This year has seen a change in the way university students are learning, notably with a greater emphasis on self-led learning. Lecturers have provided a wealth of resources to help you learn and to try to make sure you’ve got the same quality of education, but something that can’t be linked on a module page is motivation, especially when you’re spending a lot of your time learning in a bedroom, away from your course mates, with notifications popping up on your phone that detail the current struggles of the world.

Throughout the autumn term, we received feedback that students are struggling with time-management, focus and motivation. We know that these things are going to be even more difficult in light of the fact that at least the first few weeks of Term 2 are going to be delivered fully online for the majority of students, and many won’t be returning to their term time accommodation where they’re used to studying.

Therefore, I wanted to revive the Write Now campaign and collate all the resources we could to help you write, right now: whether it’s for exam revision, assignment deadlines or just day-to-day study. I’ve collated tips and tricks to help you with productivity and time-management, tips for relaxation (which is just as important), information about mitigation policies for both universities (if the circumstances are preventing you from completing assessments to your full potential) and information about welfare resources available (if the current circumstances are having a significant impact on your mental health).

I hope this will be useful. My biggest piece of advice is to keep in touch with your course mates, even setting up zoom study groups! Being able to ask your peers questions and monitor your progress against theirs can be helpful for reducing stress. But also, remember, the pandemic is having varying effects on everyone. You might not be able to work to your normal standard, and that’s ok; that’s why mitigation is in place to support you.  

Alongside this campaign I have been communicating your concerns around workload management to the University of Exeter. Many departments are now trying to improve the layout of ELE pages and be clearer about what you need to do on your course. Please keep providing feedback so we can continue to communicate with both Falmouth and Exeter on what’s working well and what isn’t and provide the best student experience that we can for you in these unprecedented times.

Be productive (as much as possible), be kind to yourself and stay safe!