What to do to get the most out of Maths at York

Work structure

As a Maths student at York, a good way to start off your week is by going through lecture notes for the week ahead – this should get you into the mindset to absorb information.

It is also important how you lay out your notes to make the most out of your lectures. A great method to organise your notes is to use the Cornell method. Draw a line five to seven lines up from the bottom of the page, and divide the top of the page into a roughly 30/70 ratio (left/right) leaving space for a title at the top.

You should write your notes in the largest portion of your page – this is the main section you will be using during your lectures. In the column on the left, you should write keywords, comments and equations. Finally, use the bottom for your summary.

This is for after your lectures, where you can go back and reflect. Revisiting your notes after lectures is a great way to affirm the information from the week, before your seminars later in the week.

Student life at York

Alongside your studies, you should consider getting involved in other aspects of life at York. If you were not aware of the variety of sports clubs and societies available to you, there are a lot! It’s also important to stress that it’s never too late to get involved in joining something.

It’s also a great way to break up your work and social life, as well as meet lots of amazing new people. They are also a great way to provide structure to a seemingly hectic work week. I find creating a timetable for myself is a great way to ensure a balanced life.

Module choice

Choosing your modules is a big decision, and thankfully one you don’t need to think about until after you’ve started. It is important to think rationally – for example, 3rd-Year statistics is very different to 1st-Year statistics. Important factors to consider include:

• Keeping an open mind. Unless you know from the start what you want, choosing a variety of modules could really broaden your horizons.
• Talking to your lecturers. Find out first-hand whether this module may be for you or not.
• Transferable skills. Take a look at what skills the modules offer you outside your learning time. You can see how these skills can be applied to other fields.

Want to learn more about studying Maths at York? Browse more student blogs.