5 pieces of advice from one psychology student to another
5 pieces of advice from one psychology student to another
Complete essential reading
The first piece of advice that I would give to another psychology student would be to do some essential reading before you start your degree. Since Psychology is a very broad subject, some strong foundations should be built from a wide reading base, especially if you’re new to the subject.
Stay up to date with current affairs
Another piece of advice for my fellow students would be to stay up to date with information. Psychology is a continually evolving subject, with new ideas and perspectives emerging all the time. So, it would be wise to familiarise yourself with credible blogs, journals, and magazines; watch TED talks; listen to podcasts; and scan newspapers for psychology-themed stories.
Always keep your eyes and ears open
As a student university is your chance to learn beyond the classroom. Things such as paying attention to life – just watching your favourite TV programme can give students an insight into how a theoretical concept might work. In addition to that you could use everyday events and interactions to deepen your understanding of psychological ideas.
Learn from everyone around you
Psychology asks questions about how we as humans think – so going and thinking together with others would be another piece of advice for those on a psychology course. Also, students ought to compare different ideas and approaches and make the most of group learning or other opportunities, like taking part in other people’s surveys or experiments. Another idea could be joining the university’s psychology society as it is a great way to learn from your peers and to balance work with play.
Remember what psychology is about
Whilst studying a psychology course it is possible that students can get lost in surveys, experiments, theories and concepts, but it would be wise to try to always keep in mind what drew you to psychology in the first place. By studying psychology you’re taking part in a great tradition of questioning how the human mind works and behaves – so students should remember to be proud of that.
