Some subjects might seem impossible to tackle at first – but with the right classmates, it’s not half as bad as it seems. Teamwork makes the dream work – for real! The three years fly by so quickly: make sure you do things with your fellow students as often as possible.
New to university: Well-meaning advice from our alumni
In other words: making new friends, pushing yourself to new heights and, above all, learning new things. Because over the course of two to three years of study, you pick up a great deal of knowledge. And not just specialist knowledge. Our graduates – myself included – can confirm this.
Your degree actually equips you with much more than what’s on the PowerPoint slides. Exam periods, for example, teach you to function under time pressure and stress. Deadlines and project work strengthen your organisational skills. And through group work, you develop your interpersonal skills and form friendships that last a lifetime. After all, what would a degree be without your fellow students? We don’t even want to imagine it, and our alumni feel exactly the same way. Marlene, a graduate of our Bachelor’s programme in Information, Media and Communication, sums it up perfectly:
Lessons Learned: A word of advice for new students!
Following the final exams in the summer, we asked our newly qualified graduates: What did you learn during your time at Burgenland University of Applied Sciences? Is there anything you’d do differently in hindsight? And what advice can you give to our new students? And lo and behold: our old hands had plenty of advice to offer.
- “Make a to-do list right at the start of the semester.” – Maria, graduate of the Master’s in E-Learning and Knowledge Management
- “Check right at the start whether you can get credit for a module.” – Karina, graduate of the Bachelor’s in Software Engineering
- “Make sure you attend the orientation days (teamwork, communication) – they really bring you together, as if you’ve known each other for years. It also helps to chat to students from higher years; they put your mind at ease about exams and so on.” – Marlene, graduate of the Bachelor’s in Information, Media & Communication
- “I sat every exam at the first opportunity – that’s when the knowledge from the lectures is still freshest in your mind.” – Markus, graduate of the Bachelor’s in Building and Energy Technology
- “It’s definitely possible to do a bit of part-time work whilst studying. What’s more, particularly in the field of IT Infrastructure Management, it’s important to engage with the subject more in your personal life as well.” – Florian, graduate of the Bachelor’s degree in IT Infrastructure Management
- “Form study groups!” – Jules, graduate of the Bachelor’s in Social Work
- “Looking back, I’d switch my camera on more often during online lectures so that the lovely lecturers don’t feel so alone, and I’d take more optional modules – they were actually really cool!” – Marlene, graduate of the Bachelor’s in Information, Media & Communication
- “Now I know that I should have set aside more time for exams and so on.” – Godor, graduate of the Bachelor’s degree in International Economic Relations
- “I should have taken notes more often.” – Jules, graduate of the Bachelor’s in Social Work
Which brings us straight to the next tip: taking notes is such a common dilemma – even amongst our alumni. At the start, you’re still really motivated, but at some point, unfortunately, the enthusiasm and accuracy of your notes start to wane. The same goes for your concentration during lectures.
But rest assured: your future self will thank you – especially when it comes to your Bachelor’s or Master’s exams – if you write summaries for your modules and learn as you go. It’s no coincidence that this tip came up frequently in our survey. If, on the other hand, you only start grappling with the course content shortly before each exam, you’ll definitely have to invest more time in preparation. So why not make the most of your lectures right from the start and simply refresh your knowledge later on?
Here’s the advice from our graduates once again in black and white:
- “My tip to you: definitely take more notes and, even if they’re online lectures, listen carefully. Don’t just pay attention at the start – do it all the time.” – Florian, graduate of the Bachelor’s in IT Infrastructure Management
- “Think more actively during online lectures and put your mobile phone away for a while. I’d also advise you to make summaries of the lectures and keep them for your Bachelor’s exam.” – Marlene, graduate of the Bachelor’s programme in Information, Media & Communication
- “Start revising IMMEDIATELY, don’t wait until just before the exam.” – Nicole, graduate of the Bachelor’s degree in Energy and Environmental Management
- “At the distance-learning weekends, you should do exactly what they’re intended for: study.” – Markus, graduate of the Bachelor’s degree in Building and Energy Technology
WITH THIS IN MIND, WE WISH OUR NEW STUDENTS A SUCCESSFUL START AT BURGENLAND UNIVERSITY – BUT HOW COULD ANYTHING GO WRONG WITH THE ADVICE FROM OUR GRADUATES?
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