Basic college tips for mature students

Will

I wrote this for a facebook group for mature nursing students, a lot of whom had never been to college as far as I'm aware.

Time is getting closer, here are a few tips that I would have found useful before heading to college the first time round. Most are common sense but it helps to have things written down. This is a very general run down and is not really course specific.

Feel free to add your own


College survival tips

First of all it's important to be ready for the academic year. These are basic things you will need to make life a hell of a lot easier. Being organised is the most important thing, printing off lecture notes after the lecture is a waste as you will have missed out on things the lecturer said.

Checklist;

• A4 pad for each subject, doesn't have to be A4, just my personal preference.
• Black/blue and a red pen for taking notes in class. Don't write everything the lecturer says, it's a waste of time and you will be knackered by the time the lecture is finished. Short, concise keywords which will trigger your memory on the particular subject. Red pen or highlighter to emphasise important or difficult parts.
• If there are online notes have these printed off prior to your lecture
• Highlighter to highlight parts of the print outs that the lecturer may hint at being important.
• Decent sturdy school bag to carry around your stuff.

Things to get familiar with;

• Library! Lecturers will usually suggest books to buy. In my experience they're expensive, heavy and not used past the first few weeks. I made the mistake of buying a €96 book in 1st year when it was available on long term loan in the library. The book was also rarely used, pretty sure the lecturer was asked by the author to pimp it. Could have saved myself basically €100 by looking in the library or checking in second hand book shops. More often than not college notes provided are more than enough to get through a particular module. This is just my experience, your course may differ. If in doubt ask a student a year ahead of you.
• Laptop! These can be a god send, computer labs are usually jammed so it's hard to come by a free one. A laptop will save you this hassle. However they can be expensive. If you are in the market for a laptop look out for the lidl and aldi ones as they're solid machines and a very reasonable price. You don't want to be running around last minute looking for a computer to print off your assignment. It is really dependent on the course though, there may not be a huge need for one.
• If you are travelling by bus I recommend getting a student travel card so you can avail of the cheaper bus tickets. It cost me €14 four years ago but was well worth it. If you are caught with a student bus ticket and don't have the travel card you will be fined.

Do's and Dont's

• Do attend lectures, ask questions if you are unsure. Chances are 90% of the class are in the same boat but too shy or nervous to ask for clarification for fear of looking stupid.
• Do start projects early, it will save you so much stress and headaches and the sense of relief when you get it done in time will make you feel like a million bucks. The last thing you want is to be panicking the night before it's due, hand in a crappy assignment and barely pass or at worst fail and have to re-do it.
• Do get to know your lecturers, they're there to help you get through and generally are a nice bunch of people.
• Do have fun, college isn't all about the academic side. It's a great experience so get out there, join a few clubs or societies and make new friends.

• Don't panic! You can get through this, people graduate every year so it is doable!
  
• Don't plagiarise a.k.a cheat or copy other peoples work whether it be your classmate or someone from the internet. Colleges take a very harsh view of this and will come down very heavy on you if you are caught. Worst case scenario you can be kicked out of the university. Just don't do it however appealing it may sound.
  
• Don't think that skipping a lecture won't hurt, exam tips could have been handed out. If it comes to it and you borderline fail a subject, they will usually check your attendance (if your course does it)and if you've attended most/all of the lectures they will more than likely pass you. Also as I said above get to know your lecturers, if they recognise a name and remember you it will work in your favour.

2ndchance

Thanks so much for that Will, really getting nervous now at the thoughts of starting college so any tips are most welcome.

Will

It's nothing to get nervous about really, then again it's easy for me to say. I've been there, done that, got the degree >.<

What course are you doing? I did a run down of 1st year nursing in UCD also. If you break down each module and see how it's marked it isn't that scary

Jessibelle

One I'd add is get the exam papers as soon as you can and make your own copy, be it a hard or electronic one, even if you don't intend to use them till later that semester. reason I say this is everyone has projects/assignments due near the ends of terms and aside form it being a nightmare to get near printers/pcs, all the extra burden on the college systems can cause them to crash, which isn't ideal the day you decide to start exam study and can't access them.
Also, if something does go wrong, the laptop breaks, the internet crashes, someone is sick, whatever, and it means your assignment will be late, let the lecturer/tutor know asap. If they know, sometimes they overlook the late penalties whereas if they don't know, they can't do anything.

Will

Yeah just working on what jessibelle said, in my experience college exams have a pretty set rhythm. Grab the past 5 exam papers for the given subject and you should notice a pattern. The questions will differ somewhat but will be from the same area of notes generally. Good rule of thumb I went by was if I can do the last few years exam papers I could do very well in the upcoming exam. Just takes preperation.

