N = the least favourite grade

-By Jo

Results are usually a relief, they arrive, you got what you wanted, sometimes more and sometimes less, but it usually means you can tick those units off your course and sigh happily that you’re still on track.

That’s how it usually goes for me, until trimester one last year. Of the four units I had taken that trimester I had completed three of the optional assignments, but the fourth one remains on my hard drive to this day, approximately a day away from finished but totally useless to me. I went into the exam knowing a pass would be very hard to come by – but not turning up to the exam would have made me feel worse.

I chose to sign up to receive my results by SMS.

I paced the house from 4 pm.

I held my mobile in my hands from 5 pm.

I stopped pacing at 5.40pm when the message tone sounded.

Here’s where I would normally open the message as quickly as possible and announce my results to my family and then share by email with fellow students.

But I sat.

I starred at the message preview in the lock screen of my mobile phone.

I waited, but I wasn’t sure for what.
There is a certain last minute hope that is hard to give in to. After some time passed I concluded that the marks were there and as they weren’t going to change I had to be brave and look.

There were three credits that I was happy with and one dreaded ‘N’.

I sat and starred some more.

Perhaps I should have gone to my lecturers and told them about the intense semester I had endured and the house move, and my physical health problems, but I hadn’t, thinking I could never fail.

Then I went into denial. I sent an email to the unit chair, one to my lecturer to see if they had got it wrong (after all it was the only logical explanation).

Then I went into meltdown. 
This unit was a pre-requisite for a unit in trimester two, and for a unit the following year. I had effectively added another year onto my degree not to mention the extra fee for when I repeated the unit (back then I didn’t know the textbook would be updated by the following year so on a very tight budget I was going to need another textbook too).

All these thoughts kept leading me back to that assignment I’d missed. I kept comparing my results with that of my friends – how come they passed and I didn’t? Was I not as intelligent as them? Was it a cosmic sign that the powers that be felt I shouldn’t be in this course? Was it karma for lying to my mother in the 90s?

Then the tears and self-pity moved in and decided we should be roommates for the next week or so.

I didn’t access Student Advocacy (through DUSA) which is available free to all students, and which I should've accessed. I felt I deserved the ‘N’ like I’d deserved all my other marks. I had failed a unit and my pride and my ego were suffering from severe bruising! 


I found out that failed exam papers are looked at twice to make sure the grade is correct, that lecturers are usually willing to go over your paper with you and help you understand where you went wrong and most importantly the world doesn’t launch into an apocalyptic ending.

My failure highlights a few things for me – I’m human, life events do impact my study, it’s best to speak up as soon as this happens and maintaining a strict study time table is more important than it sounds.

‘The only failure is when you quit’ is now the first thing I write in my notebooks.

Me and my buddy - procrastination

-By Jo

Procrastination creeps up on me and watches over my shoulder.

I feel its breath on my neck and my concentration is swayed.

The pages of my textbook flutter and the words blur ever so slightly.

I shake my head and try to throw it off, but the damage is done.

I may be five minutes into a study session or an hour or...maybe I never got that far...

The kettle is boiling, another cup of coffee is what I need, but the caffeine takes time to work on me so I should feed some dragons in Dragonvale or see if the Angry Birds are up for a game...and...
I haven’t read today’s news, must catch up with that...A text? Might be important, best check it to be sure. 

Ah, Mother’s roses are in bloom...meh...that essay won’t write itself you know?

The voice of reason kicks in, but procrastination tells me there’s always tomorrow, the sun is shining and well, not to be rude, but all that sitting on your butt is leaving you kind of out of shape...Oh! When did I last go to the gym? Or for a walk even? Hey...I could walk around the shops, then, it wouldn’t seem like exercise...

See what procrastination did there? Yeah, now I’m procrastinating about the vehicle I was going to use to procrastinate my way out of study, it’s clever stuff, no doubt about it, but it doesn’t help me pass my degree. It just adds stress.

But the essay is due and the exams are getting closer and I’m way behind in my readings, my notes, how many lectures did I miss? 

Deep breath, deep breath, knots in the stomach, headache that’s dull and persistent, racing heart from panic or too much caffeine, bad moods, can’t sleep, can’t function, deadline looming, indigestion. 

HELP!

It’s time to implement the emergency plan (which should be my initial plan all the time).

Switching off social media devices (if I can’t be trusted and that means deactivating Facebook and Twitter, just for now).

Setting a time to check my emails.

Turning off my mobile phone – the world survived just fine without them for eons, I can survive a study block.

Getting out of the house, away from distractions – go to the library, a computer lab, a public park or a cafe.


Learn to say ‘NO’ and mean it. Others have to respect my choice to get this degree, and not interrupting is all the help I need them to give me.

Remembering that my body can’t survive on coffee, chocolate and toast for a whole trimester.

Most importantly I must always sleep – I find it very tempting to feel guilty over the number of study hours lost during a night’s sleep. Unfortunately they are necessary and come to terms with that for my sanity.

