Cheers to all those who are now in their next semesters, & a warm welcome to those who have just started their journey with Virtual University of Pakistan.
Now those who are new probably do not know what will happen, how they will study, what they need, the exams, oh no there are so many questions. I remember my start of first semester & I didn’t even have a clue what to do & where to get help from.
First of all, start with books. You can purchase books from your seniors, someone you know, or from your campus. Most campus members arrange books for their students. If you are still unsure what to do then bookshop.vu.edu.pk is your place. They charge some extra money for sending your books over but its the safest possible way. Whenever you order books to vu bookshop, make sure you do so well ahead exams, because sometimes they take up to 15-20 days just to dispatch your books when there is too much going on in middle of semester. So always purchase the handouts as soon as result is announced.
Next comes the question, the VDO lectures. I have passed my first semester fairly well without VDO lectures but if you take the lectures, it will definitely be a plus for you too. The first semester is actually your foundation. First semesters are easier too so if you score good enough in first few semesters you can actually relax when the studies get tougher because by then you will have a score to maintain. If you score lower in first semesters then you will be under pressure in last semesters which are more difficult. So use your beginner’s luck wisely.
VDO lectures can be purchsed as DVDs from bookshop, or from campus, but some/most campuses have a database of VDO lectures stored in their labs. Ask them if you can copy the lectures from that database. I am very thankful to my campus’s management who always provided me all VDO lectures, for copying, free of cost.
Use Windows Media Player for lectures. Reason being, one VDO lecture is about an hour long. If you increase the speed in WMP then you can go through the lectures before you lose your interest or concentration.
Always have your handouts, a pen/pencil & a rough note book with you while taking lectures. You have to take one lecture once only, & don’t even have to read the handouts if you do not open facebook or youtube while listening to the lectures. Be punctual with your lectures. Set aside some time of the day which is solely dedicated to your VDO lectures. I know people have jobs, work etc to manage but we all manage, don’t we? We integrate outings & plans with friends so why can you not fit in a slot of 4-5hours over weekend or a 2-3hours slot everyday. I have a week-to-week policy, I’m too lazy to study everyday, but I always finish my work for the week within that week, usually over weekends. Because in VU, time flies. Your mid-terms will be approaching before you know it. Once your assignments start flowing in, boy, there ain’t no stopping after that.
So use these first two weeks wisely, listen to as many VDO lectures as possible & start preparing for your mid-term exams from TODAY.
Good luck to you !!!
Light & Success
