productivity

Finding confidence at university

It’s time for me to take a post from the blogosphere about a different subject and put the university focus on to it.

Today, I’m looking at a recent post from Life Coaches Blog, called “How to Boost Your Confidence at Work“. It highlights 5 ways for those in employment to get out there and feel good about what they do.

But the 5 tips can be used in the context of university life. Either through your study, or when socialising:

How to Boost Your Confidence at University

1. Fake it till you make it

Study

A new module can prove daunting for the best of us. Remember you’re in the same boat as everyone else. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t just crack on with the work without fear.

Taking on a positive persona as you work can work wonders. There’s nothing wrong in seeking further advice when you feel stuck. If anything, it shows greater confidence and forward thinking. A winning situation.

Social

This doesn’t mean you should lie. The main thing is to realise that you don’t know everything. Doing something new can feel uncomfortable, but it’s part of life. And at uni, everyone is doing new stuff all the time. Rather than cautiously dip your toe in the water, jump in with both feet and enjoy the ride.

…er, so long as it’s not something potentially life-threatening or expensive…!

2. Soak up knowledge and don’t be afraid to ask questions

Study

When you ask questions, you want answers. But in university terms, when you ask questions, you usually get into a great debate.

Never fear. Debate helps you soak up information and it points you in the right direction for taking in even more useful facts.

If you feel confident on a particular topic, try to find different opinions and viewpoints.

If your confidence lacks the scope to go that far, at least ask questions in seminars, tutorials, and one-to-one meetings with tutors. They’ll probably be happy to talk things through with you. In no time, you’ll be taking on the world!

Social

University isn’t going to find you. You have to find university. That means finding out what clubs and societies are around. That means checking the uni Intranet, student magazines and leaflets, and all the posters up around campus.

If you’re uncertain about something, speak to whoever arranges things. They’ll probably be happy to hear you’re interested. If you show enough interest, you may be introduced to even more goodies.

3. Delete negative self talk

Even the brightest of students can’t ace everything.

When you put yourself down and think the work is all too much, you’re denting that positivity within. Get out of that hole and stop talking yourself down.

Admit that the work’s hard and accept that you have to put in a lot of work. But the problem doesn’t lie with you if you’re willing to put the time and effort in to getting it done.

If you start convincing yourself, “Everyone else can do it, so why can’t I? I’m such an idiot, I’m so rubbish”, then you need to turn this all around.

Why not use this exaggeration for positive gain? Convince yourself of this…”Everyone else can do it, so why can’t I? I’ve got the passion and the drive, so I’ll give it my all. I can do this just as much as anyone.”

4. Avoid saying “I can’t”

Saying “I can’t” is usually a way of getting out of something. It’s a bit of a comfort blanket.

I’m confused by those two simple words, “I can’t”. How does anyone know that they can’t do something if they haven’t tried? And if they’ve tried and failed, why does that mean all hope is lost from now on?

I’d be amazed if there was 100% certainty that you genuinely couldn’t do something, especially if it’s linked in with an assignment you’ve been asked to complete.

Give yourself that push and tell yourself that you can. It doesn’t matter what the task is, so long as you have that drive…As the Adidas slogan says, “Impossible is nothing“.

5. Look the part

Instead of sitting about in the communal areas of your halls, why not set out a proper plan, listing your aims for the day/week/semester? When other students moan that they’re bogged down with their study/reading/life, why not think twice before agreeing wholeheartedly with them?

People don’t always want to be fed advice if they’re not looking for it, but there’s no harm in positive encouragement of others. So don’t automatically agree that life sucks, because you’ll end up believing it too.

At uni, it’s not about what you wear, how you look, or the visual presentation of yourself. It may help in certain circumstances, but it’s not the answer. You need a sturdy attitude that’s ready for anything. With a positive attitude and confidence shining through, others will pick you up further and appreciate your outlook. This, in turn, will boost you even more. The cycle continues until you truly believe in yourself and know that you look the part because you’re firmly IN that part.

Confidence is not showing off. Confidence is about positivity, drive, passion, and striving to reach a particular destination. Showing off is telling people how wonderful you are. There’s a difference!

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Have you discovered anything great that gave your confidence a boost in the past?

