Don’t ditch that reading list…

‘LET the text be your best friend in an exam’ is a solid piece of advice for students heading to college. It basically means that if you’re comfortable with the primary text, it will stand to you in an exam. College days are among the best life will throw at you, but all play and no work is not a good idea. You need to prepare in advance to make things easier once you start.

One way to prepare for college is to do some reading (yes, some reading!). Abandoning college reading lists until you return in September can be self-destructive, and believe me you’ll regret not using some of your free time during the summer to lighten the reading load. Make little notes of the salient points you come across when reading texts and you’ ll already be well ahead of the class come autumn.

Sitting back in the sun is also a great way to utilise some pre-college reading time. Text books can be daunting but they must be endured if your ambition is to succeed. Whether you’re a first year, or seasoned university pro, all you need to do is visit the college website and go to the relevant faculty’s page and see what the reading list is for 2018-19. But be sure you double-check that your module’s reading list has been updated from last year.

Another tip is to email college lecturers and ask what books they are using this term. Many university lecturers are only too delighted (even shocked!) that students are taking time out from the holidays to read course material in advance.

Using the next few weeks to get some course reading done will stand to you once the cut and thrust of college life starts. Remember, those autumn exams are not long off. You don’t have to read every book on the list, but it helps to get a start and stay ahead of the game.

You’ll be glad you did when you no longer have the time.