University Open Days

So you want to go to university. You know what you want to study and you know where. But how do you get more information aboutstudying what you want where you want. Well, the best and most simple option is to go to an open day.

Weather
Not the most obvious point to consider when thinking about univerity is the weather. Open days are really exciting opportunities for you to find out as much as you can about higher education at a specific institution. It is important that you enjoy your time there so it's important to dress sensibly for the weather. Make sure you pack an umbrella for the journey if it looks to be drizzly and wear something more breathable if it's going to be really hot. A hat an suncream would be a welcome addition to the latter scenario too.

Location
Before you got to an Open day, you need to know where you're going. Make sure that you have a chat with the admissions office of the unviersity that you want to go to. They will tell you times dates and locations of the sites that are open for open days. It's also a good idea to scan the prospectus to see what you're most interested in seeing when you go. From here, you can book train tickets, bum a lift, check bus timetables and plan a whole day around your university / university town, scoping out the place to see what's what.

Information
It is important that you make the most of your open day experience. Ensure that you have a general idea of the kind of information that you want to get out of your open day and ask lots of questions to satisfy your curiosity. Don't just ask about the obvious things like the course and the general student life. It may pay to ask about:

part time jobs at university,
societies that students can get involved in
charitable involvement opportunities
The experience of the students who may be presenting to you
The proximity of shops to the university
Course composition and assesment methods

After going for a University Open day it may be a good idea to email the university to get any more information or follow up any questions that weren't satisfied on the day.

Remember, you're going to university for three years at the very least. As a result, it is important that you enjoy the town / city you're going to be living in and are comfortable with the course that you sign up to. With that said, think hard about your options and carefully choose where to study, weighing up all the options. Good luck!

college

Talk talk

For many, the word presentation means that their world has come to an end.Premonitions of yourself stuttering, crashing and burning in front of a thousand strong class suddenly whip up into your head. Your plams get clammy, your knees start knocking.

But it needn't be that way.

I'm a recent graduate and having gone through the academic machine myself, I've had to do all manner of presentations as part of my course, my part-time job even involved giving presentations to young people, the most challenging group to interest. And I'm going to pass these skills on to YOU!!

Note-Cards / Aide-memoirs.
First and foremost, many of you will want some sort of aid to hand during the presentation.
Whether it be out of an actual need or simply to bolster your confidence by having it there, that's fine. However, in either case, you must do this in the right way to help the credibility of your talk. Small flashcard-sized prompts work fine. Aim to put 3 or four concise points to a card and use as few as you can, this way, you don't alienate your audience as you squint at unwieldy A4 sheets. These also act as an inadvertant screen between you and those listening so it's important
to avoid this.

Know your oats
Perhaps not cereal grains but its important that you know your presentation intimately.
Know your material so you're confident you can speak well about it and handle questions with ease. If you're giving a powerpoint presentation be sure to only use the minimum of slides you can get away with (aim for 3/4/5 for a 5-10 minute presentation), whilst still communicating your points. Remember, YOU are giving the presentation so it's important that you only use the powerpoint as an aid, don't rely on it. Occasionally, look to the screen and your audience will follow, then look back to your audience. This is another technique to engage your audience and ensure that they're looking and listening.

Loud and Proud
A seemingly obvious point but it's often overlooked when you're in front of a group and it's showtime. Remember to stand up straight with shoulders back ( good posture is tantamount to a good presentation as it opens up the chest, allowing you to breathe easier) and speak loudly and clearly the back of the room. This way, everyone in the room will be able to hear you easily. This will aid relaxation allowing you to focus on the material you're talking about. Also, try to look the audience members in the eye and scan all around the room as you talk to ensure that 1) Your audience is paying attention and 2) To create a rapport with your audience. It helps to draw the audience in with eye contact because they are more likely to engage with your ideas if you're talking to them in a personal manner.

Summary
Rounding off, it's important that you only use the smallest of cards as a trigger
to help you kick of your thoughts on each of your important points. Know your material well
before the presentation and keep an order to your thoughts to aid the flow of your talk
from one point to the next. Speak loudly to ensure everyone can hear you and easily take in what you're saying. Good Luck!!