The Library and Learning Services Student Engagement team (aka the UniSkills team) have recently recruited some new Student Advisors to join our already established (and award winning!) team. As current students, they bring a wealth of experience from studying at Edge Hill as well as a great variety of subject knowledge from their individual disciplines. Read on to get to know who they are, what they are studying and their top Study Happy tips!

LAURA

My name is Laura, and I am a second-year mature student of MA Nineteenth-Century Studies. I started working as a Student Advisor in September 2021, so am relatively new to the role. However, I have developed many key skills over the course of my studies, from academic writing to personal resilience, and am excited to share everything I have learned with you. Even training as an Student Advisor has opened my eyes to resources I didn’t previously know about, such as Edge Hill’s Returning to Learning group. 

When it comes to successful study, your wellbeing is crucial. My Study Happy tip is to give yourself rewards. Create a realistic study schedule (e.g. work from 10am – 5pm, including lunch and breaks), and set yourself achievable goals. For example, a goal might be to read a couple of journal articles within a set time frame (e.g. from 10am – 12pm). When you achieve a goal, give yourself a treat! It could be anything from a nice cup of tea to lunch with friends. Positive reinforcement is the perfect way to ensure you remain happy and motivated. 

PAULA

My name is Paula Garlick, I am a third year Psychology student, just embarking on my dissertation. I became a Student Advisor in September this year, so I’m new, but already enjoying the experience considerably.  Something you should know about me is that I am not your typical student. I am a mature student and am very late in starting my higher education journey at the age of 54. As a mature student I can thoroughly recommend the Returning to Learning workshops as you get to meet other older students on different courses and share our experiences, problems and solutions. It’s also a nice excuse to have a chat and a cup of coffee.

I like to think that I am a positive person most of the time, but we all have our down moments and it can be harder to juggle when you are older and have heavy commitments outside of university. If I feel the pressure building I like to take myself away for half an hour and I will have a walk around the gorgeous grounds if I’m on campus. If I’m at home I’ll either put something on Netflix for a bit of a binge, read some fiction or spend time with my lovely children and my cat Lucy.

EMMA

Hello, I’m Emma, and I’m in my third year studying a joint degree in Creative Writing and Film Studies! I’m one of the newer student advisors as I only joined the team in September. I already feel I’ve had so much opportunity to get involved and love being part of it! 

One tip I would recommend is making sure you Study Happy is to try and incorporate things you enjoy into your studying routine. It can sometimes feel like a drag when you have to sit down and complete your work, but little changes can make a big difference.

Examples could be lighting your favourite candle, putting a soft instrumental playlist on in the background, or choosing your favourite snack to nibble on while you study.  By making these changes I’m able to approach studying with a more positive and productive mindset and actually enjoy myself while I’m completing my work. It doesn’t have to be draining, and approaching it as an activity you can take some enjoyment from really does help you to feel happier and more productive when studying. Try it out, and remember that studying happy is studying for success! 

ALEX

Hi, my name is Alex, and I am currently a third year Geography and Geology student at Edge Hill university. I am new to the student advisor role only beginning mid-September but I’m eager to continue and do the best I can. I work part time as a specialist customer assistant at Booths supermarket on the deli and hot counter. Basically I slice cheese and wrap it pretty! I recently took part in the digital student internship which is where I was made aware of the student advisor role. I enjoy playing on my Xbox in my downtime and I make a lot of milkshakes.  

My top study happy tip would definitely be to timetable everything. By everything I mean even going out with your friends, watching a movie or to obviously crack on with some Uni work. Approaching timetabling in this more life orientated scheduled manner has helped me to find it less daunting adhering to a strict schedule of work. This is because when things you’re excited about doing are integrated, it takes a lot of the pressure off the actual important work that needs focusing on.  

DARREN

Hi, my name is Darren and I am one of the student advisors here at Edge Hill. I started in March 2021, so I am still quite new, but I have learnt so much over the year and hope to share my knowledge with you. 

