It may be difficult to believe that this is your last year at Kent. Your independent work will be a major goal for this year, in addition to thinking about what comes next – your first job or post-graduate studies. As you embark on the final chapter of your journey with us in Classical and Archaeological Studies at Kent, here are a few general thoughts:
Reflect on and refine your goals. Think about what you’ve accomplished so far, what the connective threads are in your experiences, and what your values are. Use those as a guide to craft a path for the next few years. This may have changed from last year; that’s completely normal!
Balance time for your studies and time to think about “Life after Kent.” Applying for jobs and further study can feel like a full-time job, and you already have a full-time job keeping up with your studies, and whatever other activities you pursue. Organise your schedule so you’re not prioritising one thing at the expense of another and make time to enjoy your final year (which may include, believe it or not, enjoying writing your independent work). To put it simply: Be Present.
Go beyond your comfort zone. Think exploration is for first-year students? Think again. It’s especially important to try new things when you’re working on a long project, to re-energize your love of learning. Take an interesting elective. Acquire a new skill. Meet new people; mentoring is a great way to do this. While university is not your last chance to learn, take advantage of opportunities here while you can.
Get started early on your independent work. You’ve already prepared your research proposal in Summer Term of your second year. Think about your independent work as an extra course; carve out a little time to work on it every week. For example, you might make Friday your “research day.”
We’ve put together this timeline and resource guide to help you connect with people who can help you make the most of your final year.
Autumn Term
Reconnect with your an academic mentor and touch base with people who might write your recommendations over the next year. Visit those people during office hours or invite someone to have coffee or a conversation over lunch to ask questions about their research, talk with them about your summer experience, and discuss plans for the year (or topics for your research).
Use the CLAS Independent Work Guide to familiarise yourself with departmental goals and expectations regarding research in your third year. The independent work convenor will organise a few group sessions across the course of the year to help keep you on track, but you’ll need to create an independent work timeline for yourself, in consultation with your supervisor or another mentor who will help you stay on track.
Create study groups! You are taking fewer modules in your final year to free up time for your independent work, so create a buddy system of people you can talk to about any number of things from how to use the online database, to how to format a footnote, to what exactly Alexander was doing when he crossed into Afghanistan. Part of the fun of doing independent work is sharing with other people the exciting and curious things that you discover along the way.
Meet with the Career and Employability Service to explore your options, create a plan, and continue to develop your resume. Check out the Careers Service events; they usually runs a careers festival every October. If you have any questions about further study in Classics, now is a good time to touch base with your academic adviser to see what is possible. Explore and apply for post-graduate opportunities at Kent and elsewhere. If you’re thinking about a conversion course in computing, law or any other number of subjects, talk to your academic adviser and see what Kent has to offer.
Sign up for a SLAS independent work workshops, and keep track of your assessments for your modules using the Assignment Survival Kit (ASK). Review the guidelines for acknowledging sources as you do your research and write your essays.
Stay involved in your student societies and take up volunteering activities on campus and in the community. These are important opportunities to build your leadership skills and prepare you for life after uni.
Spring Term
Submit written work to your independent work supervisor in line with the deadlines set by the convenor. Make sure that you’re looking at the CLAS Independent Work Guide for advice about what you should be doing when, and how to make the most of your experience.
Meet with employers for recruiting and networking; contact the Career and Employability Service if you need more information or help.
By March, make sure you have some work prepared to show to your supervisor, so that you have time to revise your research in the final push towards completion.
Interested in applying to graduate school in a year or two? Reach out to your academic adviser, graduate students, and postdocs in your department to find out if graduate school is the right choice for you.
Summer Term
Meet with employers for recruiting and networking; contact the Career and Employability Service if you need more information or help.
Stay involved in your student societies and take up volunteering activities on campus and in the community. These are important opportunities to build your leadership skills and prepare you for life after uni.
Connect again with your academic adviser and talk to your supervisor about next steps with your research topics.
Make sure you attend the ‘finalist’ information session run by the Department. This is a time when you are given lots of information about staying connected to CLAS and to the University after you graduate. As alumni you will still have access to a lot of resources (including the Careers Service) so make sure you stay in touch with us!
Graduation!
Make sure that you get in touch with your academic advisor and independent work supervisor ahead of graduation. While research commitments sometimes take us away over the summer, we really do love to meet your families and gush over what great students you are.