Do you regularly use a tried and tested method of letting confidence flow effortlessly through you?

Swing straight back in to uni life

I hope you had a fantastic Christmas break.

It’s time to get back into the swing of things. No matter what balance of work and play you encountered over the hols, you need to focus on the return to uni life.

So don’t hang around. Make sure you achieve a successful return with these tips:

1. Check noticeboards, pigeonholes, e-mail, timetables, etc.

In all areas of uni life, many changes and additions could have been made since you went away. Before you forget – or before it’s too late – find out if anything has been updated. You only need to do the full sweep once and it’s unlikely you’ll find much, so it’s not going to kill you to do it.

But it may just save your skin. Who knows what rescheduling’s needed that could get in the way of your detailed revision timetable…you do have one, don’t you? 😉

2. Plan the next few weeks carefully

Resist the temptation to live in ‘party’ mode 24/7. The excitement is bound to be there, as you all make your way back into familiar ways and want to make up for the weeks apart. But there will also be the upcoming exams, essay deadlines, new reading lists, and lecture/seminar preparations.

Write down what you have to do and how long each piece of work should take. Factor in some overspill time (just to be on the safe side) and see how much time you have left for anything else. If you’re lucky, you may achieve more free time than you think. With a structured plan, your free time can be even more relaxing.

If you’ve been even better and got 90% of your revision out of the way over Christmas, maybe you should plan the next few weeks with a lot of relaxation time. You need to get away from the work once in a while!

3. Pace yourself

If Christmas was an excuse to stay in bed, eat and drink to much, and generally do everything you’re not used to, you can’t expect to make a miraculous comeback the moment you return to uni.

Even if your general routine has stayed intact, a lot of your university routine will be shot to bits. There are still loads of differences between everyday uni life and everyday Christmas holiday life…

You’re not going to be thrown into the deep end as soon as you get back, even if you have exams shortly.

In your own time, take care to settle into what’s needed. If you know a few early nights are in order, put this into your plan and stick to it. If you have a great deal of research to get on with, build things up over a few days before you’re working flat out. If nothing else, you’ll be more enthusiastic about the work if you gradually work toward full speed. No point in burning out when it’s easily preventable.

4. Check the library for new books and renew your current books

The last thing you want is a huge fine. So make sure all your books are well within date.

Be one of the first in the library after the break and have a nosey at any new titles that have come in. And if you have any new reading lists, get a head start on this too. Get the first choice on books.

All libraries are different. If you’re uncertain, just ask the librarians if they have got any new books in. Some keep details of the new items, so it’s worth asking. Others put a selection of new titles out where you may have never noticed. By asking about new books, it could save you half an hour finding out that there isn’t anything new. And if there are new books, you may be able to browse a list, rather than pick needles out of haystacks…

5. Top up on stationery

With the New Year sales, now is the time to replenish your supplies. Don’t wait until you’ve completely run out of kit, get your pads and pens while they’re (hopefully) cheaper.

Running out would be bad. You know what it’s like. You end up taking about twelve pens to exams…your main pen, a spare in case the main one runs out, a spare in case the spare plays up, one more for certain, a lucky pen, a ‘failsafe’ pen in your pocket if all the others don’t work, etc., etc.

Because the sales bring cheaper products, it’s worth browsing stuff you couldn’t usually afford. Some normally expensive organisers, folders and storage solutions can cost next to nothing and anything that makes your life and work easier can only be a good thing.

6. Buy a diary!

If you didn’t get an academic diary before you went off to uni, get yourself a standard 12-month diary now. As we’ve just entered 2008, many shops will be selling their diaries cheaply…some less than half price.

Even if you already use an electronic diary on your computer, it’s wise to get an old-fashioned diary to keep on your desk. Having a physical copy will make it harder to ignore plans and take your actions more seriously.

You may also like to buy a very small pocket diary for when you’re out and about. They can come in very useful, so long as you keep them up to date!

My advice would be to get a diary that suits you. It’s no use buying the cheapest if it doesn’t work the way you’d like. We all organise ourselves in different ways, after all.

7. Make proper use of your free time

Everyone has a very different workload at this time of year. If there’s nothing else to do and you’re bored, it’s not surprising that many people will default to surfing the net, doodling, playing games on the computer, and so on.

