University is typically known as being the best time of your life! You have independence, but you aren’t out in the real world just yet. Stress is one of the biggest problems that face university students regularly, though this is to be expected (perhaps even more so on a course like law).
There are many things you can do to reduce part of this stress and manage your workload more efficiently. If you’re looking for studying law tips, read on!
Studying Law Tips for Undergraduate Students
Consider your workload from the start
Firstly, consider how heavy your workload is. An LLB Degree is a very complex and detailed course and each LLB module is packed with content. But don’t worry: the workload is completely manageable with decent preparation. During the introductory weeks at university, you should be given access to a year planner of module term guides. Use these to plan around important dates such as exams or revision periods.
Plan your time weekly
If you have a specific weekly seminar, do the prep for that seminar at the same time, on the same day before the seminar each week. If you always have a two-hour break, or maybe a free morning, commit yourself to working through your reading, notes or seminar prep at the same time, as if it were a scheduled session.
This will enable you to stay on top of your to-do list, as you’ll know the exact moment to get specific work done each week. You’ll also be able to plan time for fun things, like socialising, because you know you won’t be pulling an all-nighter in the library to get your reading done on time!
Balance socialising and studying
It’s difficult to manage your uni work if you like to party every night. You need to be realistic, and whilst this definitely doesn’t mean staying in your room each night, cutting back on socialising can really impact the quality of your work and the amount you manage to get through.
A great studying law tip comes from an old Scottish proverb, which says: “What may be done at any time will be done at no time”. This means that if you keep putting something off, you will never get it finished!
Treat your degree like a job
A tutor at my university (a called Barrister) constantly stresses the importance of treating the course as a full-time job. This means you could use your time by working eight hours a day, with exceptions for lunch and regular breaks, just as you would when working a full-time job.
Avoid all-nighters
All-nighters are only productive for those who work best at night.
You can very realistically work from 9am until 5pm, five days a week, as long as you make exceptions for nights when you do socialise or take a day off when you’re ill or have something planned. You will likely be able to get enough done during these hours to make up for the time you’re not working.
You could work anytime of the day you like, but by committing yourself to working a full day, for the majority of the week, you will see a massive difference in your productivity. This is certainly a pro studying law tip.
Look after yourself
Though it’s important to work hard and work often, it is more important to look after yourself and your wellbeing. If you’re struggling, ask for help. Take some time out to go for a walk, hang out with friends/family and then go back to your work.
Working nine until five is a great way to increase your productivity and ensure you work as well as you can, but it also means you should have the ability and know when to stop if you need to.
At the end of the day, university is stressful, and law is a hard subject, but you can limit this by working more effectively and efficiently. Remember the phrase, ‘work smarter, not harder’, and do the work before it becomes an unavoidable chore. Studying law tips are plentiful but this is also one of the best to remember.
If you are really struggling with an area of law or a piece of work, don’t ignore it. Speak to your tutor and find a solution. Ask for advice because people like giving it and remember that putting in work can seem intimidating or annoying now, but think about how you’ll feel once the term ends and you’ve done everything to the best of your ability.
It can seem tough, but it’s worth it in the end!
Words: Caitlin Ord
Read more:
- Read Diaries of a UCL Student – Part One
- Read How to Make the Most of Law Tutorials
- Read How to Avoid Stress as a Law Student
