Getting ready for life at varsity

In order to deal with a very demanding study programme, students need to be self-disciplined.

By Workplace staff

The transition from Grade 12 to university is notoriously difficult and can come as a huge shock to students still green behind the ears.So says Johan Wasserfall, CEO of Eduloan, a dedicated educational financial services provider, who believes the massive work and study load, as well as campus life and its inherent social minefield, can leave new students panicked and unsure of themselves.

"The temptations of and peer pressure related to dating, drugs and alcohol also play a role," he says."And then they suddenly have to be an 'adult' when it comes to managing costs within a student's budgetary constraints."This can sometimes lead to them making risky or bad choices as regards their studies, or even dropping out entirely.

"Wasserfall has some advice for students new to campus life:Workload - compared to grade 12, your workload is probably going to treble, if not quadruple. However, the problem lies not so much in the volume of work than the mismanagement of your time and lack of self-discipline.

Draw up a comprehensive class and study timetable, plan assignments and lectures in advance, and after lectures give yourself time to make notes and go over what you have learned. Certain lectures give you vital outline information for assignments or exams, and if you aren't in attendance, you simply miss out.

Remember, in varsity, there is no one watching over your shoulder: you are welcome to bunk classes, shirk responsibility and be a slacker - but the trade-off will be your degree.

Financial Management - no matter how you are financing your studies, ensure you draw up a budget and assign yourself certain "pockets" for your funds. Tuition fees, textbooks and study-aids, accommodation, transport, food and entertainment should all be budgeted for and strictly adhered to and don't be tempted to "borrow" from one pocket for another or you'll soon land up in a financial muddle. If you are going to be looking for a study loan, consider a specialist educational finance company like Eduloan, as they have systems in place that enable them to pay your tuition fees directly to your institution of learning, so there is never the temptation of misusing these funds.

Orientation - the student intranet available will give you lots of information, from lecture and exam timetables and venues to academic results, financial statements and social announcements.And, during your orientation period, the older students will guide you around the lecture halls, library, the students representative council rooms, the computer and media centres, gym, etc.

In the famed "Rag Week" that comes at the beginning of the year you will be assigned to a social group.You will become involved in inter-group competitions, shows and events, as well as a welcome party where there will be 'initiation' games.Although, mercifully, the days of cruel and horrific initiation rites are pretty much over, sometimes unsavoury practices still go down and you should steer clear of doing anything that makes you feel really uncomfortable or negates your personal or religious beliefs.

Transport - classes are scheduled at varying times throughout the day so, if you don't have a car you could find yourself in a transport nightmare.Try lift-sharing with other students and if you have to rely on mainstream public transport, chances are you will sometimes have hours to kill - don't squander this time: visit the library and do some swotting, get involved with sports activities or go to the gym.

Temptations - there will be endless parties and events, and there are bars, restaurants, shops and other enticements both on-campus, and sometimes within walking distance too. Don't accept every invitation, stick to one or two a week; and if you find yourself with gaps in lectures, don't be tempted to nip off for a drink. Think of your lecture and study time as your job and plan socials around these commitments.

When you do go to parties, go in a group, don't accept drinks from strangers and steer clear of parties involving the use of recreational drugs - trying to expand your brain with education while using toxic waste is simply pointless. Remember that the inner strength that you develop as a student will stay with you for the rest of your life!

Information in this article came is brought to you courtesy of Edu-Loan, a dedicated educational financial services provider. For more information, please visit www.eduloan.co.za or call their client services department on 0860-55-55-44. Published on the web by Star on December 6, 2008.
© Star 2008. All rights reserved.