Welcome to your one-stop toolbox for help with university learning.
Each section contains how-to guides and downloadable resources. Explore topics and build these tactics into your everyday practices for academic success. We're here when you're ready to ask for additional help.
University learning
Build strong academic habits and feel confident in your learning journey. University learning is different than what you experienced in high school. Here's a few self-guided resources to help you get there.
How-to guides:
Do you have a list of things that you’d like to accomplish by the end of your term? Year? Course? Program?
Having a list of goals is a great way to stay motivated and reflect on what you want to get out of university.
Goal setting is an exercise that can help you think critically about your priorities.
Many of us enter university looking forward to having more independence in choosing our classes, schedules and how we learn.
In high school, independent learning might have looked like personal initiative in managing your assignments. In university, this is only a fraction of the kind of independent learning you will have to do.
Do you feel unmotivated to attend in-person lectures?
Maybe you feel disengaged because you can review the slides on your own or watch the recorded lecture. Or maybe you’re not interested in engaging in class discussions or activities.
If you’re having these feelings, here’s a reminder of some benefits of attending and participating during in-person classes.
Let’s start by admitting that reading the feedback on an assignment — especially one you don’t think was your best — can be uncomfortable.
Maybe you even avoid checking the comments because you find constructive feedback difficult to hear. That’s completely normal.
So... let’s remember this feedback isn’t a critique of you, but simply a piece of your work. And you can use the feedback to improve next time.
Time Management
Take control of your schedule and make university life feel more manageable. Discover practical tips for planning your time, balancing classes, work, and life, avoiding procrastination, and building routines that actually stick. Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed or just want to work smarter, these resources are here to help you stay organized, focused, and on track.
How-to guides:
Have you ever underestimated the time it takes to complete an assignment or study for an exam? Do you find that no matter how early you start, you don’t have enough time?
From the structure to format — your schedule should be catered to what you need it to do to. That might include keeping track of your schoolwork, job and other things that are important to you.
In university, managing your time is knowing your priorities and making sure that the things on your schedule align with your priorities. Planning your activities involves strategy so that you can get the most out of your time. Still not convinced? Here are the top 7 reasons why you should manage your time regularly in university.
Note-taking and reading
Make the most of your lectures, readings, and study time. Learn how to take clear, effective notes, read more efficiently, and pull out key ideas without re-reading everything five times. Whether you’re tackling dense textbooks or fast-paced lectures, these strategies are designed to help you understand more, retain information longer, and study with confidence.
How-to guides:
Are you finding academic readings challenging? Do you feel like you’re not getting the most out of them? There’s a strategy you can try to help with this.
The acronym is SQ3R — it stands for survey, question, read, and review. Let’s take a deep dive into each step.
There’s a lot of content in university lectures. It’s important to learn how to take cues to determine what’s important to record in your notes. People don’t instinctively listen well, but it’s a skill that anyone can develop using these steps.
The Cornell note-taking method is a system for taking and organizing notes before, during and after the lecture.
You may have used a concept map in a class project, or to take notes — but are you using this tool to its full potential?
Tests and exams
Explore practical approaches for studying effectively, managing test anxiety, understanding exam formats, and performing your best on test day. Whether you’re gearing up for a midterm or a final, these strategies help you feel more prepared, focused, and in control.
How-to guides:
Leaving studying to the last minute may seem like a good strategy, but it’s actually easier to prepare for midterms and exams throughout the term.
Follow these three steps to build good habits into your study routine.
Raise your hand if you’ve ever been in a situation where you left studying until right before a test or exam.
Although advised to avoid this strategy at all costs, there are some strategies that can help you study for a test or exam and make the last-minute exam preparation a bit less stressful.
Does preparing for a test feel as scary as writing it? Read on.
Study questions are a great way to help you prepare for an exam or test. They help you review the course material and practice applying it to questions — just like you’ll do during the test.
Study Groups
These resources show you how to turn group study sessions into a supportive, effective, and even enjoyable part of your academic routine.
How-to guides:
Let’s face it, being a student is hard, and it’s much harder when you feel like you’re going through it alone.
Have you ever considered that you might be more productive at studying if you had others in your class to study with? If the answer is yes, consider forming a study group!
Whether you're already part of a study group or are thinking of creating one, finding new members with similar academic objectives and interests is easiest with a good description.
Hosting a study group can be exciting and a bit unnerving. Here are a few administrative tasks to consider when preparing for your first study session.