We know that university can feel overwhelming at times, especially during busy periods of revision or assignments. We’ve asked a handful of alumni and graduates to give their best advice on how they got through these tough times!

Lauren, graduated 2016, History and English

“Always be organised and know when your deadline is and work backwards to ensure you have enough time to do a good job. There’s nothing worse than having too much to do and not enough time to articulate your ideas.”

Hannah, graduated 2016, Sport and Exercise Science

“Be honest with yourself about when you work best and don’t be worried by the way other people do things. If you work best on campus on your own at 2am then do that. Don’t try and do what everyone else does. That way you will much more productive with your time.”

Niamh, graduated 2016, Geography

“I found working in the library really helpful, especially booking out rooms such as carrels as they provide a silent workspace to study in. Also, take breaks! I found going to my AU sport training sessions were really helpful in taking my mind off my exams.”

Marc, graduated 2016, Sport Management

“Don’t over-revise, otherwise you will burn yourself out and end up getting less done. If you think you have started revision too late, don’t panic, you are always capable of doing more than you think you are.”

George, graduated 2014, History and English

“Setting clear targets provides a lot of focus. If you get other people involved in the target setting, that adds an extra element of accountability that provided me with extra motivation.

“Do the bibliography and references at the same time that you are getting quotations. It’s a pretty terrible feeling to finish a long essay and then have to go about the nitpicking of references.”

Katie, graduated 2016, English

“Put your phone on silent, and if you don’t need to be on the internet for research turn off your Wi-Fi, and disconnect yourself from those friends who are bragging about being onto their final 500 words a week ahead of the deadline.”

Anna, graduated 2016, Geography

“One of the best ways I was able to cope with the stress of university was through Action. You could really surprise yourself how much an hour of digging, walking dogs or helping an elderly lady with her new iPad could make your day better.”

Revision and coursework can be a difficult period and there are many services on campus to help you get through it, from short term counselling to dyslexia support. The library is also open 24/7 throughout the exam period.

We know the Library can get busy around the exam period, so we’ve organised loads of additional places to study around campus. If you’re looking for a PC, make full use of the availability tracker to see if there are enough spaces for you and your friends.