If you’re at a loose end when everyone else is beavering away, ask yourself two questions.

“Why don’t I have much work to do?” – You might be kidding yourself. Don’t be so sure that you don’t need to revise for that ‘easy’ exam. And don’t be caught out with forgetting an essay deadline or something…check check CHECK!
“What can I be doing in order to spend my time productively?” – It doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to find more work to do. It simply gives you scope to question your actions at all times. That’ll stop you moving toward any old rubbish without thinking. If you question your actions each and every time you’re bored, you’ll soon realise what stuff you default to. When you do, push yourself to choose a different activity each and every time.

8. Breathe easy

Now you’re back, there’s a million things out there for you to enjoy. If you’re anything like I was, you’ll be amazed you managed without all this for so many weeks.

Time to catch up!

Paying Attention: Not too little, not too much

I’m not one for watching much TV. So when I find a programme that engrosses me, I focus my attention on it rather a lot. On one occasion, my attention was so focused that I felt like I couldn’t breathe any more.

That must be unhealthy. But this rather surreal happening taught me a few lessons that I’d like to share with you in this post. Too much attention can become a bad thing.

You’ve got millions of attention focuses. Most of your day involves giving your attention to something, even if it’s mundane.

But we take our attention for granted and forget that it’s an important commodity. If we use it wisely and consciously, we have a lot to gain.

Let’s take account of the points:

At school, you’re told to pay attention. In turn, we treat attention like an on/off switch. We need to detune this automatic response and give it a third dimension.
In being attentive to unproductive, upsetting and unhelpful issues, you’re breeding negative attention.
Attention can lead to obsession. Too much focus on one thing destroys the attention we give everything else.
Attention isn’t like multitasking. It can be either focused or blurred. Put your attention glasses on and stay focused!
You need to give just as much attention to your rest and recreation time as you do to your work time. Chances are you do this already, but you probably didn’t recognise it in that capacity.
Attention needs to be fed. It feeds off planning and preparation. With this diet, you’ll find a pin-sharp focus. What may have taken hours may take you mere minutes.

By regularly treating attention like an on/off switch, it’s no wonder that focus can be so hard to achieve on certain projects.

Far from flicking a switch, it requires nurturing and understanding in order to get the best from it.

So when there’s a lot on your plate, plus a desire to have some fun and then get some rest in along the way, our attention wanders all over the place in a mad haze.

Developing your attention is not difficult, but the flawed beliefs about it make development an unlikelihood.

As the points above state, we need to change our view in order to develop any effectiveness. Our attention is always focused on something. But we generally ignore that this is the case. It’s only when we want to develop our attention that we consider it.

That’s like turning up to an exam and wanting to pass without any proper preparation.

So we need to turn our attention to developing our attention:

Plan ahead

The first of the ‘attention foods’. Put simply, if you know where you’re heading, you won’t be forced to consider your position every five minutes. Give yourself an awareness of what’s expected to achieve maximum effect.

Prepare the tools so you’re ready to work from the outset

The other ‘attention food’.

Starting on a new project feels a lot better if you’ve started on it already. Let me explain…

When you’re making a start on something new, it’s best to collect all the necessary tools and gather the information that’s needed before you take the plunge. This is, essentially, starting the work, but it’s a step that doesn’t bring you any closer in what you’re doing. It’s simply a preliminary step. If you treat it that way, your proper start can be a much brighter occurrence and you’ll feel like you’ve actually made some progress from the first moment.

When distracted, note down what you need and forget about it until later

The danger of a wandering mind isn’t half as dangerous if you’re ready for it. When your concentration is disturbed by a brilliant idea popping into your head, write it down for later and move on. With a developed attention, there’s no problem in picking these issues up later and giving them all your focus then.

Give yourself deadlines

Instead of working toward a tutor-inflicted deadline, why not stay in control of your own work and make your own deadlines? Even if you shift a due date forward by just a couple of days, it gives you more control and even allows you to recover more easily from disaster. Your attention will also be more focused, because the setup of deadlines will be your own doing. That shows good planning ahead.

Accept limits

It’s natural for your mind to wander. It’s going to happen. You can’t do anything to stop it. So if you’re looking for perfection, forget it. That’s why attention is a tool to develop, not master to the highest level.

