Academic stressin' and obsessin' is no fun

When feeling stressed, remember that you do not need to cope with it alone. Whether you're coping with unsatisfactory results, navigating team conflicts, or battling burnout. Let us provide you with practical tips and strategies to help you thrive at RMIT.

Feeling stressed? Let's tackle it together!

We get it. Uni life can sometimes feel like a lot with assessments, group work, and deadlines piling up. It’s totally normal to feel the pressure! But don’t let it take over your university experience. As a senior student at RMIT, I have some recommendations if you are in this situation.

Preventing burnout

Constant exhaustion, demotivation to continue your studies, and procrastination are common signs of burnout. It happens when you lose the study-life balance.

Burnout happens when you lose the study-life balance.

But there’s a way out! Take a moment to pause, breathe, and prioritise your well-being. For me, Headspace offers many expert-informed articles about meditation, mindfulness, and sleep. I hope that you will find a way to recharge and regain balance amidst the hustle and bustle.

Another aspect of a balanced study life is time management. Check out productivity expert Ali Abdaal’s video, How To Manage Your Time As A Student, for 12 practical tips on balancing your workload and self-care. His strategies are backed by scientific research, giving you reliable techniques to optimise your schedule and boost productivity.

Remember, self-care isn’t a bonus, it’s vital for staying healthy, focused, and productive in the long run. Take small steps to restore your energy, and you’ll be back on track soon!

Navigating team conflicts

Sometimes, working in a team with diverse personalities and perspectives can lead to conflicts that drain your energy and demotivate you.

Teamwork is almost "unavoidable" in university and at work.

The secret to smoothing out team conflicts? It’s all about open communication. Try Empathetic Listening - showing intentional care and concern toward your teammates' views. By showing that you genuinely care about their perspective, you’ll understand what’s really going on, both intellectually and emotionally. This helps uncover the underlying emotions, fostering mutual understanding and clearing up any confusion.

Once everyone’s on the same page, it’s time to improve the project management flow. Start with a meeting to set shared goals, clarify task assessments, and establish a master plan for timeline and role delegations. To facilitate collaboration, try Miro – a free and flexible online platform for RMIT students! It is perfect for brainstorming, planning, managing workflows, and keeping your team organised and on track.

Group work can be tough, but with the right mindset, it can also be a lot of fun! Keep the vibes positive, stay organised, and shine with your groups!

Coping with unsatisfactory results

If you are worried about an unexpected result, remember that it is not the end of the world. High academic achievement is tough, but every setback is a chance to learn and refine your study strategies for future success.

Sometimes, your academic results may not be satisfying.

First, review the constructive feedback and rubric on Canvas carefully. If you are not clear about any points, you can seek a consultation with your marker via email or Microsoft Teams. You may find valuable insights to reflect on your work to identify areas for improvement.

Then, I found RMIT’s academic resources incredibly helpful! The RMIT Learning Lab offers activities, quizzes, and tutorials that are useful for refining study techniques and assessment strategies. When I need personalised support, I reach out to Student Academic Success (SAS) to book one-on-one sessions or attend workshops that provide practical knowledge and skills.

However, with all the information you’ve gathered, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. To manage this, try the Second Brain approach, which creates an external system to store and retrieve knowledge, freeing up mental space for creativity and problem-solving. Learn more from Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte, and use Notion as a practical tool to get started. The free version is great for beginners, and the Notion Masterclass: Build a Second Brain from Scratch video can guide you step by step.

By incorporating these strategies and staying determined, you'll keep moving forward, using each experience as a stepping stone to improvement. Keep striving for your best and aim for higher results. You've got this!

This article is written by Hung Vu Viet, a student at RMIT Vietnam, and does not reflect the views of RMIT University.

14 October 2024