Four ways to use the Library to improve your results this Semester

We’ve designed a bunch of (free!) workshops and events to help you get the most out of Uni. Here’s how to cruise through semester 2:

1. Develop a study routine

 The temptation to binge watch a Netflix series, clean your room or scroll through Facebook when studying at home can often be too hard to deal with. Not to worry…we have the solution: Eliminate distractions & sign up for our ‘Focus and Study’ sessions.

These sessions use the Pomodoro technique and are all about short bursts of intense productivity. By committing to 2 hours every week of study away from your usual study spot at home, your study productivity will increase & your uni results are bound to improve!

Focus & Study Sessions

When: Every Wednesday during semester, 1-3pm

Where: Fisher Library Digital Scholarship Studio, level 5

Are you a postgraduate student? Join ‘Focus & Study’ every Wednesday & Saturday 1-3pm at the Quarter Event Space

No need to register for sessions – just drop in.

2. Make the most of everything the Library has to offer by learning ‘How to Library’

 Countless books and online resources, printing, study rooms, computers and expert staff ready to answer all of your questions – the Library has it all!

‘How to Library’ will give you an intro to everything you need to know to get started and harness the power of the Library.

How to Library Sessions

Bring with you: Your own device e.g. iPad, laptop, phone (this is optional)

When: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 2-3pm

Where: Fisher Library Training room (210)

Prefer to do the class in Mandarin? 我们还提供中英双语解说,请查看我们的网站选择合适您的时间!

Check the schedule

No need to register, just drop in!

3. Break with Coffee & Croissants

Navigating uni can be difficult, but our Peer Learning Advisors (PLAs) are here to help.

Our PLAs are fellow students (just like you) and they are always available to chat- armed with all the uni know-how, with anything from assignment troubles to where to food on a budget.

Come along to meet & chat with our PLAs over coffee & croissants.

Coffee & Croissants: Chat with our PLAs

Bosch Commons: 1st & 3rd Tuesday of every month, 12-1pm

Are you a postgrad student? Attend coffee & croissants at the Quarter: 1st & 3rd Thursday of every month, 12-1pm

No need to register, just drop in for a friendly chat (and croissants of course!).

4. Upskill with the newest tech and get creative with your assignments!

Every semester ThinkSpace has an ongoing packed schedule of awesome workshops you can get involved in- to upskill your creative technology abilities & improve the standard of your assignments.

Need to create a video? Drop in to our One-Button recording studio sessions to learn how to create professional standard videos with the press of a button.

And it doesn’t stop there! Learn skills in soldering, 3D printing, research data management, virtual reality, CNC carving and so much more!

Check out the schedule and register on our website.  

Break up your study sessions with the Library’s study break cards

One of the best ways to absorb loads of information when studying is to take regular and rejuvenating breaks away from your study …and often! Making the most of taking a good break from study will help you be more productive when you do study.

That’s why starting from Monday 3rd June, the Library will release two new cards across our Library spaces:

BRB Card

Taking a break? Simply grab a card, write on the card what time you left for your break & pop it on top of your desk so everyone knows you’ll be back within half an hour.

Hey!

Left your stuff unattended for a long time, without a note saying when you’ll return?  Remember the Library is a shared space and this can be frustrating for other students looking for a place to study.

Library staff might place a ‘Hey!’ card on your belongings, letting other students know they can carefully move your stuff to the side and use the desk. Next time you take a break, make sure you leave a BRB card.

Remember, it is Library policy that if you find a desk unattended for a long period of time with someone else’s belongings – you can carefully push their stuff aside to use the desk (regardless if there is a Hey! card on their stuff or not)

Above all, the Library is here to support you and our students (you!) are our top priority. Unfortunately, sometimes people can be pretty awful and take things that aren’t theirs. So please always remember to keep your valuable belongings with you at all times.

For more information, visit the Spaces page on our website:
sydney.edu.au/library/spaces

How to be as exam ready & least stressed as possible this semester

Feel like you have more to learn that brain capacity? Panicking over impending deadlines? Pressure and stress to pass & do well?

Exam time is tough, and at the Library, the hub of group assignments, 3am cramming & intense studying, we know all about it! So, together with the STAR team (Student Transition and Retention), we are here to help!

Here are some ways you can destress and study effectively for exams this semester:

Therapy Dogs

What better way to unwind than a soft, furry cuddle from one of our four-legged friends? Therapy dogs will be visiting Fisher, SciTech and The Quarter Libraries during our Exam Ready program so you can take a break and get your dose of puppy love. Visit our Facebook page for details.

Yoga and Meditation

Reduce your stress by taking some time out for you this exam period. Our free yoga and meditation sessions are designed to refresh your body and mind between study sessions, so you can stress less & focus more. Free fruit is also provided at the end of each session. Visit the Exam Ready page for more details.

Focus & Study

If you find it challenging to power through distractions and get things done, our Focus & Study sessions are for you. Using the Pomodoro technique, these sessions are all about short bursts of intense productivity. Come along with your study notes and walk away feeling accomplished.
Visit the Exam Ready page for more details.

Nap zone

Sleep = the secret power to retaining information. Drop by our Nap zones in Fisher and Health Sciences Libraries for a power nap to rejuvenate and up your productivity. Visit the Exam Ready page for more details.

Craft at ThinkSpace

Get creative, messy and give your brain a break with some craft at ThinkSpace. Drop by and get creative those creative skills in action- a zen way to clear a cluttered mind. Visit the Exam Ready page for more details.

The Library and the STAR team (Student Transition and Retention) have lots more activities happening this semester to help you get through exams. Visit the Library website for more information and for the full program.