If your uni reading list is looking a little daunting, make sure you leave time to check out our quick guide to surviving those heavy loads.
While I've always loved reading anything and everything in my down time, I'm not the fastest reader. In fact, I'd go as far as saying that I'm more of a book snail than a book worm.
So, when I decided to study literature as my major and saw my first reading list, I definitely felt that I'd bitten off more than I could chew.
But I'll let you in on a little secret that I wish I'd known back then: success at uni on the reading front isn't just about getting through that hefty load. It's more about pre-empting, prioritising, and organising.
So, without further ado ...
Here's 5 tips on how to survive 10 books in 10 weeks - plus your prescribed readings!
Assign yourself some summer reading (you nerd). Did you know that you can access your unit's reading list before your unit site is even available? Yup, you sure can! Deakin TALIS allows you to search your unit code (which you can find here in 2021) and have a little look-see at the reading list from previous study periods. These rarely change - and, if they do, it's usually only one or two texts. This means you can utilise your time off to get ahead on reading before the academic period has even started! Just be sure to leave some time for a little R&R. Enjoying your breaks is just as important as getting ahead on your reading list to avoid burnout.
Hit up the library early. Both the Deakin and local libraries usually don't have enough of each text to go around. If you're not planning on purchasing a copy of every text for yourself (like some crazy people I know), then make sure you beat the rush and pay a visit to the library at least a couple of weeks before the text is due. That being said, make sure to check the reading list for digital copies! Lecturers love to sneak easy-access texts onto the syllabus when they can. Don't make life harder than it needs to be and always check for digital copies first. I've made that mistake way too many times.
Choose your assignments ASAP. Most arts units (that I've taken, at least) release the assignment prompts at the start of each trimester. If you already know how the unit's weeks are set up from TALIS (e.g. the modules, ideas, themes, or books), then you should have an idea of what you're leaning toward in terms of assignments. This will help you organise your study time and structure your reading list to prioritise reading you'll need for assignments very soon. And, here's a sneaky little tip I learned just last trimester: if you want to check out archived unit guides from previous study periods, you can access them here. They usually outline the assignments in detail, and sometimes even have the prompts you'll be able to choose from. Don't forget that there will most likely be a few small changes to the current study period's unit guide, though!
Critical readings are more important than the books themselves. Shocking, right? If that text you're really excited about is coming up in the next class but you haven't even touched it yet, then don't. Have a squiz at the plot on SparkNotes or Wikipedia (yes, I'm serious) and then get straight to work on those prescribed readings. Be sure to check out the resources your lecturer puts up on the unit site, too. If you decide that's the text you'll be writing on, then you can always come back and finish it later. What's important is that you understand the ideologies and concepts the book or module is exploring, and that you're able to participate in (or at least understand) the discussion in class.
Prioritise readings that relate to your chosen assignments. When you get down to it, you're not getting marked on completing the reading list. You're getting marked on the quality of your assignments. If you're really stuck for time or feeling overwhelmed, forget about the texts or modules you're not writing on and go full steam ahead on your chosen topic or text. While you won't be getting absolutely everything out of the unit you could be, you're definitely saving your grade. No shame! We've all been there. Besides - if you're keen, you can always catch up on those readings once the assignment grind is over.
If you're in the book snail club like me, you can still be a successful reader at uni. By following this reading survival guide, you'll be sure to get through even the most voluminous of reading lists.
You got this!
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