Study successfully with a health condition

Consider the subject load that will suit your personal circumstances .

Attend all scheduled classes and make sure you review each lecture to keep up to date as the weeks progress. Familiarise yourself on how to use all our systems here at La Trobe such as:

• LMS (Learning Management System),
• emails
• Allocate+
• Turnitin.

Speak to an academic advisor or your subject coordinator if you're struggling.

Be organised. It is one of the most important factors in being successful at university. Create a schedule for each semester with all your assignment due dates, test dates, or project deadlines. Look at this every day. For study advice and support go to the Library’s Study and research support webpage.

In your weekly schedule, set aside regular times for working on assessments and studying. If you know it will take you longer to complete assignments, you may need to start working on them earlier.

Get help early. If you have an assessment that you don't understand, don't be afraid to ask for clarification. You can email your tutor or subject coordinator to set up an appointment time. You can also ask for help from the  friendly Peer Learning Advisors. Find them on the library support page.

Use your support networks. Think about how you can get support from friends, fellow students, family or support services at the University. Be proactive in using these supports. We encourage you to use our support services, they are here to help you. Keep in contact with your AccessAbility Advisor if things are not going well. They can help you prioritise your work, seek extensions or provide additional support/ suggest other helpful strategies. Be familiar with your Learning Access Plan and ensure you fulfil the responsibilities you have to arrange reasonable adjustments. Make sure you check your emails regularly and respond promptly.

Deal with procrastination. Procrastination can stop you achieving your goals. If you plan on doing an activity, stick to your schedule. Procrastinating causes stress and leads to late assessments and more stress. Set your goals, prioritise them and stick to them. Get in touch with our counselling service for more assistance.

Deal with social media and the distractions of technology. Facebook, Twitter, gaming and other distractions can get in the way of getting your work done. You will need to use willpower to resist the temptations. Consider turning off notifications and plan times to interact with social media. Stick to the plan (see tip 4 above).