Being at Uni during strike action can be frustrating. Learning is often disrupted when contact hours are cut drastically through widespread cancellation of teaching events. It’s easy to feel uncertain about what’s happening and what it means for you, no matter how much it can also feel a little like an unplanned holiday.
1. Check the official info
Probably the most important thing to do when your Uni is striking is to keep yourself informed. I’ve had too many conversations with friends where I knew more about their Unis strikes than they did. Don’t be that person who turns up to the 9am when it was cancelled well in advance!
Check your emails regularly and keep an eye out on the news too as most info on strike action at universities make their way to the headlines. Even if you know your Uni is striking but your learning is not affected, it’s good to stay informed just in case.
The first few days of strike action at Uni can be particularly disorientating. One module might still be running, another completely paused while your inbox fills with partial updates.
Make sure the channels you check for info on strikes are legitimate, as some social media platforms are not always accurate.
2. Keep some structure to your routine
Even if your timetable is heavily disrupted, keeping a loose routine will help you stay organised. This by no means must be strict but just having a sense of what to focus on each day can stop the week from slipping away. It can feel odd because it’s not exactly a break, but not full Uni life either. You will find yourself thinking you’ll use the time productively, but it’s hard to find the motivation when nothing’s scheduled.
This would be a perfect time to catch up on any previously missed teaching events and fill in those knowledge gaps. Small amounts of focused work are more useful than trying to cram everything, and this pseudo-break from teaching can give you the time to get that work done.
You probably won’t tick everything off on your to do list, and that’s fine. Strikes can give you the space to focus on quality over quantity, and it can be refreshing to approach your work without the usual rush. Eventually, you’ll figure out some sort of routine. Maybe you’ll revisit a topic you didn’t fully get before or even get head start on making some revision resources.
There is no ‘right’ way to handle it. Some people might have needed the pause; others might need a distraction from the quiet. Both are equally as valid as each other.
3. Make use of available resources
Most Uni libraries, student unions, wellbeing services and online services often remain open during strikes. Using these spaces and resources, even for a short while, can help maintain a sense of normality and focus.
Some academic support staff continue to work during strike periods. If you’re unsure about how the strike might affect deadlines or coursework, it can be worth checking in with them. There should be plenty of guidance to help students keep on track.
4. Stay connected
It’s easy for strike weeks to feel isolating, especially if fewer people are around on campus. Keeping in touch with your peers can help fill information gaps and provide support. Group chats or casual study sessions, even virtual ones, are a great way to help you stay on top of things. A shared Google Doc of notes that is regularly updated can also be a great way of staying updated.
If you’re feeling frustrated or anxious about missing teaching, reaching out to talk to someone about it helps too. Chances are, many of your peers feel the same, and hearing how they’re coping might make you feel better.
5. Ask early if you’re stuck
If you feel like certain topics have completely gone over your head, email your personal tutor or academic advisor sooner rather than later.
Sometimes, talking to a tutor or advisor isn’t about seeking solutions specifically, but it can just be a way to check that you’re not completely adrift. It’s completely normal for the disruption to your learning to throw you off more than you might have expected.
6. Keep perspective
Disruptive strike action usually doesn’t last long, and universities tend to adjust teaching or assessments to ensure students aren’t at a disadvantage, particularly for those in their final years. While it can feel frustrating now, most of the time the impact will be temporary.
Try not to stress too much about what’s outside of your control. Focus on what you can get done. It might take longer than you’d like, but you do catch up, even if it doesn’t feel that way while you’re experiencing the disruption.
When things eventually settle, it’s strange how quickly normal Uni life returns, almost like the disruption never happened. But you do come out of it having learned something about yourself, even if you didn’t mean to. You figure out what helps you stay steady when structure drops away, which is a massively helpful takeaway.
It’s strange, but in their own way, strikes at Uni remind you that you’re more capable of handling change than you think.