University Time Management | Study Tips

[@booksandpieces]

The personal deadline thing was my top tactic at uni. My department used to set an identical deadline for all essays and then it was up to you to figure out how to write six essays for the same date each semester! First semester was a stress-mess but after that we were all so bloody disciplined. :D

[@CharrFrears]

People keep asking me how I can even consider working through my final year, let alone actually working 20+ hours a week. I find it actually makes me more productive because I realise how important my time is and don't procrastinate so much.

[@ThesaurusToblerone]

I just wanted to say that procrastination can also be a symptom of an anxiety disorder rather than a sign of a lack of self discipline/ laziness (I.e when you think about your essay your fight or flight response kicks in and you choose "flight"), so I would suggest seeing someone about it (long before the essay is due, and maybe the week the essay is due as well) if you find that you can't "just do it." :)

[@JeansThoughts]

+ThesaurusToblerone of course, 'just doing it' definitely isn't easy haha but as someone who suffers from mental health problems I've always found starting earlier, spacing things out and creating my own deadlines helps me manage my anxiety better. You're right though, definitely seek out help from staff and never put that off! You can only get if you ask ^_^

[@ladressable]

as someone who is currently procrastinating on studying for exams this has just given me motivation. great video xx

[@thebookfox]

I adopted the self-inflicted deadline approach as well! My first year was such a disaster - I procrastinated, I skipped weeks worth of lectures, I spent too much time thinking about how much time I had till such-and-such a project/essay/report was due that I ALWAYS left it to the last minute and then I would feel literally sick with worry and anger at myself for wasting this amazing opportunity. Second year was when I set a structure to my day, made sure I attended as much as I could, got comfortable in the library and, most importantly, changed all my deadlines. In a weird way, my disastrous first year really helped shape me into a much more organised and happier person :) Great tips!!

[@JossArden]

I had a classmate in school who gave me a bit of advice you did: she took one day off per week from anything school related. When I gave it a try, I found I was much more productive on the days I did do school work. Thanks for your advice. I'm hoping to go back to school (again) and I'll have to keep these ideas in mind.

[@KittyAndTheBooks]

I agree a lot with you. I don't work well with stress and pressure as well. It's so much easier to have enough time for work. Also I forgot to take a day off when I wrote my dissertation and that's a big mistake... Whenever I realized that and just did take like two days off, I had a huge break-through.

[@minamiaule]

`just stop putting things off, just do them` :D so easy and obvious, yet the best possible advice

[@emolylouise]

I am watching this as I'm putting off two essays that are due Friday. Hmm.

[@JeansThoughts]

+Emily Finch Dooooo it ;)

[@BohoBookworm]

I used to be so good at time management and lately it's all gone downhill! I don't know why! Thank you for the tips - they are all so helpful!

[@jhewart72]

Great tips! Time management is a big thing for me, i'm working full time and studying for a degree part-time, a self-imposed deadline is a great idea!

[@thatjerseygirl]

Watching this while trying to get a report finished, 'just do it' is a tip I really needed to hear today (: great video!

[@booksnotlovers]

I'm at my fourth year of uni, and I find these really helpful. I'm awful at time management (two days until an essay is due, and I'm watching yt-videos istead of writing). But we so rarely get information early on in the semester though. We have obligatory assignments for every course, and I wish we could get the information as soon as the semester starts, but usually we have only two weeks to write them.

[@rosemannering]

Totally agree with scheduling your essays for yourself before the deadline - I always did this and found it helped so much :)

[@JeansThoughts]

+Rose Mannering This is why we are geniuses ^_^

[@deliginaprifti9628]

This was lovely and quite motivating.Also you drinking coffee and chatting felt like getting advice from a good friend.Thank you.

[@aejlindvall]

This video couldn't have come at a better time for me - I have a longer essay to produce till January the 7th, so basically I have to write all through christmas and new years, and have been freaking out a bit on how to manage my time. Usually I'm quite good at it, for shorter essays, but this one feels so new and scary. Thank you!

[@nishapan1376]

I am exactly the same way in that I don't work well under pressure and the more I put things off the harder I find to start. This video is greatly validating for me. Thank you Jean!

