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Study Season in Melbourne

By mariekevanhaaren

Exam time is upon us in Australia, and finals here are a bit different from the states. Instead of having many assignments throughout the semester that are worth a large part of your grade, most classes at UniMelb have a few that are worth 10-20%, along with a midterm that is worth 10-20%. This, unfortunately, means that the final is worth the largest part of your grade, up to 80%! There is a full reading week to review before exams start, and study space fills up very quickly.

In order to not fail your classes, I would first recommend keeping up with your classes throughout the semester. It is really easy to slack off and focus on other fun things, like travelling to Sydney or meeting new friends. However, this will cause reading week to be much more stressful, so even a little effort through the semester can make a difference.

Another helpful thing at UniMelb is that all of the lectures are recorded and all class slides are online. I would recommend writing down lectures that you want to go back and rewatch, as it’s quite helpful to review what you might have already forgotten.

Finding study space can be the worst part of trying to study for finals. During the semester, I went to Baillieu Library 2nd or 3rd floor to study and get any work done. However, Baillieu fills up rapidly, and you have to get there early in order to get a desk. Luckily, I have found a second spot that is absolutely wonderful for studying – Arts West! Since classes are over for the semester, the classrooms are all empty and available for studying. Most people do not know about it either, which makes it a great place to go.

Exam period lasts about three weeks, although many people are done within the first or second week. I am one of the unlucky, as my last exam is on the last day of the exam period. The only perk is that I have plenty of time to study!