Lost? Unsure? Let student services help you!

-By Erzsebet

I remember walking into university for the first time. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed not knowing what was to be happening next. I had been to the university many times before for rehearsals, and other little events here and there. What I did not know is that there are many services that can make transition to university life just that little bit easier. So I went for a little walk to see what I could find.

My first unit chair at Deakin was very welcoming and took the time to sit down and discuss my areas of concern especially as, coming back to on campus was the biggest hurdle in my life (well one of them!) She suggested the Disability Resource Centre-DRC. The staff at DRC assist those who have special needs, whether medical, or other. Together, with the liaison officers, I created a Learning Access Plan. This is a confidential document that assists the staff to ensure your needs are met.

Learning has never been my strong point but I found through ads that there were Language and Learning Advisers who can help with your work. I made an appointment and they gave me an hour session and we were able to go through what I need help with. These ranged from Essay writing skills to referencing in the different styles that are essential to the subject areas I am studying. They also suggested me to go to Study Skills workshops which help students in better academic writing and learn some useful tricks. These workshops have been really helpful and my marks have shown significant improvement since I have been at Deakin.

More often than not without realizing, we can feel overwhelmed, anxious or stressed. Effects of these symptoms vary from person to person. This sort of thing can affect the everyday functioning of an individual. I know from a personal level that my emotions can overtake me when I least expect it. The Counselling service at Deakin was and continues to be such a wonderful service to use as hard as it was at first! If you are feeling really down and out, don’t be afraid to ask for help! I even learnt there are medical services available for students right on campus! Nurses, Doctors, Counsellors, how much more convenience could one ask for?

Careers?! AHH! What do I want to do?! How will I get there?! So many ideas came and went through my mind. So I went to the Careers office-Jobshop. They offer resume checks, career tests, cover letter checks, etc. Last year, I went to an appointment with an adviser who helped me to work out that I was destined for area that I have always loved! – Commerce/HRM.

I recommend students to make the best use of all the DSL services that are provided, right here on campus.They are here to help us succeed and make the most of our time here at Deakin.

Five tips from the trenches for mature age students

-By Jayne G

Negotiating university life as a new student is always an exciting experience. For many of us it can also be one fraught with difficulty. Trying to find your way around campus, working out the expectations of lecturers and tutors - and most importantly, finding out which cafe makes the best coffee for those long study sessions (priorities right?) – is something that we all encounter. Being a mature age student adds a whole new dimension to the experience. It can be daunting to discover that you’re the only person in your tutorial group who has had to renew your driving license! To negotiate the balance between work, family and study. Or that any tutorial discussion about family focuses less on your parents, but rather your own kids. It can be easy to feel like the proverbial fish out of water, and wonder why on earth you were thinking of coming to uni. I know I felt this way...even though in all other respects I utterly loved my course and all my subjects from the very first day.

So with this in mind, I have devised a list of 5 tips 'from the trenches-so to speak, for beginning mature age students. Have fun and good luck!

1. The Deakin website has a wonderful resource page 'Information for Mature Age Students'. This is essential reading and a great first port of call. Find out about study support, financial assistance, childcare, student support services and a myriad of other useful information. 
2. On campus students-if you can, it’s a really good idea to attend O week. I admit I was a tad sceptical when I started last year, believing O week to be all about partying and social events for ‘the younguns’ (imagine that said in Grandpa Simpson’s voice). However there are campus tours, library tours and social events run by DUSA ( Deakin University Student Association) which are great ways to meet new people, find your way around  and find the best coffee. On that note, Caffeine (as the name suggests) at Burwood does a great coffee, though it can be kinda hectic and crowded. I prefer the LearningSpace cafe, located in Building H, level 1 (below Einstein’s), for a quieter more relaxed vibe. As an added benefit this has become a bit of a hangout/study space for many mature age students :) 
3. Attend a study skills workshop If it’s been a few years since you studied, you may need a refresher on how to best organise your study time, or the ins and outs of writing an academic essay. Many students I have spoken to have found doing one of the introductory subjects such as Introduction to University Study extremely helpful. From personal experience, I wish I had studied the aforementioned subject before attempting any others, as it really deals with the basics of writing and researching an academic essay-an essential skill whatever course you are taking. Consultations with Language and Learning advisors have also proved beneficial to many students I have spoken to.
4. Ask questions! Get to know your Unit Chair, lecturers and tutors – introduce yourself and create a dialogue with them so you can discuss your assignments, ask about exams and ask for extensions or assistance when/if needed.
5. Consider joining Deakin Mature Age Students’ Club at Burwood or The 21+ Club at Geelong. These clubs provide support and study assistance for mature age students. Social events are held on a regular basis to encourage interaction and peer support among mature age students. Speaking from personal experience-being part of the MASC has made my university experience so much more enjoyable and rewarding! Find out more about Deakin MASC (based at Burwood) here or via the Facebook page here. More information about the 21+ club at Geelong can be found on the DUSA Geelong page.