By Knowing what is expected of you and how much time you can realistically commit to study, you can get prepared early and set yourself up for study success. What helps you get prepared at the beginning of semester?

1. CRICOS:QLD00244B,NSW02225M|TEQSA:PRV1208122.1.D07.2015

2. When it comes to studying online,
spending time with your family, working,
having a social life and squeezing in
some sleep, two things are certain.
The first is that study takes time and
time is not something we have a lot of.
The second is that getting prepared
early can set you up for study
success later on down the track.

3. 'But I am prepared, I' ve printed
everything off and bought my textbooks.'
We hear you loud and clear! But there
is more you can do to get prepared for
study success than purchasing your
textbooks, although this is a good start.
With almost 50 years experience in
supporting students reach their potential,
follow these tips and tricks on
how to get prepared early and set
yourself up for study success.

4. As the saying goes, 'you don't know, what you don't know.'
Whether you came straight from high school, took a gap year or are
taking up study later in life, your first semester at uni can leave you
feeling like a deer caught in the headlights.
Depending on what you are studying, you can expect you'll need to
find time to complete a number of different activities, which will
contribute to you achieving success at USQ.

5. Course materials
These may come in a variety of different
formats, depending on your lecturer and your
degree. You may have access to recorded
lectures, recorded tutorials, slide decks or
voice recordings.
Tutorials Acti v iti es
These are activities that will help reinforce
your understanding of key issues and concepts
covered in the course materials each week. These
may be practice exam questions, quizzes or
problems for you to answer or discuss with your
classmates.

6. READI NGS
Readings may be in the form of journal articles,
news stories or textbooks. Typically, you might
be asked to read a couple of textbook chapters
each week. These readings will provide another
opportunity for you to compliment what you
have learned from the course materials.
Assessment
Assessment varies greatly between courses.
Depending on what you are studying you may
be asked to write essays or reports, answer
questions or complete exams.
Practical components
Subjects such as education, engineering and
nursing all have practical elements. As online
students, you are still required to complete the
practical requirements for your course.
This may be done by attending a prac placement
in a workplace or by visiting USQ Toowoomba to
attend Residential Schools

7. Studying can feel like a chore at times, but it
is important to think about it as preparation
for the future.
Many lecturers at USQ remind students to think
of themselves as professionals in training.
Whether you are working towards becoming
an artist, a teacher, a nurse, a psychologist or
any other professional, you are at university
to get the training you need to pursue your
passion.
So while, yes, there will be times when
the amount of work you have to do feels
impossible, putting it in perspective can help
give you that extra motivation
you need.

8. Where to start
they say the best place to start
is at the beginning
Start by looking at the course outlines for each
subject. There are two places you can find this
information. The first is USQ StudyDesk and the
second is the USQ Handbook.
By looking at the course outline, you will get an
indication what you will be expected to do for each
course and how long it may take you to complete.
There is no right or wrong amount of time to spend
on each course, but for an undergraduate degree,
you can expect to spend anywhere between 10-15
hours a week learning the material and completing
the assessment for
each subject.

9. Finding the time
There is nothing worse then feeling like
there are not enough hours in the day.
It's important to know how much time you can
realistically commit to study. Have a look at a
typical week and ask yourself, how much time you
can realistically set aside to study. If the answer
is only 25 hours, you should probably reconsider a
full-time study load.

10. By knowing what is expected of
you and how much time you can
realistically commit to study,
you can get prepared early and set
yourself up for study success.

11. Making the most
of your time
Using your time effectively can be the
difference between finishing an assignment
the day before or an hour before, it is due.
When you are planning your study sessions,
remember keep them short and take scheduled
breaks. Research has shown that the most
successful study sessions are 52 minutes long and
are followed by a 17-minute break1
exact, we know!

12. We know it can be hard to find 30 minutes of peace to study, let alone
52 minutes! If this sounds like you, check out our Studying under
the pump slideshare, with tips on how to study
in 15, 30 and 60-minute blocks.
By getting prepared early, you can have everything on-hand for a quick
and effective study session, helping you move one study
session closer to study success!
We know it can be hard to find 30
minutes of peace to study, let alone
52 minutes! If this sounds like you,
check out our Studying under the
pump slideshare, with tips on how
to study in 15, 30 and 60-minute
blocks.
By getting prepared early, you can
have everything on-hand for a quick
and effective study session, helping
you move one study session closer to
study success!

13. Studying is a
team effort
You might not realise it just yet, but studying
at university is a team effort.
Think of those around you, whether it be your partner, children,
housemates or parents, as part of your team.
Sometimes, being prepared for students also means preparing those
around you. If you are going to sit down for an epic study session
on a Saturday afternoon, let those around you know. Set some
expectations with them about how long you plan to be studying for
and how they can support you.
You never know, they might even bring you a study snack!

14. So while you can't create more hours in a day, you can get
prepared early and set yourself up for study success by:
- Knowing what to expect
- Finding the time
- Making the most of your time
- Preparing your study team for what to expect!
CRICOS: QLD00244B NSW02225M TEQSA: PRV12081 22.1.D 07.2015
social.usq.edu.au