Top tips

We recommend the following strategies to assist all students:

1. Buy a copy of a good book of study tips and techniques applicable to the Australian higher education context. For example: Making the Grade by Hay, Bochner and Dungey, or Studying in Australia by De Fazio, 1999.
   
   
2. Attend the EXCELerate program before commencing study, or other orientation programs offered in your discipline.
   
   
3. Explore the range of online resources found under FLO or the Student Learning Centre links.
   
   
4. Check the link under Teaching Programs for study skills sessions run by the SLC which are applicable to your needs.
   
   
5. Utilize the writing resources applicable to your area of study. Two good starting points for academic writing are available at:
   
   i) What is an academic essay? (University of Sussex, UK)
   
   ii) Online Writing Lab (Purdue University, USA)
   
   
6. Get organised. Buy a diary, make a weekly and semester plan.
   
   
7. Get a good English dictionary, in particular, one with Australian spellings and idioms, such as the Macquarie Dictionary.
   
   
8. Form a study group with other students, particularly students studying in the same course as you, students from your own home country or other international students.
   
   
9. Get to know some of the local students studying in your course. Do not worry about making lots of friends right away, be patient and open. Take time to figure out which groups you feel comfortable with.
   
   
10. Get to know Flinders University and the extensive array of support services available to assist you in completing your studies successfully.
    

Practical wisdom

Get to know your faculty members. Never be afraid to ask questions in class or after class. Staff may seem busy, but they also like to talk about their disciplines and are interested in what you have to say. Ask for practical tips; get constructive suggestions; speak up or ask for help if you're having difficulties.

Remember that the whole point of you being at university is to learn. Focus on the process - on thinking analytically, on writing convincingly, on speaking effectively, questioning as well as finding answers.

Your time here is an opportunity for self-discovery, a time to figure out your values and goals and determine any changes you may want to make in yourself. Your fellow students are also experiencing this, so you are not alone. You also have time and many resources - books, friends and experts.

Live and learn: use your imagination, avoid trouble and get enough sleep.