Imagine pursuing a PhD for four years only to realise in the fifth year that research and teaching are not the right paths for you. This is where I found myself – waking up one day, knowing I was on the wrong track.
Advice
Procrastination
Leaving my homeland and family to study in a different social and cultural landscape was overwhelming. So, I kept putting off starting my applications, as there was always some uncertainty. Finally, as the intake deadline for my shortlisted universities inched closer, I had to rush to prepare all the required documents.
Lesson learned: Procrastinating doesn’t help. If you can manage the final aspects of studying abroad and have the required qualifications, just go for it.
Whether you are settling back into a routine, returning to exams, or starting your studies in January, planning ahead can ease the transition. Here are some practical tips to help prepare for a smooth return to university.
Rebuild focus and motivation
After the festivities of the winter break, shifting back into academic life can sometimes feel difficult. To make this transition easier:
The festive holidays are a time of celebration – good food, lots of parties and time spent with family and friends. Unfortunately, for those sitting exams in the new year, that also means revision.
Studying might not seem like a recipe for festive fun, but fear not. If you’re organised and get started early, you can still have a great holiday and be prepared for your exams. Stick to these relaxation and revision tips and you’ll go back in the new year feeling relaxed, revitalised and well prepared.
While we don’t really think you need to make new year’s resolutions or to start changing your entire way of life once January comes around, it is often a good time to take stock of the previous year and think about little steps you can take to prep for a new term.
Here are five easy ways that you can prepare for the new semester and the new year.
We often think of well-being as managing stress or meeting individual needs, but real well-being is about much more than that. It involves creating deeper connections – with yourself, with those around you and with the natural world.
Do bankers deserve the pay they receive?
Your answer to this question may not actually cut any bankers’ bonuses, but it could secure you a place at one of the best universities in the world.
The University of Oxford interview process is often perceived as a way to catch prospective students out, but this isn't actually the case. Instead the aim of the interview is to determine how students approach questions in their chosen field of study and how they think critically about the answers.
What are interdisciplinary sciences?
Interdisciplinarity or interdisciplinary sciences is the combination of different scientific disciplines to tackle some of the world's most pressing issues. Interdisciplinary sciences combine courses in biology, chemistry, physics, geology, maths, computer science and psychology.