Sessions for first-year students
Ready for the Start
You discover which skills you need to get your programme off to a smooth start and which challenges you may encounter during your university studies. You learn how to deal with them and how to make targeted adjustments when things get difficult.
Taking notes
For each course, you have a lot of study material to process. An important part of this material consists of the slides/syllabus and notes from your lectures and seminars/practicals. In this digital groupsession, you receive tips on how best to approach a lecture, create study-friendly notes, and what you could use lecture recordings for.
Successful studying: how do you do it?
Successful studying starts with an approach that suits you. In this session, you discover how to study actively, bring structure to your course material, and strengthen your study method step by step.
Preparing for interim tests/mock exams
Prepare purposefully for your interim tests/mock exams: look back, make a feasible plan, and actively process your course material using diagrams, key words, and structure.
Preparing for exams
Prepare for your exams in a targeted way: create a feasible plan, align your approach with the exam format, and keep track of your study progress.
Well prepared for the June exam period
Use the spring break as a smart start to your study period: consciously plan both study time and relaxation. You will also discover exactly how deliberation after your exams works.
Language support for written assignments
Practical presentations (PP)
The practical presentations (PP) are short online presentations that provide concrete tips and tricks you can immediately apply in practice. At the end of each presentation, there is always time for specific questions.
Writing planning (PP1)
Writing a bachelor’s or master’s thesis, or another major writing assignment, can feel overwhelming. In this group session, you learn how to divide your writing assignment into concrete, feasible steps and how to plan realistically with clear interim deadlines. This helps you work towards your deadline in a more focused way, with greater focus and less procrastination.
Literature exploration with and without GenAI (PP2)
Streamline your research with this crash course on literature exploration: from smart searching in databases to the critical use of AI tools. Learn how to organise the material you find professionally and cite it smoothly according to academic rules: the fastest route to reliable sources and the right library services.
Structure and organisation in bachelor’s and master’s theses (PP3)
A bachelor’s or master’s thesis consists of many components, which means it is not always easy to keep an overview, both for yourself and for your reader. In this group session, you learn how to structure your text, how to regain the overview when you lose it, and how to guide your reader through your story using a clear common thread.
GenAI as a language assistant (PP4)
In some of your courses, the use of generative AI (GenAI) as a language assistant for writing assignments is permitted, recommended, or perhaps even expected. This practical presentation shows how you can continue to comply with the VUB-wide guidelines, how to report transparently, and which strategies you can apply at different stages of your writing process to not only improve your text, but also strengthen your own academic Dutch language level.
Writing sessions
Do you find it hard to get started on your academic assignments, or do you notice that writing goes more smoothly when you work alongside others and have support nearby? The Long Night Against Procrastination (LNAP) and Writing Thursdays (DDD) help you work towards your deadline in a motivated and focused way.
Long Night Against Procrastination (LNAP)
The Long Night Against Procrastination helps you get started on your academic assignments and turn procrastination into motivation. Join us on campus in Etterbeek or Jette for a pleasant evening full of workshops, practical tips & tricks, good vibes, space to continue working on your own writing assignment, and time to relax. It is the ideal boost to regain focus and momentum.
Writing Thursdays (DDD)
During the Writing Thursdays you work independently on your paper from your own location, with support within easy reach. Through a Teams meeting, you can contact a language coach, study advisor, and/or library staff member for questions, feedback, or a short individual conversation. Even without specific questions, you gain motivation from writing together and sharing experiences with other students.
Interested?
You can find the sessions for first-year students in your class timetable.
Check your class schedule
The sessions on writing assignments and your bachelor’s or master’s thesis can be found in the calendar of the student portal. There you will also find all information about how to register. Log in with your VUB email address. Check the calendar