It’s nearly that dreaded time of year again, and exam season is once again around the corner. And while I’m currently drowning in a never ending to do list of assignments and lectures to catch up on, I thought I’d share some lessons I have learnt to help you navigate second year.
Time Management is Everything
The biggest thing that the second year has taught me is time management. First year definitely helped build this skill, but second year has really made me question why there are only 24 hours in a day. Between coursework, internship hunting, extracurriculars and trying to maintain somewhat of a social life, balancing everything can feel impossible.
There are many great tools out there, such as time blocking, but my personal favourite is a simple prioritised daily to-do list. I found that planning an entire week rarely works for me because what I need to get done constantly ends up changing. Instead, I focus on what’s due the soonest and what topics I struggle with the most. Having a list written down on exactly what I need to get done that day helps me stay on track and prioritise my most important tasks. Plus, it’s so satisfying just getting to cross a task out.
Not everything will make sense right away
Understanding Content
- Second year introduces more complex topics, and it’s totally normal for things not to click immediately. Sometimes, a lecture or topic doesn’t make sense until you revisit it or hear it explained from a different perspective. I often found myself having to re-rewatch lectures before things finally start to make sense.
Specialisation choice
- It is also more common than you think to question your specialisation choice. It can be hard to know if you’ve truly made the right decision, or if the career path your specialisation leads to is really what’s meant for you. If you find yourself doubting whether or not you made the right choice, just remember that it’s completely normal to not have everything figured out. I found that this clarity often comes over time. And don’t forget that the choice you made in the first year isn’t set in stone. There’s always the option to switch specialisations if you need to.
Study Techniques
One thing I definitely miss from first year is having the luxury of a summary/cheat sheet. In second year (civil), this sadly becomes a foreign concept. Even so, I find that writing a summary sheet is still a really great way of studying, especially in those memorisation-heavy courses. I also find that active recall and summarising lectures in your own words, rather than memorising them word for word, also helps a lot.
For understanding-based courses, practice problems and the Feynman technique (teaching a concept to someone else) are great ways to check if you have truly understood a problem. Study groups can also be super helpful, since it’s basically multiple brain powers working together (As long as it doesn’t turn into a catch-up session, which somehow always does).
So, if you relied heavily on cheat sheets in the first year, be prepared to adjust your study preparation method!
Self Care – Take time for yourself!
Burnouts and crashouts are so real. Second year can have weeks where the workload feels relentless, and during these periods, it is so easy to forget to take care of yourself. Taking breaks can feel impossible when everything is due at once, but remembering to rest is just as important as studying! I’ve also found that talking to friends or people around you can make the workload feel a whole lot lighter. Finding that balance has really helped me to stay consistent in the long term (without burning out!).
Perspective is everything
A lesson I learned in my first year that continues to help me in my second year is that one disappointing result is not the end of the world, nor does it define you. It’s all about how you see it. Instead, I look at it as an opportunity to reflect on why I didn’t get the result I hoped for and what I can do differently next time.
A lot of times, things don’t go the way we hoped for, and that’s okay. Learning to adapt, stay resilient and keep moving forward is what really matters.
Second year has truly challenged me in so many different ways. It’s been tough and exhausting at times, but also full of so many rewarding and incredible opportunities. Looking back, what once felt impossible often wasn’t.
Good luck to everyone during these busy weeks ahead. Manage your time wisely and remember to take care of yourself! See you in the next one!
Jolie.