Support with your assessments this January

Published Wednesday, 8^th January, 2025 in University news

We know the January assessment period can be tricky, but there’s plenty of academic support available to help you this month.

Check out the University’s resources and support below that are on hand to help you navigate your assessments.

There’s also information about what to do before, during and after your exams on the Student Hub.

Best of luck this month, you’ll be great!

Library opening hours

City St George’s main libraries are open throughout the assessment period. From Tuesday 7 January, Northampton Square Library will be open for 24 hours a day. The Library Help Desk at Northampton Square is open 8.30am-9pm on weekdays and 12pm-6pm at weekends.

Find detailed information about library opening times on CityLibrary’s website.

Equipment loans

Laptops - Same day self-service laptop loans are available from Northampton Square library whenever the library is open.

Calculators – You can loan calculators from the Students’ Union (SU) for your exams. Visit the SU Welcome Desk on the University Walkway, Level 1 to pick up a calculator.

Academic Skills support

The Academic Skills team is offering a range of support to help you with your studies this month .

These include Academic Skills tutorials, which are tailored to your needs, but can include help with:

• Managing your time
• Improving your revision techniques
• Improving your exam performance

Find out more and book these tutorials, which can take place either online or on-campus, through the Student Hub.

The team has also created an Academic Skills module on Moodle, which has Study Skills guides covering areas like effective learning strategies, exams and revision and assignments.

Academic Skills drop-in sessions

Academic Skills Tutors are available for quick queries and questions every afternoon in the Student Support Hub (SSH), Drysdale Building. These drop-in sessions take place from 2-3pm, Monday to Friday in consultation room 8.

Please note that the drop-in sessions operate on a first-come-first-served basis, so there is no guarantee you’ll be able to meet a Tutor.  The drop-in sessions are ideal if you just have a quick question or query.

Academic Skills team’s top tips this January

Be flexible - You're going to be studying in a different way, without lectures or seminars, so try different ways of working.

Get organised - Use a diary and a to-do list. Put deadlines in for work, break down all the tasks into chunks and schedule when you're going to finish them.

Use all the support you can find – Browse the team’s page on the Student Hub and see what could be useful for you.

Talk to lots of different people, especially on your course.  Hearing someone else say 'I haven't started it yet, either' can make you feel better about your workload.

Get enough sleep - Sleep affects your productivity and not getting enough of it can affect your mental and physical health.

Writing advice from the University’s Royal Literary Fund (RLF) Fellow

Simon Okotie is the University’s Royal Literary Fund (RLF) Fellow. You can book a free 50-minute academic tutorial session with Simon, which is separate from the University’s services for students. Depending on Simon’s availability, these can either be online or on-campus. Please email him to arrange an appointment.

In December, Simon put together a list of tips for writing in exams and essays, which you can read on the Student Hub.

Supporting your wellbeing during the assessment period

Your wellbeing is always important, but during busy times like the assessment period it can be harder to prioritise.

There’s plenty of resources to help manage your wellbeing on the Student Hub, including the CityWellbeing app which provides you with tools to start building healthy, positive habits into everyday life.

The SU Advice Service

The SU can offer advice on a range of academic matters, like applying for Extenuating Circumstances. Find out more on the SU’s website.