Philippa Dobree-Carey, The Mamaholic
Author bio
Philippa Dobree-Carey Philippa Dobree‑Carey is a writer, award‑winning author, and safeguarding specialist who shares parenting tips, midlife meltdowns, and the mental load with sharp humour and practical clarity. She is the creator of The Mamaholic Monthly on Substack and the author of two guides: From High School to Uni and The Essential Job Search Guide for Students. Her work supports families through major life transitions with honesty, structure, and wit. Find her on Instagram @themamaholic.
By Philippa Dobree-Carey, From High School to Uni
By Philippa Dobree-Carey, From High School to Uni
- Spread out revision of each subject over 5-10 days.
- Create a study plan (days 1-7). Plan daily reviews with a mix of broad overviews, deep dives into complex topics, and revisiting older material. Here's a sample schedule:
Day 1-2: Big picture review, identify the areas that need more attention.
Day 3-4: Tackle the more complex topics, using active recall methods.
Day 5-6: Review both new and older material to maintain memory retention.
Day 7: Focus on areas of difficulty, refining understanding with active recall. - Organise revision sessions into manageable chunks to improve retention. Use spaced repetition (reviewing at increasing intervals) and active recall (testing yourself) techniques, such as:
— Write down questions from your notes or textbook and answer them without referring to the source.
— Practice explaining concepts: Imagine you're teaching the material to someone else and explain it out loud or write down a clear explanation.
— Make flashcards with key terms on one side and definitions or explanations on the other. Have the student test themself or have someone them while having breakfast, going to school in the car, travelling on the bus or train, or during break-times. - Practice test-taking techniques on past papers under timed conditions to help develop a time management strategy for the actual exam.
- To avoid burnout or being overwhelmed, it is important to balance study time with downtime.
In the final year of high school, it's imperative for students in Year 13 (or equivalent) to devote a significant amount of time to their studies, and structuring a study schedule that includes both coursework and dedicated revision periods is essential.
Crafting Your Revision Schedule
Students need to ensure that their revision periods consist of reviewing known material and should not be learning new content at this point, which could indicate a gap in their knowledge base.
Studying without Distractions
Developing a distraction-free study routine is crucial to success.
Revision Schedule (with short regular breaks for food and downtime)
— Monday to Friday: 6pm - 9pm
— Weekends: 10am - 4pm
Coursework Deadlines
Students should divide their tasks into different categories and allocate time accordingly — List of subjects and their associated submission dates
— Allocation of extra time slots one month prior to deadlines
By Philippa Dobree-Carey, From High School to Uni
Have you started to search for the perfect student pad to suit your budget? Before you embark on the stressful hunt for rented accommodation, make sure you have the essential ammunition - knowledge of student rental scams.
If you're not planning on living in halls of residence, or if you're heading into your second or third year of university, finding a place to live can be a challenge.
Students are a prime target for rental scammers who exploit students’ newfound independence and panic about finding a place to live.
Imagine finding a place that looks fabulous, the rent is within your budget, and the location is close to town or university. Sounds Ideal, right? Scammers love to dangle the carrot of incredible deals in front of unsuspecting students.
Beware of these tempting but unrealistic offers that are too good to be true
In the age of online transactions, scammers prefer to stay in the shadows. If your potential landlord avoids face-to-face meetings and insists on doing everything online, pull the plug. Any reputable landlord will take the time to meet a prospective tenant. After all, they want to know that you will respect their property.
If you ask for a meeting and are met with excuses, drop it and keep looking
Have you ever experienced the fear of missing out? One of the most common tactics used in rental scams is for scammers to create a false sense of urgency and heighten a student's anxiety.
"Multiple offers are pouring in!" they claim. "You need to send your deposit to secure the tenancy". "If you can pay me a month's rent today, I can reserve the flat for you".
Photo credit ©Lisa Cirieco Swiss Change
By Philippa Dobree-Carey, From High School to Uni
The first question every parent asks me, an experienced mum whose children have successfully navigated university with no student debt, is “how do you create a budget”?
A survey conducted amongst students in 2020 revealed that over 70% of them worried about making ends meet, and yet at least 10% of students had never even attempted to compile a budget.
If you don’t know how or where to start, read on. By following these tips and using the interactive budget calculator on my website, you will be able to calculate what works best for you, within your means, and learn how to budget successfully.
Why do you need a budget?
If you’re going to be receiving a scholarship or student loan – that means you have a bottomless pit of funds, right? WRONG! You need to make your finances stretch to cover all essentials, from rent to food, to mobile phone costs to socializing. It may be fun to have a night out clubbing, but if that means eating crackers and drinking water for the rest of the month, was it worth splurging on alcohol, or could you budget appropriately to make sure you know how much your social funds can cover?
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