Set specific goals to get the best from your attention

If you create a bland set of goals, the mind will not have worked out what is truly needed. In the resulting confusion, you won’t be able to concentrate your attention properly. You need a solid understanding of what’s required with each goal. It’s also further reason to set your own deadlines, so you’re certain of where you need to be and when it needs to be sorted out.

Move on before you over-expose yourself

Finally, before obsession creeps in, give your attention to something else. No matter how much you enjoy a particular pasttime, it’s unwise to allow over-exposure. This will breed negative attention and undo all the good work you’ve achieved in the meantime. As the title of this post explains, you need to give the right amount of attention to what you do…not too little, not too much.

Further reading on similar topics:

5 Ways to Embrace the Academic Meaning of Christmas

Christmas has a different meaning for different people:

A great religious event.
An excuse for partying.
A time for prezzies.
The time of the year for family gatherings.
An opportunity to let go and eat/drink all you want for once (stuff the turkey and stuff the diet).

What meaning does it have for students?

If you take a sensible view, Christmas is a time for students to do the following:

Take stock
Relax
Revise
Plan
Tidy Up

1 – TAKE STOCK

Whatever year you’re in, the Christmas break is a very good time to look at the time spent so far. You won’t be in the thick of things. Even if you remain on campus during the hols, most others won’t be, so you have a great opportunity to ask yourself some questions and get an understanding of where you’re at.

Freshers/1st Year/Level 1 – How has the new life changed the way you think, the way you live, the way you view the world, the way you want to be? Have you felt a good balance between your work and your social time? Do you have any wishes, any regrets, any need to improve?

2nd Year/Level 2 – Pretty much halfway through your degree now. Do you feel stable? Are you ready for more? Do you have the control to push yourself further as the degree gets deeper and more focused? Have you given the work your full attention, or do you need to knuckle down from now on?

3rd Year/Level 3 – How is your Final Year Project going? Is your research totally focused now? Do you have specific goals based on your previous two years of study? What else do you want to achieve before your time at uni has ended? Do you want to continue your academic study at Postgrad level, or are you planning various career moves?

2 – PLAN

Once you’ve taken stock, as suggested above, there’s no point in leaving it at that alone. Bring all your thoughts together and note down what you want to do for the rest of the year and beyond.

If you’ve got goals, you’ll get a lot further if you have a plan of getting from A to B…

3 – RELAX

As school children, Christmas was a big celebration. In the world of work, Christmas is a couple of extra days holiday. For anyone at university, Christmas is a strange situation.

There’s no denying that university equals a lot more than just doing work. Of course, this blog has a lot of study tips, but the secret to a successful time at uni is to use it with every possible part of your life.

So when Christmas comes along, you no longer have the nightly events, the parties, the tens/hundreds/thousands of friends on hand to do something at the last minute, or the fun community spirit that shouts “holiday camp” as opposed to “study area”.

At a time like this, I would suggest a period of relaxation. You’ve been granted a few weeks to recharge your batteries, so get recharging! Then you’ll be more than ready to burst back onto the scene in January.

4 – REVISE

Relaxing doesn’t mean you stop revising…

You’ll probably have exams looming when you return to uni. Obviously you’ll be spending some of your break on revision, but many students are fooled into ignoring the revision until they get back. You may have a week back at university where you’re meant to be back from Christmas and working toward the impending exams/essays that are due.

Rather than wait for the allotted uni-time for revision, make a point of spending very short bursts of time during the hols on getting up to speed. It’ll boost your confidence. It’ll also give you the chance to find out what you already know and let you focus later on what’s important.

5 – TIDY UP

You’ve suddenly been given some time away from the (by now) norm. That means it’s the best time to sort out what you’ve got and get rid of all the crap.

I mean it. Spring clean like it’s, erm…Spring! You may have started uni with a million items, of which you’ve used less than half of the stuff.

If you’ve had lots of junk gathering dust, make a decision about what you’re going to do with it. Throwing it away, selling it, leaving it at home…it doesn’t really matter; just do something with the junk.

The same goes for your notes, photocopies and degree materials. It’s now your chance to get everything into a nice order, get rid of the unneccessary overspill, tidy up any important notes you’ve made, and take control of what you’ve got.

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