When looking for study advice from a Harry Potter character, most people would turn to Hermione Granger. But I want to show you that some of the best advice and study lessons come from an unlikely source – Neville Longbottom.Throughout the Harry Potter books Neville was painted as a low-grade, unsuccessful student. He’s forgetful, nervous […]

Being a working student is hard. On top of your working week you have to make time to sit at your desk and study, even when you want to relax or spend time with friends and family. In this blog post I’m going to share with you seven lessons I’ve learned as a working student, […]

Achieving higher essay grades may seem like a bit of a mystery. You need to:-  understand the topic/question-  plan a coherent answer-  conduct great research-  write clear logical arguments-  apply good examples-  write in an academic, professional style-  think critically-  create powerful introductions and conclusions-  demonstrate good editing and proofreading skills-  reference/cite accurately… It IS possible to learn and master all of these skills, but just not […]

In this week’s blog post I’m going to teach you why you need to reflect and course correct throughout your degree if you want to achieve higher grades. Sign up to my free Study Success resource library to download the printables and cheatsheets you need to put today’s lesson into practice (along with a ton more […]

Procrastinating about studying is a big struggle for a lot of students (me included). It’s pull is magnetic, intense and relentless. Studying is hard. Your brain doesn’t like doing hard things. Ergo *hello fancy word*, your brain will try and sabotage you when you try to study. You’ll decide to do anything BUT study – tidy […]

It’s always important to try your best. But its at those really busy times when the real hard work – the push – is needed. Perseverance comes into play when you have essays due and exams looming and everything is ramping up to the end of your module or course. This hectic, go-go-go approach IS necessary […]

Proofreading may seem like a ‘nice to have’ rather than a ‘must have’ when you’re writing an essay. I know you’re tired and want to just submit your first draft, maybe after a superficial read through. But I want you to know that making time to proofread your essay will pay off if you want […]

Shame and guilt are feelings I experience a lot as a student, and I know some of you do too. In this blog post I want to talk a bit more about these feelings and give you a way of reframing your studying and effort so you can truly see how well you’re doing. First – if […]

Do you struggle to get or stay motivated to study? Do you find your motivation comes in fits and starts? When motivation is low, procrastination is high. And when procrastination is high we don’t do the work needed to make progress and get our motivation back. That’s because motivation often shows its face only once you […]

I’ve talked a lot recently about how not all exam revision techniques are created equal. There are strategies that are a waste of time, and strategies that are super valuable for achieving high grades. Additionally, a large factor in how you choose HOW to study should be the type of exam you’re going to be taking. Written […]