your future career. But, sometimes it's a little bit difficult to manage your

study and other life commitments so here's a few tips for you. As Benjamin

Franklin said: "by failing to prepare you are preparing to fail". Staying organised

keeps your studies in your life on track so make good use of a diary and a wall

planner. By mapping out your year you'll know when your assessments are due and

when your exams are scheduled. When you have an idea of your deadlines you can

schedule in some free time and have an enjoyable and relaxing break. Do you have

the time to study full-time? At Southern Cross University, most courses run over

three sessions per year that go for about twelve to fourteen weeks. A

full-time student normally studies three to four units a session, at a minimum of

ten hours per unit per week that's almost the equivalent of a full-time job.

Some courses run over six study periods. Normally you'll be managing full-time

work as well as one unit per study period and you'll need to set aside

about 20 hours per week of study time. These students are typically SCU online

postgraduate students. If at any point you're struggling to stay on top of it

all get in touch with the staff and they'll help you find a way to make it

more manageable. There are a few online tools to help you stay organized during

your studies. Here are four of them. Firstly check your

calendar so you know when study's on and when you have time off. On the Southern

Cross University website go to key dates/ academic calendar. The next place to

check is your unit information guide. Log into my SCU select your learning site

and click on unit overview in the left-hand menu. Here you can download the

unit information guide which contains all the information you need to know

about your unit. The next useful online tool is the study toolkit. There's plenty

of study skills modules and a time management module to see if you can

manage your social work and study life. On your may I see you home page click on

the banner at the bottom of the page if you can't see it try refreshing your

browser. Here you'll find a life study calculator,

have a play around with the sliders and see if your ideas are manageable. And

finally, because sometimes things do become unmanageable, knowing how to be

prepared for the more difficult times is critical for your success. www.scu.edu.au/counselling. It can be

really useful to connect with others online via social media Southern Cross

University has its own social channels so make sure you follow them to stay

updated and connected. Our last tip is to make use of mobile and desktop apps that

will make your time at university a little easier. So here are our top 5. The

mobile at SCU app has shortcuts to useful University information and

webpages. Make sure to download it now. Did you know that all Southern Cross

University students get access to Microsoft Office for free? Visit the

Technology Services webpage for more information. www.scu.edu.au/servicedesk. One of the things you'll

need to stay on top of is your student emails from Southern Cross University.

Make sure you set up the Outlook app on your smartphone to receive communication

from teaching staff, your classmates and other university services. Smiling Mind

is an Aussie app designed to help you calm your mind when it's racing and get

you into a more balanced state of being. Stay calm and download it now. This last

one isn't a specific app but because your health and well-being are so

important I'd strongly recommend downloading a health or fitness app. It

could be yoga, dance, running or something else - just anything that gets you moving.

So there they are, five ways you can stay balanced and

organised and get the most out of your time at Southern Cross University. Good

luck and stay in touch and check out our other videos.