Top 5 quick study breaks

As it's nearly time to head back to study mode and hit the books, it's important to have some fun study breaks on on hand.

Here are my top 5 quick study breaks 

1. Juggling. A set of three balls are only a few dollars from a cheap shop.

2. Re-energise by taking in some fresh air and vitamin D. Just five minutes will refresh you mind and get the blood circulating around your body.

3. Enjoy a superfood such as blueberries or a banana.

4. Turn on the tunes and listen to a couple of songs to motivate and relax you.

5. Check the mailbox for junk mail and have a flick through some catalogues. A great distraction from study material.

What are your favourite study breaks?

Why network - I'm only doing an undergraduate degree

Networking is important if you're working, looking for your next promotion or studying for your doctorate.

But why is it also important whilst studying for your first degree. Here are the top five reasons.

1. Building the networks for your future. Remember the old adage, it's not what you know but who you know! Well to an extent is it certainly helpful. Who you meet now may not necassrilt be able to help you now but look to the future.

2. Employability. Are you looking for job while you're studying? If not, you most certainly want to be working by the time you finish your degree. If you haven't joined LinkedIn yet, take a look at joining now. Start by connecting with past co-workers, peers and university tutors and lecturers.

3. If you like to socialise, there are usually some great neetworking events and sometimes with free food. If you're lucky enough, free drinks too. 

4. Networking with people already in your industry can help with any industry placements that you may have to do as part of your degree. The professional conversations you have with people already in your industry can further motivate to complete your studies.

5. Networking can be fun meeting people from all types of jobs. You may even reconnect with people you already know that you didn't realise were in the same or similar industry.

 Networking opens doors and I know from my experience, these are my top 5 reasons to network.

What have your positive experiences been from networking whilst studying?

Are you making this one email mistake?

Email etiquette. Yes there is such a thing and there's one mistake that many students and professionals are guilty of making. This one mistake may not seem like a big thing but when you think about cyber security and who has your email address it is quite important and not just for confidentiality reasons.

So what is this mistake? It is sending group emails with the recipient addresses in the 'to' line or 'cc' line. Not everyone wants others to see their email address especially if they don't know others in the group message. This is where the 'bcc' is useful. Bcc stands for blind carbon copy. This means that no one can see the other email addresses of the people in the group that the email was sent. When sending a group email type your own email in the 'to' line. 

Of course, there is a purpose for using 'cc', the carbon copy. This is where you are keeping others informed of correspondence and the members all know each other. For example, where there are three or four students working on a group task together.

So, it is important to think about who you are sending emails to and whether the 'cc' or 'bcc' line needs to be used. It might save some emails from upset recipients later!

Starting at university? Ensure you read this.

University Student Etiquette

 

Don’t be seen as the rude student who thinks of themselves as above everyone else. Here are some tips for some common student etiquette:

Don’t

-          make a habit of arriving to tutorials or lectures late -

           besides being rude, the lecturer will know you for the wrong reasons

-          put your feet up on the seat in front of you – especially if someone is sitting there

-          make out you know more than the lecturer – no one likes a ‘know it all’

-          be too critical of another’s work especially if you haven’t done any yourself 

-          be the loafer when working on the group assignment – this is a quick way to lose friends

-          put negative comments about lecturers or fellow students on your online social network            page- anyone can access the internet and it will only reflect negatively on you

-          ignore people – network and you will probably learn a thing or two

-          forget who will be marking your assignment – ask questions and if you get a grade you     are  unhappy about – approach the marker sensibly and preferably after you have had a day to think about it.

-          write on the online Uni forum anything you may regret  as it is not easily deleted

University is a fun time of learning. Don’t let poor student etiquette get in the way of making new friends, learning and generally enjoying University life.

Email etiquette - 10 things to get right

Ten things to get right when sending emails. Whether it's to a tutor, lecturer, colleague, client, peer or potential employer.

1. Use a salutation. I prefer Good morning/ afternoon. This also depends on how well you know the recipient as 'hi' may also be appropriate.

2. Use kind regards, your name, rather than KR, your name (I saw this just yesterday!)

3. Keep it simple without 'text talk'. For example 'u' for 'you'

4 once 'send' is pressed, it's gone so re-read before sending

5. If you are unsure whether to send it- don't

6. When bulk emailing, use BCC (blind carbon copy) to keep addresses confidential. Use your own email in the 'to' line.

7. Always be polite- email is not necessarily confidential and is proof in digital form.

8. Check that you have an appropriate subject line. Use maximum of three words if possible to sum up what your email is about

9. Don't send an email full of negative emotion. Leave it a day or two and then decide whether you need to change the email or if it is worth sending at all.

10. Check you have attached the file if you are sending one with the email.

There you have it. StudyBreak's top 10 'rules' for writing and sending an email.

Do you have any email 'rules' you could add?

Top 10 ways to keep writing

It can be hard to keep writing and find new words so here are StudyBreak's best tips for writing.

StudyBreak’s top 10 writing tips

  Just start writing – begin with 10- 15 minutes

  Don’t worry about editing and correct references for first draft

  Keep all versions of your work e.g. titlev1, titlev2

  Work out your best writing time

  Set aside at least 2 hours, three days a week for ‘Golden Writing’ time.

  Take an idea/question from today’s writing to explore tomorrow

  Write about everything. E.g. If you read then write, summarise workshops you attend

  Blog about your research journey

  Use ‘frame writing’ to get started

  To conquer writer’s block – record your thoughts verbally and write from the recordings

Heartbreak in the PhD: My supervisor is breaking up with me!

I'm heartbroken. I never thought this would happen to me. My supervisor is breaking up with me. We have seen through a Master's thesis together and he has been my rock. How could he take up a post at another University let alone in another state?!

I text my Principal supervisor in a daze. She said there was no need to panic and we would sort it out. The positives are it isn't her that's leaving and I only have to find a new co-supervisor. Thinking more clearly now, my supervisor has introduced me to some great academics so it shouldn't be a problem. It's just that I had rapport with my co-supervisor and a relationship built up over years. 

This post has now led me to: what should I look for in a supervisor?

I believe choosing a supervisor is key to a good working relationship and completing your thesis.

Luckily for me, choosing and asking an academic to be my co-supervisor is made easier because I have already started my PHD, I know some academics in my school and it is a co-supervisor I need not a Principal supervisor so they won't have the bulk of the supervisory part.

Things to look for in a supervisor:

Personality - would you be able to work with them?

Number of research students they have seen through to completion 

Number of students they currently have under their wing

Expertise in your field- look at their publications 

Position- go for the experienced and highly regarded member of the academic staff

Is there anything you would add?