Reading the Situation
The tutor after their lecture says "Any Questions?" Nobody raises their hand. You still don't understand today's topic. What is the best thing to do?
Ask your question anyway or speak to the tutor afterwards.
A classmate says, "Maybe we could meet sometime next week." You want to meet as well. What should you do?
Suggest a specific day and time and see if the classmate confirms.
Someone says, "Can somebody take notes?" You have no objection. What hidden opportunity might this be?
Volunteering can help the group.
You arrive on campus for your first seminar, but you cannot find the room. You have checked your timetable, but you still don't know which building you need.
Ask the staff member for directions.
You arrive late to the class. As you enter, everyone looks at you. What is the most likely explanation?
People naturally look when someone enters.
Your tutor replies to your email: "Let's discuss this in class." Why might they do this?
It's probably easier to explain in person.
You are in a seminar working with a partner. You are explaining your idea for the group task, but your partner interrupts you several times before you can finish. The first time, you let them continue. The second time, you stop speaking. The third time, they interrupt again. You are starting to feel frustrated, but you still need to work together. What would be the most effective response?
Calmly tell them that you would like to finish your point. You could say: “Sorry, can I just finish what I was saying? Then I’d like to hear your idea.”
This way you addresses the interruption directly and respectfully, and clearly communicate what you need. At the same time, you keep the focus on working together, rather than blaming the other person.
You have been asked to give a presentation as part of your course. You experience significant difficulty speaking in front of groups and are worried that this will prevent you from demonstrating what you know.
You don't know whether your university can offer any adjustments. What could you do?
Contact DNS to discuss your situation and find out whether reasonable adjustments or alternative arrangements may be appropriate.
You are in a seminar, and the lecturer asks everyone to discuss a question in pairs. You turn to the person sitting next to you and say: “What do you think about this question?” They don't answer. They look down at their notes, mumble something, and then remain silent. You wait for a few seconds, but they still don't engage. You only have five minutes to discuss the question. What do you do?
Give them a little time, then try a low-pressure prompt. For example: “No worries, would you like to read the question together, or should I share my idea first?” This gives them different ways to participate without putting them under pressure.
You are working on a group assignment with three other students. After class, one of them says: “A few of us are going to the library later to work on the project.”
They look at you, smile, and then say: “You can come if you want.”
You are not sure what they mean. Are they genuinely inviting you, or are they just being polite? You would like to join them, but you don't want to make them uncomfortable if they were hoping to work without you. What do you do?
Treat it as a genuine invitation, but clarify naturally. You could say: “Yeah, I’d like to join you. What time are you going?”
This avoids overanalysing the phrase “if you want.” If they didn't want you to come, it was their responsibility to make that clear.
You are working in a group of four on a class project. Two people in your group have suggested completely different ideas for how to approach the task. One person says: “I think we should definitely do it this way.” The other replies: “I don't think that's going to work.”
After that, nobody says anything. The two students look down at their laptops, and the rest of the group is quiet. You still have a lot of work to do and only 20 minutes left in the session. What could help?
Acknowledge the disagreement and give the group a structured way to move forward. You could say: “It sounds like we have two different ideas. Could we quickly talk through the pros and cons of each and decide which one works best?”
It brings everyone back into the discussion, avoids taking sides, encourages collaborative problem-solving, and acknowledges the limited time
Fire alarm. You've never been in this building before. What should you do first?
Follow the fire alarm and evacuate the building immediately. If you've never been in the building before:
Stop what you're doing and leave, don't wait to see whether it is a drill.
Follow the green emergency exit signs and other people's directions.
If you are unsure where to go, ask a member of staff or follow the people evacuating.
Do not use the lift.
Go to the designated assembly point if you know where it is.
Once outside, don't go back into the building until staff or emergency services say it is safe.
In an emergency, you don't need to know the building perfectly. Follow the established safety procedures and ask staff for help if you are unsure.
You are working in a small group during a seminar. Your group has been told that you will need to give a five-minute presentation to the class at the end. One student in the group says: “I really don't want to present in front of everyone. I have an adjustment that means I don't have to do presentations.”
The other group members look at each other. Someone says: “But everyone has to contribute. It doesn't seem fair if one person doesn't present.”
You know the student has mentioned having a disability, but you don't know the details of their adjustment. What do you do?
Don't ask the student to explain or prove their disability. Instead, focus on how the group can divide the task fairly. You could say: “That's okay. Let's work out another way for you to contribute to the presentation.”
For example, the student could help prepare the slides; research and organise the content; contribute ideas during preparation; answer questions in writing; or take another agreed role that fits their adjustment (you can ask the tutor to help assigning roles too).
You've just made friends with the four people you did a group class project with. One Friday, one of them says: “We’re going to the pub tonight if you want to come.” You say yes. Later that day, you see a message in your group chat from the person who invited you: “Hmm, we might just keep it small tonight.”
You are unsure what this means. Nobody directly tells you not to come. What do you do?
Message the person privately to clarify. You could say: “Hey, just checking, are we still going to the pub tonight? No worries either way!”
This is the best option because you don't have to guess what they mean. You give them an easy opportunity to explain. You don't assume that you are being excluded. You avoid turning up somewhere if the plans have changed.
When social cues are unclear, it's okay to ask for clarification.
You are working on a group assignment with three other students. You quickly realise that everyone has a very different way of working.
Alex wants the group to meet every day and discuss progress. Sam rarely checks WhatsApp and sometimes takes two or three days to reply. Maya doesn't like group chats and prefers communicating by email. You prefer to work independently and only meet when there is something important to discuss.
The deadline is in three weeks. Everyone wants to do well, but you are already getting frustrated with each other.
Alex says: “If we don't meet every day, we're never going to get this finished.”
Sam replies: “I can't be checking my phone all the time.”
Maya says: “Can we just email each other? I find the group chat really confusing.”
How could you make the project work?
Agree on a shared working system that accommodates everyone's needs rather than expecting everyone to work in the same way. For example, the group could agree to:
Have one short meeting each week rather than meeting every day.
Use one agreed platform for important project information, so nobody misses key decisions.
Set a reasonable response time, e.g. reply within 48 hours rather than expecting immediate responses.
Use email for Maya if necessary, while making sure important decisions are recorded in the shared project space.
Divide tasks clearly so everyone knows what they are responsible for and when it is due.
Set intermediate deadlines so the group can identify problems before the final deadline.
Agree what to do if someone cannot attend a meeting or respond quickly.
Working together does not mean everyone has to work in the same way. The goal is to create shared expectations that are predictable and manageable for everyone.
You have an important assignment due next week, but something unexpected has happened that is significantly affecting your ability to complete your work. You are worried that you won't be able to meet the deadline. You don't want to simply miss the deadline or email your lecturer at the last minute.
What should you do?
Check whether you are eligible to apply for Exceptional Circumstances under ARU's policy. If your situation meets the criteria, submit an application as soon as possible and provide any required evidence.