[@JeansThoughts]

Aha glad to hear it ;) - Jean

[@lizzie3991]

It's so true that self-discipline is key to low-stress work, and I really like the other tips you gave. It's a bummer that the classes I'm just wrapping up only gave me about two weeks notice before essays or projects were due. Very stressful, because I don't work well under pressure. :(

[@justatinyhalfling]

What a wonderful video, thanks so much!! I have been participating in a seminar for stress management and they helped me a lot as well. What I found most useful was designating fixed time slots for the activities I am supposed to do, plus designating time for hobbies and free time. This really helped me a lot. My To-Do list used to drive me insane, I seemed to loom over everything I did and said "NOT ENOUGH TIIIME". :D Now, I not only write down what I have to do, but also decide WHEN I do it. Combined with a weekly schedule of regular activities like classes, chores and gym time, I now have a rough outline of the upcoming week. This way, I have an overview of my work time/free time and I can pick up a book or meet up with friends without guilt, because I consciously designated this time to do just this. It takes the stress level down immensly. :)

[@LydiaEmily]

This is a wonderful video of advice. I know I don't need it anymore as I've finished my uni degrees, but it's so true and I'm sure will help lots of people! I found at uni that, unfortunately, the most useful time management tip was "just do the damn work". Always love your uni videos :)

[@LaQuaintrelleChristie]

I definitely need a mini Jean on my shoulder in the library telling me all of this, haha. I really like the idea of setting personal deadlines - I'm going to try that one this semester. I really struggle with finding the energy to do everything that I need to do so my therapist set me the task of writing out a detailed, considered timetable of what I was going to do each week and when I was going to have time to myself, which DEFINITELY helped. I've only got four months left of my degree now and I'm *this* close to getting a first so thanks for the inspiration to get my head down!

[@12sodium13]

I'm watching this during my revision break, I have my first ever uni exams in January and ahhh, there's so much stuff to go over and so many lectures to rewatch, so this video definitely comes in very handy :D Especially since I know that things are probably just going to get harder and harder after first year, I'm interested in eventually doing a PhD as well, so I probably have a lot of studying ahead of me... I was the queen of procrastination back at school, and I still find myself watching youtube videos for 4 hours, when all I wanted to do was take a "short 30 minute break", but I definitely found that coming to uni and actually studying something I'm very interested in has helped me so, so much in getting motivated to do work. Great video!

[@JessicaHeartsALot]

This video was so helpful! I just finished my first semester in graduate school and I felt like I never had a good schedule or a handle on everything. I have a monday to friday job then have classes some nights so it has been a struggle. I think giving myself down time is important and starting things earlier in the semester will be very helpful!

[@juk2023]

all your tips are spot on I'm deffo an under pressure last minute essay writer but it sometimes doesn't get me the best grades!

[@malfoyswaggered]

Thank you for all the inspiration and motivation, Jean! Discovering your vlogs has been such a godsend for me! I'm about to start my second year as a Classics student in Australia - I really look up to you, and I can't thank you enough for the time you take to help, encourage and inspire people like me :) x

[@nokiddingbrainless]

I'm watching this as I'm procrastinating writing an essay... oops. But these are great tips, I'm the same as you, most productive before noon and least productive under pressure. I'm definitely gonna try the fake deadline thing. Although I think it'll be hard to keep them because I KNOW they're not the real deadline. I'm pleased to see that I already do a lot of these things, even getting up early to go to the library sometimes. That's another tip I would add: Go to the library to study, maybe even use one of their computers instead of your own. That way it's much harder to start procrastinating. I always find myself much less tempted to just watch KZbin videos instead of work when I'm in the library!

[@hannahsmith6303]

Some really useful tips, I myself struggle with time management. I commute to university which takes an hour so I don't get home till past 6 sometimes 8 some nights. Then at weekends I work both days at my job so I'm a pro at procrastinating as I'm usually so tired I always give myself breaks and leave things to the week before which worked for first year because my essays weren't part of my actual grade (they didn't count) but this year they do so i've pushed myself to go to the library during my lunch breaks and start working on my essays soon as I get them.

