University study help

Jul 23, 2019

Written By Billy Sexton and Anna Vall Navés

Despite all the stereotypes about students having an easy ride, we understand that there’s actually a lot of work involved at university—especially if you’re doing a law degree. For this reason, studying can be very stressful, particularly in the latter years of study. However, it’s important that you don’t get swamped down with work and feel that there isn’t help available to you. Every university will offer a variety of different study services to ensure that your studying goes as smoothly as possible.

Talk to your tutor

If your studies aren’t going as smoothly as you would like and you’re about to buckle under the pressure of three pieces of coursework, your first port of call should be your tutor or lecturer. It’s their job to make sure you perform to the best of your ability, and they’re likely to have felt the same in their own studies—they’re academics, after all, and have a few degrees under their belt. Whether it’s advice on time management or some extra guidance on how to write up your arguments, tutors are extremely helpful when it comes to study help.

The Dean of Students

If your tutor doesn’t quite cut it when it comes to offering study advice, or for whatever reason you can’t bring yourself to see them, most universities will have a Dean of Students service.

If you’re not sure what we mean by the Dean of Students, they offer advice on all aspects of student life, from money management to pesky housemates. As you can imagine, they’re in pretty high demand given that they have a whole university to serve. However, they offer good advice on study skills that’s free of charge. Appointments are usually kept confidential.

The Dean of Students service offers workshops on study and revision skills, on how to write academically, and even on the mathematical or statistical part of your course.

Students’ union advice

Believe it or not, your students’ union doesn’t exist solely for the purpose of providing cheap alcohol en masse. They may also offer guidance and study advice, as well as campaigning on your behalf to get things changed for the better. For example, if you have a manic exam timetable that consists of four exams in two days, you could speak to the students’ union to see if they could campaign to make sure students have a maximum of one exam a day.

Students’ unions can also offer advice and help on how to report extenuating circumstances.

Look after your mental health

There are many people you can reach out to for academic help during your time at university, but it’s just as important that you look after your wellbeing. University can be a testing time, and sometimes the stress can become overwhelming; many university students experience stress at one point or another, particularly during exam periods. Luckily, if you ever find yourself in a position where you’re finding things difficult to manage, there are many places you can go to for help.

The vast majority of universities have a free and confidential in-house counselling service, available to all students. You can usually find out about them on your university’s website, and many universities even have a mental-health adviser that can help you access the support you need.

If you’d rather speak to another student, many students’ unions have their own student-led counselling services. You might not be speaking to qualified counsellors, but sometimes it can be nice to have a chat with someone who understands exactly what you’re going through.

Alternatively, you can always access counselling through the NHS. You can book appointments online for free, and the NHS even has an online self-help guide that can give you tips on how to take care of yourself or help you decide what kind of help to seek.

Even just a short chat with a friend or a family member can help you get through stressful periods. Whichever method you prefer, don’t be afraid to reach out! Everyone understands that university is a challenging time and that, no matter what, your health comes first.

The LLB contains a lot of work, but it shouldn’t become a burden. If it ever does, there’s no shame in asking for help—it’s often the case that students getting the highest grades have sought advice at some point during their degree.

Next article: Law revision tips

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