Our Top Tips For Second-Year Students
Summer might not be over just yet, but if you’re on the cusp of your second year, it’s a good idea to start preparing for what’s to come. You’ll have learnt a lot over your first few semesters – and perhaps even during your end-of-term break – but there’s still plenty to think about as you head into Year 2.
Join us as we count down our top tips for those returning to campus in September.
Make The Most Of Your Time Off
We can’t stress this enough. Where your first year was all about getting used to your new surroundings, your second won’t be as kind. It’s from now on that your results will really start to matter, so you’ll need to be putting a lot of work in to keep up. Use what’s left of the summer to relax and recharge your batteries before the new term begins. You’ll need to be on your A-game sooner than you think!
Get A Head Start
As we said above, second year is when everything begins to count. Grades now mean more than before and will make a valuable contribution to your final mark. So why not hit the ground running by starting your reading in advance? Dipping into books during your time off will ease you gently back into academic thinking and put you in the right frame of mind for success.
Prepare For Second-Year Accommodation
In most instances, students will move out of university accommodation after the first year and into a shared house nearby. But unlike when you started out, you’ll probably have chosen your housemates and made a joint decision on where to live. This is both a blessing and a curse.
Even though you’ll be living with your close friends, don’t be surprised if this alters your relationships with them. Sharing a house with others can be challenging and it’s completely normal to have trouble adapting to a new dynamic. Make sure to talk it out if you’re having problems, and try to remain kind and considerate at all times. Read our short guide on how to be the best roommate possible for some useful tips.
Manage Your Workload
Once you’re back, you’ll need to get organised. And fast. To do this, make sure you attend all of your lectures and seminars, assign time for revision and keep up with your reading. Locating an appropriate study space, whether that be in your room, on campus or a café in the city centre, can have a positive impact on your ability to process and retain information, so try and find somewhere that works for you as soon as possible.
Don’t forget to make use of all of the resources available either. These might be online, at the library or in the form of valuable guidance from your lecturers.
If you’re struggling in any way, contact your student union (Coventry’s is great!) or your university’s other support services. They will come up with a plan to help you to deal with the pressure.
Think Beyond Your Second Year
Three years might seem like a long time, but your tenure at university will be over before you know it. It’s by keeping one eye on the future that you’ll be able to make the most of any opportunities that come your way.
Some courses will have a placement year where you can gain valuable skills, whereas others will leave you to find work experience for yourself. Volunteering whilst you study and thinking about what you want to do when you graduate are both important parts of the university experience. Don’t make the mistake of getting lost in your studies and losing touch with everything else, you just may regret it.
Forward planning is also helpful for your dissertation. By formulating ideas as early as the first week of your second year, you’ll be able to explore potential areas of enquiry well ahead of time. Discuss your ideas with friends, fellow students and tutors as soon as you can – and get inspired early!
Student Properties in Coventry
At Lettuce Lettings, we provide second-year students attending either Coventry University or The University of Warwick with clean, good-quality accommodation to give them one less thing to worry about as the pressure ramps up.
For more tips and advice on university life and being a student, please visit our blog today. You can search all of our Coventry-based student properties here.
