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Get a great start to your new student life

As a new student at Aarhus University, you will encounter new ways of doing things. It is very different what students need help for, and when the need is there, but on this page we have collected a number of advice and topics, which in our experience are particularly important to relate to at the beginning of your study period.

Using AU Studypedia as a new student

AU Studypedia gives you specific advice, exercises, schedules, etc.m. about academic writing and forms of work that you will encounter as a university student. It is therefore a good idea to know the page so that you can make use of it as a resource during your education. For example, you will find exercises that you can use when you need to build an argument in a written assignment or if you get stuck in the writing process. And if the task writing gets too hard, time is tight and your motivation drops, we come up with good advice on how you can increase your study motivation.

Study habits

Although being a university student is a great experience, many find the requirements for independence and self-discipline challenging. Therefore, it is important to build good study habits from the beginning.

Your study is your responsibility

As a university student, it is your own responsibility to know when you have classes, which room you should be in and what you should prepare before you attend class. You must also be aware of practical information and deadlines, for example that you are registered for the classes and exams.

Studying is more than going to class and reading

Your study consists of more than just going to classes and reading the syllabus. Everything that takes place outside of the classroom is an equally important part of your study - and you have to manage that yourself. It can be group work, project work, exercises, additional reading, exam periods and perhaps internships etc.

Your study time must also be adapted to the rest of your life with friends, family, sports, interests and maybe a job on the side. You have to make sure that it all fits together in your life, which may require proper time management. Find concrete advice on how to build good study habits and managing your time on the page below:

  • Structure your time is all about how you plan your study time so that you get the most out of it.
  • Academic motivation is about how you can motivate yourself to get things done, even when it is not the desire that drives the work.
  • The good preparation is about how you can handle your preparation appropriately. This is important because it will take up a lot of space during your education.

Study strategies

Study strategies aim to strengthen your knowledge and skills in the subjects. There is a lot to read, to write and produce during your studies, and therefore it is important to know how you prefer to do the different tasks and what strategies help you in specific situations.

Learning to learn

There are many ways to study - maybe as many ways as there are students at the university. We all have different preferences, and what works for your fellow students might not work for you. Therefore, as a new student it is a good idea to start figuring out how you prefer to learn. Many students spend quite some time figuring this out, but if you are aware of your mental strategies when working with the subject, it might help you acquire new knowledge and competencies faster.

Work on your study strategies

Different strategies are appropriate in different subjects, and no matter which strategies you find beneficial, it will take time to master them. By trying out different strategies and adapting them through your academic work, you build good study skills that you can use throughout your education - so why not start now? On the pages below you will find suggestions for different ways of working with your reading and notetaking:

  • Thinking strategies are about becoming aware of not only what, but also how and why you learn.
  • Reading strategies are about how you read in a way that you actually understand and remember what you read as well. Understanding is the primary thing when reading, and you can use different reading strategies to support your understanding.
  • Note-taking strategies are all about taking good notes, rather than many notes. How to become better at understanding and remembering the professional content.

Student well-being

Many students will find that it takes time to get used to the new environment at the university. For most students the transition will involve many different emotions - both positive and negative. It is completely natural. And it is also completely natural that you will encounter both academic, social and personal challenges during your time at the university.

  • Academic well-being is about your attitude towards your studies. One way to strengthen your well-being is by developing a mindset that helps you accept that student life can be difficult at times and find strategies for handling very busy periods.
  • Social well-being is about being part of different communities at the university and getting a sense of belonging. You can strengthen your social well-being by engaging in a study group where you collaborate with a group of fellow students about the subject and study tasks. You can also participate in different leisure activities across the university.
  • Personal well-being is about how you feel in your student life and how you handle possible experiences of stress, loneliness or inadequacy. If you experience challenges with your personal well-being, you can take advantage of some of Aarhus University's free guidance offers

If you experience challenges with your professional, social or personal well-being, it is important to remember that you can seek help and support from a number of different agencies at Aarhus University.


Get started

  • Read The student handbook, which introduces you to Aarhus University, the city of Aarhus, and the life outside of uni. 
  • Boost your student life is a page that offers ways to support your well-being or need inspiration.
  • Study@AU is a voluntary and online course for new students, that concerns general study skills. It is available for all new students through Brightspace. Through different activities on the course, you get an introduction to studying habits, strategies of study, and ways to improve your well-being as a student.

Brightspace

As a student at AU you will get to know the platform Brightspace, where you for example will find important information from your teachers. You can log onto Brightspace here.

How can I use Studypedia

You can choose to think of Studypedia as a tool box that you can rummage around in and find the exact tools you need to build up a good frame work for your learning and the academic side of your life.

The front page of Studypedia consists of several different topics that concerns different aspect of the academic side of life. The idea behind this separation into topics is to give you a fast way to orient you towards the content you need.

Find a community

Leisure activities at AU

Become part of a community in Aarhus by participating in different leisure activities across the university such as clubs and associations, culture or sport activities. 

Genlyd

Becpme part of a community at genlydaarhus.dk (danish), where you can find other young people in Aarhus, that would like to meet up, go to the movies, train, play board games, do creative stuff, and a lot more. Find other people's invitations or create your own at genlydaarhus.dk