Make every minute count

Unisa first-year journey e-mails: number 3

Being a Unisa student, specifically a first-year student, is a big commitment. In addition to being a student, you may also have family, work and social commitments. You may even be thinking: "I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. How am I going to make time for my studies?"

One very practical solution is to develop a study plan to help you prioritise, to set aside specific times for your studies and to negotiate time with others. The structure will help you to manage your responsibilities and your feelings of being overwhelmed. It will also help you to keep focused on your studies without neglecting family and friends.

Our focus this week is on helping you to plan your studies for this semester.

Activity 1: Do your planning now

• Use these guidelines and the time management information on the Unisa website to create a study plan for this semester.
• Remember, a study plan is only effective if you spend sufficient time on your studies and you implement what you have planned.

Activity 2: Stop procrastinating

We have all put off doing something at some stage in our lives. Sometimes it is because we don't want to do it or because we just don't know where to start. Think about this: You started working on your first assignment two weeks ago. It's due tomorrow, but you've spent most of today busy with activities other than your assignment. Now you are rushing to submit the assignment and it's not as good as it could have been. Procrastination is the biggest enemy of your planning and your time.

Think about your circumstances and the things that distract you. What can you do to manage these distractions? Read more about procrastination and some strategies you can use to manage it (scroll down the page to find the section on procrastination).

Activity 3: Assess yourself

As a Unisa student, you have access to Shadowmatch to give you information on the habits and behaviours that will contribute to your study success. Your feedback will help you to identify your strengths and areas for development, and will also give you suggestions for how you can start doing things differently. Click here to start with the process.

Activity 4: Keep working on your online skills

If you are not comfortable using a computer, there are numerous online courses that teach basic computer skills. The Goodwill Community Foundation has over 750 free online computer classes available on their website. The Unisa Library also offers training throughout the year.

Next week

Our focus for next week is on learning more effectively, specifically making notes, and the importance of continuous revision. To contact the university, click here.

All the best for your studies this week!