Third year Sport and Exercise Therapy student gives good tips for studying from home

My name is Lucy Broadbent and I’m a third year Sport and Exercise Therapy student at Leeds Beckett University. Until November last year, I lived in rented accommodation in Leeds, however I decided to move home with my family because of the current pandemic.

I chose to study this course because I had a huge interest in human anatomy and functioning of the body during school, I also really loved the University’s facilities when I visited it on one of the open days. When visiting Leeds for the open day I found the city very appealing as it’s a very lively and friendly, yet an affordable place to live.

Although I was concerned about continuing my studies during the pandemic, my tutors have been extremely helpful since returning. They’ve put extra online live Q&A’s about assignments and offered one-to-one meetings with students.

In-class Kahoot quizzes have always been used to assess our understanding throughout my time at Beckett and this has not changed now. We have still been doing the quizzes online and they’ve continued to be really helpful. New ways of learning have been through screen-sharing. Often tutors will share their screen and we can see example work etc. Also, all lectures are recorded and uploaded online for myself and other students can access called My Beckett it makes it much easier to revise the content and ensure notes are thorough as we can pause / play when we please!

The library has also worked really closely with myself and other students on my course not just academically but also on a personal level. The library hosts webinars about mental health and coping strategies. They also have guest speakers talking about varied topics around mental health and wellbeing. The library team at Beckett are so responsive, I always get a reply to an e-mail within the same day and the 24-hr advice line has also proven useful. Credit is due to the librarians and support network at Beckett!

My tip for other students studying from home is to have a realistic schedule; get a planner, write a to-do list and give yourself time scales. However, don’t make this a 20-point list! Make sure it’s achievable and specific to your learning and progress. Also try to separate studying from your social time and times to relax. I know it’s easy to just do all lectures / seminars from the comfort of your bed, however that means you work, sleep, relax and sometimes even eat here! You need to be dedicating a specific place / time for studying to stay on top of things and organised. If you are struggling, seek advice. Talk to someone. Whether it’s the library team, your tutor, academic advisor, peers – anyone can help, no matter how big the struggle just don’t suffer alone.