One thing I found very helpful and saved my ass a few times for assignments was to email them to myself as attachments. So if my laptop died, I forgot it or needed to print them out all I had to do was log into my email. Can be done from any computer with an internet connection. Almost everyone in my previous course did it just to be on the safe side (computer science students)

Larianne

Great idea for a thread Will!
These are just some of the things I’ve noticed or experienced in the first two years of college as a maturie and speaking with maturies.

Do not dwell on the age gap!
I cannot stress this enough. Yes it is there. For some it is larger than others. But do not start off your college experience thinking you will be surrounded by silly children. You will find immature students, but you will also learn so much from your classmates. Interact with them, get to know them, support each other.

Read the information you’re given
Go to any mature student orientation days and any library tours etc. These will help you get familiar with the campus. Once you start to get to know your way around campus it’s a lot less daunting.

Ask for help
Don’t be afraid to ask for help whether it is course matters or money matters or you just feel like you’re a bit overwhelmed by it all.

• Ask questions during a lectures (which may not be possible due to class sizes)
• Speak to lecturers after class
• Talk to your classmates if you don’t understand something
• Wiki it; youtube it, use books.

But I will say this – don’t just ask questions for the sake of it. Mature students do have a tendency to do this. Let the information sink in and if it doesn’t make sense, then ask the question.

You are usually assigned a tutor in college so if they offer to meet you at the start of the year, do so. If you have problems relating to your course you can go and talk to them. They can help you with finding out about grant information or if you miss an exam or you have problems with a lecturer etc.

There should be a mature student officer at your college/uni who can also help you out. They deal with mature students all the time so there won’t be many problems they haven’t heard before.

The student union is also there to help you. They have different officers – welfare officer, disability officer etc.

Studying
Studying really is a skill in itself and for a lot of mature students it will be a while since you’ve had to sit down and study for an exam. Some colleges put on study skills workshops. If you feel you need them, go to them.
Read up on study skills. There is a really good study skills book called ‘The Study Skills Handbook’ by Stella Cottrell (which you should be able to find in your college library). There are also lots of articles on study skills and how to improve your study.

I use a study skills notebook where I keep track of what I’ve studied, how much time I’ve spent studying a subject and what I need to study next. We tend to study things we like first which means we neglect the harder stuff. A notebook/journal allows you to ‘cop on’ to what really needs to get done. (It sounds nerdy but it helps me a lot).

If you decide to form a study group, I think 3 people is the max for it to work. And you should all be on the same page with the level of knowledge – you’re not there to teach the others and get nothing in return. Have the study session planned out beforehand so you don’t waste any time.

Be organised
And if you aren't normally, make yourself!
Get a diary - write important dates in it, deadlines etc. Check it daily. Add reminders on your phone. You may have 4 different deadlines near the same time. It can get confusing!

Have notes filed away neatly.

Make copies of assignments on USB sticks and emailing them to yourself as Will as stated is a safe way to store your work.

Join societies and sports clubs.
If you go in with a ‘can do’ attitude you will have a much more enjoyable experience. It is scary but just throw yourself into it. Having a diverse group of friends in college is good. It can lift your day when you walk along the corridor and meet ‘x’ from the sports club you’re in or ‘y’ from the society you joined. You get to try out new things that you might never again get to do. Do not waste the opportunity.

Really long post sorry!
The main thing is there is always someone there to help you out. If you find yourself in difficulty, ask for help. Don’t feel that you are being silly and you probably are not the only one with that question.

And yes, it will be worth it! \0/

Reeni

Thanks so much for those tips Will and Larianne, they are super helpful. I'm getting so nervous now, and they'll really help!

IPushButtons

Larianne wrote: »

Studying


I use a study skills notebook where I keep track of what I’ve studied, how much time I’ve spent studying a subject and what I need to study next.

Thats a great idea can you post up a few pics so i can see the layout ?

Larianne

IPushButtons wrote: »

Thats a great idea can you post up a few pics so i can see the layout ?

Of my study journal? :eek:

Yeah no problem. I'll have a look for one of them and scan it in.

Larianne

This is an excerpt from my learning journal I wrote when I doing the access course at UCD. It may read silly but it helped me an awful lot getting into the swing of study and keeping track of what I needed to do.

I'm not sure if this is how others in my class laid out their journal but it worked for me. Basically I wrote down what I covered in class and what I needed to look up/figure out, what I found interesting about the class, how long the class was. Then the study session, what I did, how long was it, did I have any questions/concerns, what I was going to do to overcome them.

