A wise man once said:

“Time flies so fast when you are having so much (assignments) fun!”

Undoubtedly, having a lot on your plate as a university student can cause you to lose track of time. When you realise it, exam/dissertation season is already here!

If you feel overwhelmed even before you start doing anything about it, I can feel you. For that reason, I want to share my experience with you in the hopes that it might help you navigate through this challenging time. Here are the five things that you could do to survive the exam/dissertation season.

Plan and Prepare

First things first, make a plan and prepare yourself. Both of these will play an important role in your exam or dissertation journey. You could start preparing yourself by reading the course’s assignment/dissertation handbook. This would help you understand the things that you need to do and learn about.

You could also start making a timeline for yourself. The timeline could be about the time when you are going to finish each assignment, the time when you are going to learn particular course units, or even the time target for each phase of your dissertation (e.g., when to start doing a literature review, when to apply for an ethics application, and so on). A timeline would help you track your progress so that you are aware of the time you have.

Help is Always One Call Away

While planning and preparing can be a challenging initial step to take, asking for help might be one way to ease your mind. You may be a person who loves to work in groups. Having a discussion with a classmate about your dissertation topic or studying for the exams together might be the best idea. Talking to your academic advisor or supervisor is another thing you can do to help you plan and organise your work. You can talk to them about your work or ask for guidance on anything that concerns you.

Joining Workshops

You may already have a plan for your dissertation or what to study for the exam. Nonetheless, you might still think that you need support in writing your paper. Then, joining a writing workshop might be useful for you. The university provides the “Academic Success Programme” to enhance students’ academic writing, grammar, and speaking abilities. They also run a specific dissertation writing workshop, which can be useful for those who are currently writing their dissertation.

Information about the programme can be found here.

Mitigating Circumstances

Although we can plan everything, some events may occur beyond our control. Problems such as getting ill or experiencing things that are out of your control could make it hard for you to do well on your assignment. In this case, you may want to apply for mitigating circumstances if you are facing problems that could affect your academic performance or when you think that you may not be able to submit an assignment by the deadline. However, there are some things you must be aware of in order to apply for mitigating circumstances. You can learn more about it by contacting your school’s student support team.

Taking Care of Yourself

Above all, maintaining good health and dietary habits will help you get through the exam and dissertation seasons. Nothing’s wrong with eating instant noodles or drinking caffeine, but too much of it won’t do any good to your body. Give your body the energy it needs by eating healthily. Staying up late can also have a negative impact on your immune system, so try to get good sleep every night. Also, don’t forget to take a break for some time and do what makes you happy: sunbathe in the park, do your hobbies, talk to your friends or family, and do other things that you enjoy. Always remember to prioritise both your physical and mental health.

Finally, good luck to anyone preparing for their exam/dissertation!

Written by Tsana, current Med Psychology of Education student at The University of Manchester

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