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Posted Oct. 2, 2013

5 Ways to Keep Up With Your Postgrad Degree

Becoming a postgraduate student gives you a great feeling. You’ve already passed your undergraduate degree, and proved you have a good head on your shoulders for study. The whole issue of settling into life at a university is dealt with; so you can just relax into your course and enjoy. However, there are pitfalls of postgraduate study that you’ll need to avoid. Keep on top of your postgraduate degree with these top tips.

Money Troubles Money matters – a perennial undergraduate student issue which unfortunately remains a difficulty. If you had to learn finances pretty quickly as an undergrad, then you’ll remember how hard it can be to financially survive as a student. Ensure you’ve taken a realistic look at your finances, and budget effectively so you can afford to study without a part-time job taking over your life. Apply for any bursaries or any financial help available too. UK universities have hardship funds which can help you if money gets tight. Take a look here for good advice on living costs.

Get Down To Business Set yourself a working timetable and be disciplined. Postgraduate study isn’t about dossing around with a huge grant anymore (was it ever?) Postgraduate study is about getting it done yourself, not being spoon-fed by the lecturers. So be strict. Set your alarm, get out of bed at a decent time, and try to treat your postgraduate degree like a 9-5 job. If you break down your term’s work into weekly tasks, you won’t be faced with an entire term of study to complete in a few days. So, draw up a study planner and stick to it. Burning the midnight oil when you want to be out celebrating the end of term is no fun.

Make Some Contacts Get to know your lecturers and peers. Lecturers always take a more active interest in their postgraduate students, because the topics are not so basic. If you find a particular subject interesting, then make use of ‘office time’ and go to discuss it. Lecturers are there to help you, and you may find that a dissertation subject crops up out of these discussions, neatly avoiding a panic-stricken end of term topic search. To meet your peers, go along to postgraduate study groups and attend invited speaker sessions. If there isn’t a postgraduate group then set one up (funding often exists in departments for this). These groups will form the back-bone of your social life as a postgraduate, making sure that you aren’t isolated socially.

Finding a Home Live somewhere that fits your postgraduate needs. You aren’t a party-mad undergraduate any more, so find some accommodation that suits your need to actually do some studying. Don’t share with undergraduates, or take a room in a predominately undergraduate hall of residence, otherwise you’ll be kept up every night to the sound of students celebrating their own escape from home.

Here’s some more advice on finding accommodation to suit you.

Enjoy Yourself Ensure you still have fun. Yes, postgraduate study is different, it’s harder for starters and the onus is on you to be responsible for your time. But that doesn’t mean you have to live like a nun. Make sure you can give yourself some evenings off (that shouldn’t be hard if you stick to a working timetable) and relax! You can pick up the books again the following day. If it all becomes too much for you, then see your student advisor who can help set up a study timetable and transform you into the perfect postgraduate model - one that gets the grades, but still has time to snack on cheesy chips at the Union.

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