Back to school - tips for mature students

Last week, I went back to university to study a part-time Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling.  Even though I have done some introductory courses over the past 4 years in preparation for this one, it has been over 10 years since I've studied at academic level.  I spent the final few weeks on the run up to my start date thinking that I must be off my head to take this on but it's something I really want to do.
So, last Monday I dusted the holiday sand of my Kanken (literally) and off I went to begin my new course armed with cat highlighters and a Frozen pencil case.

It's exciting and scary all the same time although most of the people on my course are in the same boat.  Most of us are juggling work, coursework, voluntary work and life in general and none of us expect it to be easy. For anyone in the same position, here are three tips I can share so far:

1.  Invest in a proper academic diary

I can be really absent minded at times and I was paranoid I would forget things or end up missing appointments so I decided I really needed a decent diary.  After perusing various options, I opted for The Palgrave Student Planner over and above the cutesy kitty/pony/dog/cupcake varieties I'd normally go for.  I can't recommend this diary highly enough.  It contains everything you could possibly want in a diary and tons more besides.  As well as lists of student contacts and general advice, it has timetable planners, space for notes and deadlines and to-do lists. If like me and so many other mature students (or any students for that matter) you are juggling various things at once, I would certainly advise using and checking your diary regularly.  The monthly to-do list pages are my favourite feature so far.

2.  Make the most of your student card

Regardless of whether you are full-time, part-time or how old you are - take advantage of the student discounts available to you.  Attending university can be expensive and any savings you can make elsewhere are a bonus.  I also invested in a NUS extra card which costs £12 per year but entitles you to a 5% discount from Amazon, 10% off Superdrug, 10% off Co-operative Food and up to 40% off Pizza Express among other things.  However, the student card issued by your university or college entitles you to discounts in loads of high street shops such as New Look and Paperchase and will get you money off cinema tickets.  Also download the UniDays app on your smartphone or access their websites for details of special offers and discounts available to students.

3.  Read

I realised very quickly, on day one to be exact, that I hadn't put quite enough importance on reading academic books and papers.  Yes, I got the recommended reading list weeks before and I invested in the book I thought would be most relevant but I hadn't really given much thought to the rest. Lecturers (particularly at graduate level) assume a certain amount of knowledge and my knowledge is slightly rusty.  Thankfully, I'm not the only one in this position but that's not the point.  I can't emphasise enough the importance of reading around your chosen subject particularly if it's been a while since you studied.  You don't have to buy every book on the reading list.  Make use of your university/college library and the services available there. For example, having been out of the loop for several years, I was surprised to learn that I could access library books and journal articles online from home.  This is hugely helpful and saves a lot of time and money in some cases.  Failing that, look on Amazon or Ebay for second hand books if you don't want to fork out for new copies.

Kanken backpack - www.ilovemykanken.com / The Palgrave Student Planner - Waterstones / Cat highlighters - Paperchase / Frozen pencil case - Tesco