From my experience, this kind of article usually tells you to get prepared, work hard, manage your time well and enjoy. So let’s get that out of the way from the beginning so we can get to the real stuff.

That advice is usually very helpful at the beginning of term but I’ll let you guys in on a little secret. After reading many preparation articles and attending introduction lectures, I was really enthusiastic and started to plan what I was going to do for the academic year in my head but when I got into my bedroom with a phone and a bed I had no motivation!

One thing I am definitely good at is procrastinating, giving myself loads of excuses on why I don’t need to do anything other than watch TV (it’s very fun, but I paid a great price afterwards). So my tip is — find your motivation.

Make sure you treat yourself once you’ve finished your work!

It doesn’t necessarily have to be something huge like wanting to be a journalist or an anchor on the BBC. Anything that you love can be your own special motivation, in my case, it’s my idols and television. I understand it is the “most” difficult thing to put down your phones/iPads/laptops to get to work, I really do but there is something you should know. Carrying guilt and anxiety about the unfinished assignment or project that you will need to do anyway, will make your entertainment experience less fun.

Therefore, why don’t try a new way? Finish your work with 100% concentration when the assignment is given or within 2 weeks, then you will have the rest of the time for television/your own personal motivation. That way you won’t have to stay up overnight to finish that “stupid” essay and get a lower grade than you would get if you put all of your effort in.

A few other tips:

• Take a 5-minute-break in every 10 minutes of your ‘100% concentration work time’.
• Try standing up and have a glass of water, maybe even stretch a little (definitely helps).

Of course, I am not saying that you have to finish all your work in such short period but try your very best to plan and work on them as soon as possible.

These tips might be something that’s useful for you (and me^^) for the rest of our lives. Good luck~~