My First Year Experience with Productivity by: Hala Taleb Saleh

It was a thoroughly considered decision to enter the world of higher education, and the outcome has so far been satisfying. Despite the countless number of advantages associated with learning, some difficulties cannot be prevented. These difficulties are mostly related to time management and productivity. During the first year of the Diploma of Tertiary Studies, there were several obstacles to learning which demanded urgent solutions. The most challenging obstacle was assessment deadlines, and how to increase productivity in order to complete the work on time.

Hard work demands effort, concentration and a large amount of time. Last semester was very hard, since all subjects seemed difficult and required a lot of thorough study. Some assessments consisted of 1500 words, and we were supposed to locate at least six resources for some of them. Referencing was new to almost all the students, and it was a time-consuming process to reference each resource according to Harvard style. Therefore, we had to increase productivity to meet the high demands of the course. One of the most difficult subjects was Creativity and Teamwork, since it required a lot of group work. Some of the problems the students faced included random absences, which affected the performance and marks of the teams. In my group, we started off with four students and ended up with only two. It became impossible to finish our group’s assessments on time, thus we had to ask for extensions. We were also forced to delete huge parts of our assessments, which were supposed to be completed by the students who disappeared. Luckily we achieved a good mark at the end, and we were satisfied with the results.

There has been a huge change between the first and the second semester. Last semester was full-time, but the current one is part-time. Also moving from unemployed to employed, was one of the most distinct changes that happened. Juggling work and study is a big challenge, especially when the job is difficult and demands a lot of physical effort. Also studying demands a lot of mental effort, this causes stress and anxiety in both work and study. Although planning well and being organised can help simplify complications related to these two fields, these can be very hard to achieve. During this semester, my personal productivity reached its highest levels especially in the last month. As a result, many days passed without being able to move, and a couple of visits were made to the hospital because of overwork. This caused few absences from the TAFE, which had negative effects on my study. As a result, numerous extensions were needed to help complete some difficult assessments. Thankfully, the teachers were extremely generous and considerate, and they helped me achieve high grades.

Despite the fact that this year was very tiring, hard work always results in overall goodness and therefore I have no regrets. Also the feeling of responsibility along with the aid of family, friends and helpful people, creates the energy to increase effort and work harder without feeling despair.