[@sophialism]

Just what I needed! Thank you, Jean! btw, more rumbly videos are awesome. feels like chatting with a friend.

[@lauren499]

Next semester I am starting a course in Ancient History , this was really useful thanks Jean.

[@styleandstyleability]

I am definitely on the same page as you in that I like to create a personal deadline for myself and finish my work with an ample amount of time to spare. This strategy has helped tremendously w/ my studies at Uni and just w/ LIFE in general. :-)

[@gyhrioa]

Thanks so much for this video😊 I'm in my 2nd year at uni and writing essays right now so these tips are so useful right now.

[@teaspoones]

I have to start writing my dissertation soon and this was so helpful! Thank you!

[@JasonPurcell]

This was SO USEFUL, even though I'm out of school for the moment. I have a difficult time scheduling my time and my work and enforcing a schedule, but this is so helpful for me. I really appreciate that you made this video!

[@JeansThoughts]

+Jason Purcell Oh so glad you thought it was helpful! I was worried it would end up incoherent haha. Time management I have got - public speaking I have not :) thank god for editing

[@apickling]

Thank you, it was really helpful to hear that. I'm in my first year of university and I now have an entire month to study for my first semester exams, and I didn't have a really good system these past months, but as soon as the second semester starts I hope I'll manage to get things done in a better way. As soon as I manage to have a good system for a few days I ruin it, I don't know why. Maybe it will take me a few more months, but I hope I will get a good system by the end of the next semester. Thanks again x

[@carly1165]

very helpful! I was actually taking notes. :) I really like the idea of only working 6 days a week 9-6. I'll probably try that next term. thanks Jean!

[@LaurasOnlineAgain]

this helped me so much! I'm currently like 4 weeks behind on uni work, and this made me want to organise and motivate myself, thank you! xx

[@h.i.m.3200]

Hahaha I could have used this video when I was feeling lazy/unmotivated about writing my term paper a month ago XD I'm the kind of person who does things relatively late--even when I set out to do them early. It just becomes so stressful as the deadline crops closer. But thank you so much for this video! I think I'm going to watch this at the beginning of the next semester to feel motivated about doing things early. I'll try to be more disciplined and stick to my deadlines.

[@ayala3261]

Thank you for this! It came just at the right time. I think I'm going to start the whole changing your deadline thing. It will probably take the pressure of things.

[@shannonmccrackenx]

I'm hoping to be staring college at the end of next year, for me that's scary due to the amount of work I know I'm going to get but this video has helped for that. Thank you for making this video!☺

[@bookwormstalk]

This is such a good idea to talk about for vlogmas! Loved this ✊🏻

[@romy2057]

You once said you were nervous about making university videos, but I have absolutely no idea why! Your advice is really helpful Jean. I'm in my first year of university and I'm still figuring out what works and what doesn't, but so far, I've discovered getting up early and getting work done is so so rewarding. Nothing worse than reflecting on your day and realising you've been unproductive until 11 o'clock! P.S. Maybe you could talk about studying for tests some time? Figuring out what to study for a test is one of the hardest things in uni, and advice on this is scarce. I realise that it might be really hard, but if you happen to have some advice, I would very much like to see a video about it! :)

[@therealkatodm]

Ironically enough, I am watching this when I should be writing an essay... So I should get back to work then! :D Good video!

[@arcadiaaa1370]

I just wrote an essay in less than two hours last night so I think I need this video lol

[@hellothere3683]

super useful tips, thank you!

[@carolinagonzalez8270]

Great tips! Thank you!

[@crystaloona]

I'm French and I study engineering so I don't have essays, I only have lessons and exercises, and projects in groups. However, I still find your advices useful, I can apply them to studying :D Thank's !

[@JeansThoughts]

+Tsukinotear So glad to hear that! Makes my rambling worth while haha.

[@freeyourmind16]

This video was so helpful! Thanks so much for sharing :)

[@Lily-qj2gf]

Love these! Especially now that finals are here. :D

[@PashionuetSutaruu]

Tell it like it is! Great advice, super helpful! : )

[@TheKrystolMethod]

Great tips!