While I am a Student Advisor, I am also a student, studying a degree in BA HONS Teaching, Learning and Child Development and have just begun my 2nd year. Yes, I did start my degree during a pandemic but that didn’t stop me. One of the most enjoyable things about studying the course is the fact that I can gain an insight into how education can develop and influence children’s future.  

I am in the same situation as you all are with assignments and studying however one little top tip from me to stay happy and motivated when studying is to plan time up into bite size chunks. Set a certain amount of time for studying and a certain amount time for socialising with friends and family. This really helps me to stay motivated on my assignments and studying, but also to ensure that I stay connected with friends and family. By following this tip, I can stay on top of my work while ensuring I stay connected with my social life – give it a go and see if it works for you.  

MAYA

Hi everyone! I’m Maya, and I’m a third year Film and Television Production student at Edge Hill. I’ve been a Student Advisor for about seven months now, and I’ve loved every second as I’ve got to meet so many of you!   

As it’s Study Happy week, I’m going to share with you (what I consider to be) the most important and useful tip for revision and studying at university. It is… use a revision timetable! It’s very easy to fall victim to poor time management – especially when you must juggle university with your social life and home life.  

Having to smash out all your assignments right at the last minute is a huge cause of stress and trust me – it’s worth avoiding. So, take half an hour out of your day, sit with your calendar for the month and a list of your assignment due dates, and work out a schedule. It doesn’t have to be much, even if it’s just an hour or two every night. This way, you won’t overwork yourself and you’ll be a lot more relaxed in the long run! Edge Hill has an easy-to-use weekly planner template here.  

CALLIE

Hi! I’m Callie, a third year History and Politics student, and one of the Student Advisors. I have been a Student Advisor since March 2021, so for about 7 months so far, and I am really enjoying it!  

My top study happy tip would be to split up your work and relaxation time. Decide a time for the start and end of the day that will be your work time, for example, 10am-5pm. It could be a part-time job, attending lectures or seminars, or doing your own studying. Work during those times but outside of those times, allow yourself the chance to relax and take your mind off of work.

By distinguishing your time, your mind knows what to focus on and when, so it makes it easier to study more efficiently as you know that by a certain time of the day, you are done. I find that this really helps me! I sometimes go on a walk after finishing studying to really define that break between work and relaxation, but find whatever works for you to relax and take a break from thinking about work. If you need help planning your time, head over to the UniSkills webpage and the Getting Organised section. There you will find a weekly planner template where you get write out what times you will be working or relaxing. I hope this helps you to Study Happy this year! 

CHARLOTTE

Hi, my name is Charlotte and I’ve been a Student Advisor since 2019. I’ve just started a PGCE after completing my undergraduate degree in Politics with History this summer.

My top study tip is to use the Pomodoro technique. This method means you focus your time in short bursts, around 25 minutes, and then take a short break. During this time, you fully concentrate on the task at hand, with no distractions. It helps to put your phone somewhere you cannot access it, such as a drawer in your bedside cabinet. You can also download free apps such as ‘Pomodoro’ to help with this.

HOW TO ACCESS STUDENT ADVISOR SUPPORT

Our Student Advisors provide help, support and guidance to other students on a peer-to-peer basis. They can help you get the most out of the University Library and assist you in developing a range of introductory academic skills – such as how to use Discover More, navigate Learning Edge/Blackboard, and feel confident with Harvard referencing!

You might meet your Student Advisors during our UniSkills Webinars, where they attend as a chat buddy, or in one of their very own UniSkills Webinars! You can also contact us to book a peer-to-peer appointment with your Student Advisors. They can support you with all the topics mentioned above, and more – so if you’re not sure get in touch and we can help!

The Student Advisor team also create lots of useful content, including videos and blogs, so make sure you keep up-to-date by following Library and Learning Services on Twitter, Instagram, and on our blog.

We hope you have enjoyed getting to know our Student Advisors. The team look forward to seeing and supporting you all soon!