It was a journal so some of it is a bit cringe-worthy. :pac:

Tulip11

Hi Larianne,

Thanks a million for sharing that with us! I would never have thought of keeping a study journal but I think it's something that will come in so handy when going back over topics nearer to exam time. As understanding it in Oct is one thing but when it comes to April/May it can be a different story entirely.

Pity Career Guidance never introduced us to something like that in 5th year:rolleyes:

Anyway thanks again,
T11

sealgaire

Number 1 tip for ALL mature students . .....

Don't ever go on about your 'life experience' to your other class mates. Jesus! Everyone of them has the same line. Nobody cares

hdowney

Larianne wrote: »

This is an excerpt from my learning journal I wrote when I doing the access course at UCD. It may read silly but it helped me an awful lot getting into the swing of study and keeping track of what I needed to do.

I'm not sure if this is how others in my class laid out their journal but it worked for me. Basically I wrote down what I covered in class and what I needed to look up/figure out, what I found interesting about the class, how long the class was. Then the study session, what I did, how long was it, did I have any questions/concerns, what I was going to do to overcome them.

It was a journal so some of it is a bit cringe-worthy. :pac:

firstly i think that the journal is a really good idea and i am going to implement it come september (i just hope i stick to it!)

secondly reading through yours and got to the I.T. section, which reminded me i have I.T. as one of my subjects. CRUD. you said it was a little slow for you. i think i might die a little during each one of those classes as i have the equivalent of a diploma in I.T.!! :eek:

MFPM

Starting in Maynooth in September, will be 40 in April:eek::eek::eek: but really excited and nervous to boot.

I came across the boards.ie threads on matures in the last few months and I have to say they have been great in terms of learning about subjects and college life in general as a mature student - thanks to all those who have shared experiences - it has helped alot!:):)

IPushButtons

Larianne wrote: »

Of my study journal? :eek:

Yeah no problem. I'll have a look for one of them and scan it in.

Thanks for that i read in the journal that you were give "ten commandments" of studying can you post these aswell pls

Also it might be good if someone can post a time table so that we can get an idea of what the average college day looks like

Will

Timetable will be totally dependent on the course. More often than not though it's more or less 9 - 5 in first year, then as you go along the hours get less and less. It was like that for my old course, I studied computer science. No clue how it's gonna be in nursing.

Larianne

hdowney wrote: »

secondly reading through yours and got to the I.T. section, which reminded me i have I.T. as one of my subjects. CRUD. you said it was a little slow for you. i think i might die a little during each one of those classes as i have the equivalent of a diploma in I.T.!! :eek:

Well, those IT classes were pretty basic on the access course as it was geared to adults who hadn't much or any knowledge of computers. I'm sure your module will be a bit more advanced!

IPushButtons wrote: »

Thanks for that i read in the journal that you were give "ten commandments" of studying can you post these aswell pls

Oh, I think we were given a list and picked 10 out of them. Some included:

I will get a good degree.

I will enjoy myself.

I will develop new learning styles and skills.

I will learn to balance study and my social life.

I will push myself intellectually.

IPushButtons wrote: »

Also it might be good if someone can post a time table so that we can get an idea of what the average college day looks like

It totally depends on the course. I didn't have a lot of hours in first year. I had maybe one full day and the rest half days. Never in class later than 4pm. In second year, I had all 9 o'clock starts and one or two days where we were in until 5pm.

hdowney

Larianne wrote: »

Well, those IT classes were pretty basic on the access course as it was geared to adults who hadn't much or any knowledge of computers. I'm sure your module will be a bit more advanced!

unfortunately, as the I.T will be more of a side thing than anything i don't expect it to be much more than basic

IPushButtons

hdowney wrote: »

unfortunately, as the I.T will be more of a side thing than anything i don't expect it to be much more than basic

If you believe that it'll be too basic and you've got a qualification in this area already why not apply for an exemption ??

hdowney

IPushButtons wrote: »

If you believe that it'll be too basic and you've got a qualification in this area already why not apply for an exemption ??

i may just do that. i shall wait until i get there and see what kinda level they are doing, then if i think that my level is higher i shall go to the relevant person and produce my certification and whatnot. kind of raging. got communications to do as well. betcha it won't be much different than the communications i did when i got my level 5, but no exemption here i fear as course i shall be doing is level 6

IPushButtons

hdowney wrote: »

i may just do that. i shall wait until i get there and see what kinda level they are doing, then if i think that my level is higher i shall go to the relevant person and produce my certification and whatnot. . got communications to do as well.