[@marialane3514]

I know this is beside the point, but every time you said "do it", I thought of that Shia Labeouf video, lol. That aside, as someone going into uni this coming fall, this is a really helpful video and I really appreciate it! :)

[@rosiethreakallrosiefreckle5765]

I wish I could start my work at week 3! A lot of our written work is reflective (I do drama) so we rarely get information on how to start them like 2 weeks before they're due haha :( Will definitely set myself deadlines though!

[@JeansThoughts]

+Rosie Threakall Oh that is annoying! Still I hope this was semi helpful haha and good luck with uni!

[@indubitablyzara]

Watching this video while taking a break from writing a paper that was due Friday...I also have a final and two papers due tomorrow that I haven't started. o.O So clearly I should use these tips, but probably starting next semester, as I'm not sure there's much I can do now except power through.

[@BorichaConsumer]

For some reason the video just stops working for me at 10:34. Thought my internet went down at first, but it didn't.

[@caitlin436]

This is a great idea especially for the two essays - but I'm finding my university essay questions are often based around lectures that won't happen until maybe a week or two before, and so I can't finish it long before the deadline... how would you tackle this? I don't really want to base it fully off my own reading when there's a perfectly good, balanced lecture I can learn from, but this fucks with my time management.

[@brookewilliams7563]

You are so pretty 💗

[@RUBBERSOULED]

this is honestly so helpful. i mean i'm one of those people whose minds can only function closer to the deadline, but im just so stressed and overwhelmed with all the work that i need to do. can i just ask.. do you do this for your master's? because i find that i have SO MANY overlapping deadlines that i dont even know if its possible to make personal deadlines like you said.. i hope i make sense -_-

[@JeansThoughts]

I actually had less deadlines during my masters because there was less classes but they were bigger essays/projects that I had to hand in (then a summer of dissertation writing). I did work the same way in my masters though :). In my undergrad I would have 3 essays for the end of each of the two terms and 3 smaller projects half way through each term. I don't know if that helps.

[@lilithcarter]

I should know better, but sometimes it's so hard to just get on with things, particularly when you aren't used to studying

[@nanarepetto6501]

hi!! i what to know how you are evalueated. I´m from Argentina and i study History. Here the University only takes exams, long oral examinations. We don´t "due essays". Do you have some kind of an exam, or just writing papers?? thanks!! loved your tipss

[@JeansThoughts]

+Luciana Repetto Each course at my university had an essay which made up around 40% of that classes grade and an exam at the end of the year which made up the rest, the exams were always written exams :).

[@Slendergirl89]

Hope this isn't too invasive but what kind of grades did you get at uni? Is it super difficult to get a first or a high 2:1 in a humanities subject like Classics or English Lit? I love these videos by the way, they're so helpful -- today shall be productive! :D

[@JeansThoughts]

I got a 2:1 in undergrad and a 1st in my postgrad. It's hard for me to comment on the difficulty compared to other subjects as I didn't do them aha. Also, I would say, English Lit is incredibly different to what I did at uni :). I would say getting a 1st at my university, Edinburgh University, in Classics was not easy. Barely anyone got one in my undergrad or postgrad and I believe the average number of people who are given 1st in classics at Edinburgh is a lot lower than amongst those who did History degrees but then the difficulty of your degree is all relative. A 2:1 was the average amongst my friends at undegrad but we all worked incredibly hard. I am so glad to hear you enjoyed the video!

[@anaissainza]

I suck at time management, I'm the queen of making excuses... That might be because I hate what I'm studying right now, which is pretty sad, but well... I guess I should just do what I have to do and stop complainig, but DAMN IT, it's so diffiiiicuuult.

[@SDmcrae97]

If you'd made this video in September I'd be so much less dead right now... First trimester has killed me 😜

[@zadeh8996]

Points were v strong to begin with but it became a little 'rambly' after. Thanks for the vid anyway.

[@LadyofLetters]

I don't believe people who say they "work better under pressure". It's always better to start early so that you can plan.

[@nonono6537]

*shia labeouf screaming in the distance*