It has been a full year since we started this newsletter. If you’ve been following us the whole time, this heading will be familiar. I’m sure it is as relevant as it was the first time we talked about it. Do you find yourself “just checking” social media … and only looking up half an … 08 September 2025 – The Temptation of Social Media

The challenges of higher education often generate very intense emotions in students. Many are tempted to pack up and go home because of them. Your brain says this is life and death. Fortunately, that same brain can understand why we feel the way we feel and overrule it by labelling and normalising the overwhelming emotions. … 01 September 2025 – Tie a SCARF round your emotions

Have you ever sat in a lecture, looked around the room, and thought, “These people are all so smart and capable. I’m not. I don’t fit. I don’t belong here”? If you have, you’re not alone. That feeling even has a name: imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is that nagging belief that you’re not really as capable, intelligent, … 25 August 2025 – Feeling like an Imposter

At this point in the year, you’ve settled in, you’ve found your rhythm, so you may have time to take a breath and consider what campus life offers apart from studying and hanging out with friends. On the other hand, you may feel you’ve just got it under control, adding anything else will upset the … 18 August 2025 – Balance now, Build for later

Here’s a rude wake-up call on a Monday morning: there are only three months left before the final exams. But … breathe out, relax, it is very doable. Your course was designed to fit into this window of time. All it takes is for you to do your part. Here’s what a first-year BCom student at NWU … 11 August 2025 – The Boring Essentials: Structure and Discipline

One of the most overlooked but essential skills for success – at university and in life – is the ability to set realistic expectations. It’s not flashy. It doesn’t get headlines. But it shapes your energy, your confidence, your wellbeing, and ultimately your performance. As the semester unfolds, and the pressure of assignments, tests, and … 04 August 2025 – Setting Realistic Expectations: The Power of Perspective

Have you ever tried to build a jigsaw puzzle without the picture on the box? You open the packet, pour out hundreds of tiny pieces, and you’re immediately faced with chaos. The colours and shapes seem to have no meaning. It’s not that you’re unintelligent — it’s that you can’t see how the parts fit together. … 28 July 2025 – Understanding is like building a puzzle

The second term has started. Whatever happened last term is over and done with. You can either build on it, or if necessary, find a different way. Start in week 1 and use this brand new term to build a path to success in the end-of-year exams.  University studies can feel dizzying and overwhelming, because … 21 July 2025 – Studying: Juggling Multiple Modules

One of these days you will be returning to university after the winter break. It may feel daunting! Take a deep breath and acknowledge how far you’ve come. This isn’t just the start of a new academic term. It’s another milestone in your journey. For many of you, university is about more than just education. It’s … 14 July 2025 – Back to School

I hope you’re enjoying the holidays! It’s such a relief to be free of schedules and timetables for a while, right? As we said last week, rest, reconnect, enjoy being among your people. You need it, and you’ve earned it. However, I do want to suggest two things that you may want to spend some … 7 July 2025 – With Time to Spare: Clearing a Tangle and Thinking about Goals