<section><h2>EFYE: Study/Life Check in 7: Connecting the dots</h2></section><section><h2><p>Great that you’re totally ready. How did you prepare?<strong><br /></strong></p></h2><p><p>You are ready to give the family an answer to what you’re actually doing at the university. Maybe because you also ask yourself that question sometimes. And (perhaps subconsciously) are good at making sense of what makes studying meaningful to you. </p><p>You see connections now that you could not possibly have predicted when you started 3 months ago. These connections you could not have predicted. It’s time to revisit why you’re studying. </p><p><strong>‘Connect the dots’ as part of your student life</strong><br />Do you remember the dot-to-dot drawings, where a lot of ‘random’ dots together create an image – but only after connecting the dots with strokes? You need to apply the same principle in your student life. What are your dots and your strokes? For instance, ask yourself: </p><ul><li>How are the different first semester courses related?</li><li>How does what I do relate to what I am good at/dream of?</li><li>How does what I am doing now relate to what I had imagined? </li><li>How does what I’m doing now relate to what I’m going to do next semester?</li></ul><p><strong><br />Discuss the dots with yourself – and with the others </strong><br />When you consider how what you do is connected, it has a positive impact on your motivation, your commitment and your sense of belonging. </p><p>In fact, researchers have found that the most important thing is that you work hard at these questions – not whether you find them easy or difficult to answer. Doubt and frustration once in a while is okay. <br />It is only natural that it is sometimes really hard to make sense of and other times it makes total sense. </p><p><strong>Please take 2-3 minutes to give us your feedback on Study/Life Check In</strong><br />We have prepared an ultra-short evaluation for you. We are really curious about what you think about Study/Life Check In. So <a href="https://forms.office.com/r/SJFYGqN6nD" target="_blank">please take a few minutes to answer the evaluation</a> while waiting for the bus, during a break or while queuing.</p><p xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" paraid="1162637657" paraeid="{3e1c795c-09d9-4298-9030-00ae2f80264c}{219}"></p></p></section><section><h3><p><strong>Great that you are trying to explain it – it’s actually a good exercise for you, too</strong><strong></strong><strong><br /></strong></p></h3><p><p>Maybe your pitch doesn’t quite hit the mark on the first try, but you are still ready to give the family an answer to what you are actually doing at the university. <br />Maybe you also ask yourself that question sometimes. Try to say out loud what makes studying meaningful to you.</p><p>You may see connections now that you could not possibly have predicted when you started 3 months ago. It’s time to revisit why you’re studying. </p><p><strong>‘Connect the dots’ as part of your student life</strong><br />Do you remember the dot-to-dot drawings, where a lot of ‘random’ dots together create an image – but only after connecting the dots with strokes? You need to apply the same principle in your student life. What are your dots and your strokes? For instance, ask yourself: </p><ul><li>How are the different first semester courses related?</li><li>How does what I do relate to what I am good at/dream of?</li><li>How does what I am doing now relate to what I had imagined? </li><li>How does what I’m doing now relate to what I’m going to do next semester?</li></ul><p><strong><br />Discuss the dots with yourself – and with the others </strong><br />When you consider how what you do is connected, it has a positive impact on your motivation, your commitment and your sense of belonging. </p><p>In fact, researchers have found that the most important thing is that you work hard at these questions – not whether you find them easy or difficult to answer. Doubt and frustration once in a while is okay. <br />It is only natural that it is sometimes really hard to make sense of and other times it makes total sense. </p><p><strong>Please take 2-3 minutes to give us your feedback on Study/Life Check In</strong><br />We have prepared an ultra-short evaluation for you. We are really curious about what you think about Study/Life Check In. So <a href="https://forms.office.com/r/SJFYGqN6nD" target="_blank">please take a few minutes to answer the evaluation</a> while waiting for the bus, during a break or while queuing.</p></p></section><section><h3><p><strong>Try anyway – It’s actually a good exercise for you </strong><strong></strong><strong><br /></strong></p></h3><p><p>You might rather choke on a raisin than answer that kind of question. But give it a shot anyway. Maybe you also ask yourself that question sometimes. Try it out. Think out loud and try talking about your experiences – and as a bonus, you might discover new aspects of and connections in studying. </p><p>Give yourself the opportunity to see some things and some contexts that you could not possibly have predicted when you started 3 months ago. It’s time to revisit why you’re studying. </p><p><strong>‘Connect the dots’ as part of your student life</strong><br />Do you remember the dot-to-dot drawings, where a lot of ‘random’ dots together create an image – but only after connecting the dots with strokes? You need to apply the same principle in your student life. What are your dots and your strokes? For instance, ask yourself: </p><ul><li>How are the different first semester courses related?</li><li>How does what I do relate to what I am good at/dream of?</li><li>How does what I am doing now relate to what I had imagined? </li><li>How does what I’m doing now relate to what I’m going to do next semester?</li></ul><p><strong><br />Discuss the dots with yourself – and with the others </strong><br />When you consider how what you do is connected, it has a positive impact on your motivation, your commitment and your sense of belonging. </p><p>In fact, researchers have found that the most important thing is that you work hard at these questions – not whether you find them easy or difficult to answer. Doubt and frustration once in a while is okay. <br />It is only natural that it is sometimes really hard to make sense of and other times it makes total sense. </p><p><strong>Please take 2-3 minutes to give us your feedback on Study/Life Check In</strong><br />We have prepared an ultra-short evaluation for you. We are really curious about what you think about Study/Life Check In. So <a href="https://forms.office.com/r/SJFYGqN6nD" target="_blank">please take a few minutes to answer the evaluation</a> while waiting for the bus, during a break or while queuing.</p><p xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" paraid="1162637657" paraeid="{3e1c795c-09d9-4298-9030-00ae2f80264c}{219}"></p></p></section><section><h2><p>You are visiting the family for Christmas. While enjoying the comforts of Christmas, they ask you what it is you are doing at the university. Are you ready to answer?</p></h2></section>