Being a Successful Student

by Sara Bird, Programme Leader

What does success mean to you?

Cheesy image of 'success'

Earning lots of money? Being loved? Being happy? Success means different things to different people - and even your own ideas of success change with time. Whatever success means to you, your time at university is the ideal time to start achieving it.

Often sandwiched between school (living at home, in familiar surroundings) and work (moving away, and totally independent), university could be seen as just a stepping stone between the two. Many students simply want a good degree, while having as much fun as possible before 'knuckling down' to the working world. Others have great plans for uni yet, before they know it, they're standing in a graduation gown and being handed a certificate.

University is a Window of Opportunity

Never again will so much training, so many hobbies or so much advice and support be offered so freely; never again will you have the chance to try new things, make mistakes, and yet not worry about the impact upon your career. So, whether you're just starting at university, nearing graduation, or somewhere in between, consider these steps and how university can help you become successful.

Steps to Success

1. Define success for you: ideally a mix of professional and personal goals
2. Identify what the university, the city, and even the internet, offers to help you achieve these goals.
3. Make a plan: both short-term and long-term objectives and the means to achieve them.
4. Start living your plan

It's not just about being a 'successful student', as university also provides time and support to become a successful all-round person - whatever that means to you. Here are some suggestions:

• If you want to get high grades, work just a little bit harder, make a schedule, plan ahead, attend Academic Success Centre workshops, use your feedback, ask tutors how to improve your work
• If you want a good work-life balance, join UWESU societies, schedule both work and fun into your week, work hard, play hard, have goals in your personal life to focus upon such as events or competitions
• If you want to become a better presenter, look for books on presenting, find online tips, attend the ASC workshop, practice in class, video yourself and ask for feedback.
• If you want to meet more people, join clubs and societies, not just at UWE but also in Bristol
• If you want to gain work experience, make an appointment with UWE's careers service, use Infohub, plan ahead to schedule internships or volunteering into holidays, attend careers events, attend networking events in Bristol, plan a placement
• If you want to be fit, work walks, gym-time or sports into your routine, perhaps join a sports club or find friends to support each other
• If you want want to become a leader, join the committee of a club or society, take a leading role in group work, join the Vice-Chancellor's Leadership Scheme

Get Started

It's not easy to change everything at once: perhaps one area of your future to focus upon now, and another for next term. Consider working with friends to track and reward your progress. And remember that success comes in many different forms, and enjoy the satisfaction of achieving it step-by-step.