Skills Necessary for University Students to Become Successful

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Portfolio

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Part A–Essay
Learning is referred to a process of acquiring knowledge or skills by an individual
(Boud and Feletti, 2013). Learning performance, behaviour, and experiences shape
an individual’s personality and support his/her academic career. I have learned
various skills and techniques while studying in BA (Foundation Year) at Bucks New
University which are necessary for gaining academic strengths and which enable me
to become a successful student. These learning skills enable students to address the
issues faced by them during the academic career and improve the abilities to
effectively understand the subject and achieve expertise in the same. This essay will
focus on evaluating the factors which are necessary for university students to
become successful. In this essay, I will analyse my academic strengths and
weaknesses and whether they are suitable for making me an effective university
student. In this essay, I will also make strategies to address the issues which I face
to improve them in the future.
Students create PowerPoint presentation (PPT) in the university which assists them
in developing the skill of presenting their work. I learned how to develop a
presentation while working with my team members and watching videos on
YouTube. I learned how to make PPTs by watching online tutorials and practicing on
my own by checking different settings and options. Referencing is the process of
acknowledging another person’s work which is used while preparing an assignment
to give them proper credit. While preparing the PPT, I read and understand the
theories given in the book. I paraphrased those theories and provided a reference by
citing their work. While presenting an idea or working on an assignment, it is
important to learn how to work as a team.
Teamwork is an important skill which I have learned by making my own presentation
with other pees on the case study of BWM. While working as a team, we divided the
roles as per the theory of Belbin’s team roles (Belbing, 2012). I was the co-ordinator
of the team since I was engaging actively with other members and directing them to
achieve our targets. I was playing the role of the monitor evaluator as well since I
was free from the influence of emotional factors. I weighed up the facts to ensure
that each fact is focused on achieving our common goal. I worked with four other

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students on this report in which we evaluated the internal and external environment,
the impact of globalisation and corporate social responsibility of BMW. While working
in a team, all team members have to clearly distribute the work which they are going
to do and form a basic plan to ensure that all members are on the same page. I was
excited to work with my peers since I learned different perspectives and how to work
in a team. We learned how to reference a book or other works which we have used
in our assignment.
The first key skill which a successful university student is required is academic
writing. As a student, we have to prepare reports, write essays and create
presentation which requires a thorough understanding of academic writing. During
my studies, I have realised that academic writing is all about critical evaluation of the
facts to create my own personal opinion rather than just agreeing with the author. I
learned how to write reports and prepare essay which are crucial skills for university
students in which they have to evaluate secondary data such as books, articles, and
online resources. While learning how to make a report, I had to go through the
lecture notes provided through VLE and Bucks Blackboard access, and I also looked
at some sample of previous assignments. I gained thorough information about essay
and report writing through VLE and Bucks Blackboard access which helped me a lot.
The second key skill which I have developed to become a successful university
student is how to present my work to others. The university students have to present
their data in front of others including teachers and peers; therefore, effective
understanding of how to present an idea or concept is substantial for a student. Time
management is a key skill which is necessary for becoming a successful university
student. As a student, I have a busy schedule since I have to prepare my
assignments, learn new topics, attend classes, and also find time for personal
hobbies. Effective management of all these skills are necessary for successful
university students, therefore, time management is a key skill. I have found difficulty
in managing time as a university student. Many times I felt pressured and frustrated
because I am unable to manage my time in order to achieve my desired goals.
However, I am working hard to improve my time management skills by developing a
strategy. I used Remente app to manage my time and set goals. The app helped me
plan my day and bring a balance into my life by setting relevant goals. Through this
app, I track my daily goal progress which helped me achieve them. I have also