I thought you had to apply for exemptions before you got there or at least find out if you can, so the college can check the courses you have done and then you'll know that you've got the exemption. It would be a bummer if you got there and had to complete the module even tho you learned it before, it would be a wast of time and effort.

hdowney

IPushButtons wrote: »

I thought you had to apply for exemptions before you got there or at least find out if you can, so the college can check the courses you have done and then you'll know that you've got the exemption. It would be a bummer if you got there and had to complete the module even tho you learned it before, it would be a wast of time and effort.

ah cool. well as soon as i hear from the college (which i haven't yet) i'll contact them about that. cheers

paddyandy

I attended junior cert mature student and different age levels.I was 50 +- at the time.It was interesting to witness a mixture of age groups and backgrounds and i thought the mix worked well.Better than my own days in the 1950s .'Give you something to do.

IPushButtons

paddyandy wrote: »

I attended junior cert mature student and different age levels.I was 50 +- at the time.It was interesting to witness a mixture of age groups and backgrounds and i thought the mix worked well.Better than my own days in the 1950s .'Give you something to do.

................... what ???

Mrs Garth Brooks

I have a question if you don't mind me asking? How do i motivate myself to study more? That might sound stupid as im so motivated to do the course, but...

I finished a year back in may and i found myself only doing work that was needed like projects during the year. There was so much work that we finished one project and there was another to start. That went on the whole year. I was sick of books afterwards and did very little studying.
When it came to the exams, i crammed like mad often staying up until 3am and getting up early in the morning (i mean 5am). Not a very good idea. I dont want to be doing that again.

Are there any tips to make it all easier?

Will

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Debating whether to cycle or hop on the bus.

IPushButtons

HardLuckWoman wrote: »

I have a question if you don't mind me asking? How do i motivate myself to study more? That might sound stupid as im so motivated to do the course, but...

I finished a year back in may and i found myself only doing work that was needed like projects during the year. There was so much work that we finished one project and there was another to start. That went on the whole year. I was sick of books afterwards and did very little studying.
When it came to the exams, i crammed like mad often staying up until 3am and getting up early in the morning (i mean 5am). Not a very good idea. I dont want to be doing that again.

Are there any tips to make it all easier?

Planning, planning, planning

Make sure you have a weekly and a monthly study plan. Working towards big projects or assessments early will free you up to study at a more reasonable pace , this was covered in the first post of the thread

IPushButtons

Will wrote: »

Debating whether to cycle or hop on the bus.

Bus for the win, it would be so much dryer and warmer than biking, consider the weather mostly rain, snow and ice. And if you bike you have to worry about the other road users. I'd go for the Student 7 Day Bus and Luas €25.00 it's a little more expensive but it will give you greater flexibility with your finances. Thats cheep too consider if you use the bus twice a day, seven days a week then that works out at only e1.75 per trip seems good to me

hdowney

IPushButtons wrote: »

Bus for the win, it would be so much dryer and warmer than biking, consider the weather mostly rain, snow and ice. And if you bike you have to worry about the other road users. I'd go for the Student 7 Day Bus and Luas €25.00 it's a little more expensive but it will give you greater flexibility with your finances. Thats cheep too consider if you use the bus twice a day, seven days a week then that works out at only e1.75 per trip seems good to me

car for me unfortch. lest i want to get up at stupid o'clock, and i mean STUPI O'CLOCK - like 4am! :eek:

Tulip11

Hi Folks,

Anyone inthe same boat as me.....mortgage, bills, day-to-day living expenses...... who's going to have to work part-time?

I've been keeping an eye out for any part-time work and will start applying in earnest once I finish up in my full-time positon (mid Sept) but what are the chances of getting a job that's going to fit around studies. My time table will be pretty much 9 to 5 and I don't minf working some evenings and weekends but in the current climate I'ma atad nervous about securing a part-time job and realistically won't be able to survive without one.

Anyone got any ideas as to where to be looking.....many moons ago I got through college the first time working in Bewley's so this is the extent of my experience other than what I'm currently doing (Pharma industry).

Not even sure where to start to be honest

Will

IPushButtons wrote: »

Bus for the win, it would be so much dryer and warmer than biking, consider the weather mostly rain, snow and ice. And if you bike you have to worry about the other road users. I'd go for the Student 7 Day Bus and Luas €25.00 it's a little more expensive but it will give you greater flexibility with your finances. Thats cheep too consider if you use the bus twice a day, seven days a week then that works out at only e1.75 per trip seems good to me

Yeah but I will be relying on the 17, which is infamous for not turning up at all. Will see how it goes.

Tulip11 - first time round in college I worked as a relief care assistant, worked pretty much whatever hours i preferred or were available. Will be doing the same thing this time around too.