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I have the intelligence but not the confidence and I needed to challenge myself to prove I'm not stupid

Top 5 Study Hints - #4 Have confidence

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“I think every year I get a little bit more academically confident. I don't have to worry so much about assignments, I know how to do them well, I just need to do the research”

Often mature-age learners and first in family students are uncertain about their capabilities and are often surprised when they receive good grades or great feedback. Having confidence in your abilities is often a process which develops over time

  • Resist self-doubt

    What students said:

      Realising that I can actually do this, first and foremost, having the belief and holding onto it is key. Once self doubt sets in, that’s it! I never let fear get in my way.

      I am smarter than I thought

      Regaining my self confidence is probably my biggest milestone

      I lack self confidence with most submitted assignments but have been very pleased with majority of my results. I have to remind myself that I haven't studied in well over 17 years and that it will take some adjusting

      I'm not as stupid as I once thought

      Confidence in myself has come more from knowing I had Uni graduates on a pedestal and I shouldn't have. Confidence in myself because I no longer have that type of self doubt in myself.

      The self-confidence is probably one of the biggest high points I have felt. This was key in my being at uni

      I am more determined than I thought

      I never dreamed my opinions would matter

  • Be prepared to perform better than you think!

    What students said:

      Obtaining good grades encourages me to try harder and increases my confidence with studying as well as my confidence with the work I do at my employment

      Self confidence is a big one. Getting my first assignment back and gaining a distinction felt pretty good!

      Some high points: getting 85 for an assignment I detested doing, did not really understand the ambiguous content; and knowing that I can perform at a University level as a mature age student after 20 years of no study.

      I have had great marks so far … I can walk out of an exam and feel confident.

      I have noticed that all of my assignments or quizzes so far have been mostly distinctions which I am more than happy about

      It was a great feeling finding out that I passed my first quiz

      Completing first semester in first year felt like a milestone because it was the most I had achieved for a very long time and being accepted to do Honours felt great because it was a way of acknowledging that I had done well academically throughout my degree

      My self esteem has gone up in relation to my academic studies. I haven't got a lot of my results back yet for my exams, but I feel like I did well

  • Be ready to discover new things about yourself

    What students said:

      I am a lot more disciplined that I first thought

      I'm capable of a lot more than I would have believed before

      I have the ability to do things when I put my mind to things

      I've discovered that I'm not unintelligent

      I also discovered that I do perform when put outside of my comfort zone

      I've discovered that I’m quite smart

      I am clever! I am committed! I am not a quitter!

      My self-confidence has improved majorly

      I feel as though I have grown as a person, this includes self-confidence

      I have learnt that I can literally, do anything I put my mind to

      I probably have more self confidence than before I started.

      I feel more confident in myself and excited about what I am going to learn and what is to come