Adjustment To New School Term

In this short podcast, we're going to have a conversation about the hardships of adjusting to a new school term, and the best ways to go about it. This is a track that will provide us insight into change, adjustment, and resilience.

Transcript

This podcast is brought to you by the SMU Mrs Wong Kwok Leong Student Wellness Centre. In this six minutes podcast, I will share with you six personal tips for adjustment to the start of a new term. Students have shown that the transition to university can be very challenging for some students. The first tip I would like to touch upon would be on setting goals for yourself. To stay on track and motivated, You must be clear regarding the objective for you being here in SMU. Take time to write out the goals you hope to achieve. They can be academic, Like maintain a 3. 4 GPA, Social, Like join the SMU Samba Masala. Bring this list of goals to university and as you bring your goals to fruition, Think about how much you have grown and changed. Focus on constant improvement and being better than the person you were yesterday. You will be amazed by what a new and supportive environment can help you achieve. Throughout my interaction with students, I have noticed a common trait in undergraduate students who are happy and well-adjusted. My second tip, Openness. Being open to new people, Perspectives and different ways of doing things will allow you to grow in ways unimaginable, Even to yourself. Recognise that being in a culturally and socially diverse environment like SMU, It will allow a deeper understanding of not just about others but also about yourself. Contrasting opinions and differing views need not lead to conflicts. In fact, Many conflicting disagreements can be viewed and reinterpreted as happy problems. These situations allow you to rethink using a different lens. Such situations also allow emerging knowledge and personal growth to take place. Next, I will touch on the applicable pointers that you can apply directly in SMU context. The third tip, Turn up for lessons. It does seem simple enough, However, Many students have the habit of skipping lectures. Once this has begun, It is hard to stop. Your purpose is to learn from the collective knowledge and experiences from the professors and peers here. You really can do so only by being there. Try to maintain a regular sleep routine. You can do so by establishing a relaxing routine before bedtime. This may involve having a hot bath or listening to soothing music. This helps to separate your bedtime from activities that cause too much excitement or stress, Which can make it more difficult for you to fall asleep. Fourth tip, Sit in the front. This will help you to pay more attention, Take better notes and ease the inhibition of asking questions. You also will get to meet other key learners who tend to sit in front. And there you have it, A study group of motivated, Like-minded students. Connect with them and support one another through productive learning and peer inquiry. Listen and share tips within the group. Connecting with your peers enables you to grow personally, Socially and academically. Procrastination is a practice that is unhelpful to students. The more you let your assignments drag on, The faster they part. My fifth tip, Get started. Break your study load chunks into smaller bits and pieces. Set a schedule and have the discipline to monitor constantly and see it through. If you have used the same method which was applied in the past but had little success now, You might want to shake things up a little differently. Attempt the difficult or uninteresting topics first. You might realise that they really aren't that challenging after all. Find out different ways of studying, Shorten the durations of study periods and experiment with different timings of the day. What had worked during your polytechnic or junior college might no longer be as effective now. Reward yourself for every progressive step and effort made. Give yourself a trade now and then. There is no need to wait till graduation for celebration. Taking time out to celebrate small achievements will rejuvenate and encourage you to strive harder. Last but not least, The final tip, Stay connected. Social support is important and you can increase your social network by actively taking part in the variety of CCAs and events on campus. Learn with your old friends and forge meaningful relationships with people you meet in SMU. Take initiative and arrange for lunch appointments with new friends. Meeting and knowing new people will make your study experience more interesting and insightful. There are so many people at SMU who are here to help you succeed. You have the Student Wellness Centre, Office of Student Life, Centre for English Communication, Career Centre and many more. There's no reason to ever feel alone. We are here to help so never ever hesitate to reach out. I hope you have enjoyed this podcast. Wishing you well.