentation skills. Correct spelling, punctuation and grammar are vital as they act as the cement which glue together a well-written sentence or paragraph. Don’t forget that writing style is worth an extremely large chunk of your degree mark.

Your Teacher: Arrange a meeting by email or after a seminar and be prompt. If you have had results back from previous assignments marked by them, take them along and ask them to go through any improvements you can make to your writing or ideas. Make sure you question them about any single query, no matter how trivial it may seem to you. Now, you do not have to literally badger your tutor as it might get you into trouble but you should always ask questions and spend a lot of time with your tutor during the whole semester. Even if you are not a hard worker they’ll probably assume you are if you’re constantly getting in touch.

Attend Lecture: Turning up to all – yes all – of your timetabled hours is the very least you should be doing to get the most out of your degree. While it may not seem the most inviting prospect at 8am on a rainy Wednesday morning, it’s the very minimum you need to be doing.

Study: So, studying at university is a bit of a given, but we mean this in a literal sense. Lying at home in your bed, or even just sitting at home in your PJs, is not conducive to a good work ethic. Even if you don’t know it yourself, your brain connects certain environments with certain scenarios. Bed = sleep, library = study. Get up, get dressed and get down to the library right now. Yes. Now.

Your Passion: The whole point of doing a degree should be your passion for the subject, so this shouldn’t  be too tricky While not every assignment is going to thrill you, try and choose a topic you have a connection with. You’ll definitely be more inclined to spend time writing the aforementioned essay and the best assignments ooze a level of enjoyment on the part of the writer. You’re also much more likely to impress prospective employers if you’ve spent several years honing a specialism that you have a passion for.

Your buddies :No matter how good your motivation, there will always be days when you need a kick up the backside Socializing with people on your course will not only make hard work significantly more enjoyable, but also help you come across new ideas and approaches. No matter how hard you study, people will always have a different take on stuff to you and can offer help with any tricky problems.

Take a break: If you don’t make space in your study diary for a little down time, you’ll burn up or just procrastinate even more. Make sure to schedule some time in for things you enjoy. People who take the time to read and follow these tips should end up being much more engaged and committed to their studies, so you’ve made a good start.