How to be a good student and not fail your degree

For a lot of students, studying is probably the worst part of the uni experience. And with all the deadlines and stress that come with it, it’s not hard to see why. But that doesn’t mean you should just resign yourself to failure. Read this guide on how to be a good student to help you get back on track.

Get organised from the start

How to be a good student? Prepare, prepare and prepare some more. 

Buy a diary before the year starts and (this is the important bit) use it. Put in deadlines for work, tutorials and exam dates and tick off the things you’ve done. You can also stick a copy of your timetable inside, so you always know where you should be. It’ll seriously help with your time management skills and get rid of any ‘I forgot that was due’ excuses. And you can set goals in it to help keep you motivated and even achieve success in the long run. 

While you’re buying your planner, make sure to stock up on folders, dividers, paper and an assortment of pens. Try to keep things organised from the beginning. And if you don’t use paper (let’s be real, there are not a lot of traditionalists left) then make sure you save your notes according to a logical system, e.g. by module. It may seem like a lot of work now, but when exam season comes around you’ll be thanking us.

Lastly, after you’ve sorted out your stationary and/or filing system for next year, you should get to know your campus or college. Where are the computer rooms? Does your department have its own facilities (computers, printers, photocopying, research papers archive)? Where’s the library? Which one is the best place to study?

Go to lectures and classes

OK so we know they’re not compulsory at uni, but they’re defo worth going to. Staying focussed can be difficult in a long lecture. A good technique to prevent daydreaming is to sit in the front row. If you don’t wanna do that (totally understandable) then at least make sure you switch off your phone to avoid distractions. And if your hangover is really too bad or the bar’s too inviting to make it, at least get the notes off someone you know is an excellent student, or any of your mates really. 

You should also get a copy of your syllabus, reading list and past exam papers as early on as possible and keep them with your notes. Tick off sections as you go along. If you feel your lecturer or teacher is making no sense or you don’t understand the material, don’t be afraid to visit them during office hours and ask them to explain further. It’s what they’re there for. And if you’re still confused then try setting up a study group with some of the people from your course. That way you can help each other out.

Take notes in your lectures and classes

Don’t worry about making them neat. Honestly, the most successful students have the messiest notes. And remember, only you have to understand them. Plus, you can always write them up properly afterwards. A key tip is to make sure you’re not writing down every word they say. Instead focus on getting names, dates and key words, and listen to them the rest of the time. You can fill in the gaps later, but only if you get the vital bits down. On the other hand, if you’re a slow note-taker, then try to make a recording of the lecture and write up full notes later.

Find study time

Generally speaking, lectures and tutorials take up very little time, so you’ll have a big chunk of your week that’s not scheduled (especially for arts and humanities students). For the first few weeks you can probably get away with doing very little work, but eventually it’s all gonna catch up with you. To avoid this, set aside some time each week (say before or after a lecture) to study.

You can use this time to rewrite notes, research essays and catch up on your reading. Make sure that this time is used for actual study by finding somewhere that you won’t be interrupted. For example the library, your room, or the local park. If you need some help getting in the study-mindset then read our article on study motivation to make sure you stay motivated.

Active study

Set reading can be really long and lots of people tend to drift off by page 32. So rather than simply reading pages and taking nothing in, try taking the odd note as you go along to keep you focused and maintaining a positive attitude (although that may be difficult at times). Or make revision cards. This’ll help when exams draw near, since you can use them to get the facts back into your head. 

If you’re struggling with revision and coursework then check out The Mix’s top revision tips and techniques here, and our tips for how to write an essay here.

Tutorials and seminars

These are usually done with small groups of people on your course. You’ll meet to discuss, debate, ask questions and get feedback on the course content. There is a small distinction though. Seminars tend to involve more people and occur less often, while tutorials are slightly more intimate and usually involve presentations.

We’re not gonna harp on about it, but it’s important to go to most of your seminars and tutorials. You’ll be able to get a better understanding of the topics you’re gonna be assessed on. And as an added bonus you’ll get to know more people on your course. You’re usually set work to prepare for each session too, some of which may count towards your final year assessment. Basically, the TL;DR is that attending these tutorials and seminars, as tiring as they might be, will help you get good grades. 

How to enjoy university

Having gone on this whole rant about how important fitting in time for your studies is, we also wanna take a minute to let you know that it shouldn’t be your whole uni experience. Uni life has a bunch of extracurricular activities and socialising opportunities as well. In fact, the idea of developing a good study technique is to free you from stress and cramming so you can go and enjoy it long term. 

Got some of your own tips for how to make the most of university and be a good student? Let us know on our discussion boards.