Here’s advice from our Student Experience team about what you can do now to prepare for your first term at University from exploring modules to useful apps and resources.
1. Some useful links to bookmark to help you get started:
- Staying safe while you study and socialise
- Advice and information for you
- Advice and information for your parents or guardians
2. You’ll have an Academic Adviser throughout your studies who will help you plan your studies. Your adviser will contact you close to the start of the academic year to set up a (virtual) meeting to welcome you to the Kent community, get to know you better, and hear all about your plans for your time at Kent.
3. Make a note of the different lecturers’ office hours. ‘Office hours’ are set times of the week where academics run drop-in sessions. You can just pop in any time during those hours and we’re guaranteed to be there to answer any questions or offer advice. Information on each lecturers’ office hours is available on your School/Department website under ‘People’.
4. Find a diary, planner, or app that works for you. Keeping a diary the old-fashioned way and recording classes and assignments in it is still a great way to remember what you’ve got coming up.
5. The University also recommends useful apps that can help you to manage your time and information effectively. For example, the Assignment Survival Kit creates a deadline calendar for you. Study Guides give a survey of all aspects of academic practice necessary for you to master as an undergraduate. MyFolio is an online journal where you can record your reflections and achievements, and is really useful when you come to write a CV later.
6. In September, get into the habit of checking your Kent student email every day. Make it part of your daily routine: this is how most important information gets sent around.
7. During Welcome Week, be sure to attend all the meetings scheduled, especially induction and your first academic adviser meeting. If you’re struggling to find your way to any of these meetings, don’t forget to take a look at the Canterbury campus map.