Newbie 101: The art of meeting deadlines

Three to four assessments per course, overlapping due dates, and new systems to learn, welcome to the first-year rhythm at RMIT. If “Bài này chill phết” (MIN x Đen Vâu) has ever felt like your soundtrack to deadline season, you’re not alone. The good news: there’s solid psychology behind why deadlines work (and fail), and you can use it to your advantage. 

The psychology behind deadlines centers on their ability to create a sense of urgency that activates the brain's stress response, leading to increased focus and motivation. Deadlines encourage action by translating abstract goals into concrete time-bound targets, triggering motivation through the anticipation of completing a task. According to the Yerkes–Dodson law, there’s a sweet spot: too little pressure invites procrastination; too much triggers anxiety and burnout. The key is turning big, abstract goals into concrete, time-bound targets so your brain knows exactly what to do next.

Turn the urgency when you are facing deadlines into clarity by making your deadlines visible and concrete. 

Start by getting familiar with Canvas, RMIT’s main learning platform. It’s where you’ll find assessment briefs, deadlines, and submission for your work (unless your lecturer specifies otherwise). Each course shell includes an Assignments section and a Calendar tab, so check both early to see what’s coming up.  

Once assessment details are released, read the Submission Guidance for file format, naming conventions, and required documents such as the Assessment Declaration and any required Consent form alongside the RMIT Cover Sheet. 

After uploading, review your Turnitin similarity report. This helps ensure your reference is correct and avoids plagiarism issues. In some courses, you can revise and resubmit if your similarity score is too high. 

Procrastination is a common challenge when working towards deadlines. When tasks look large and vague, your brain chooses the easiest option: delay. Instead of waiting for motivation to appear, planning forward helps you reduce that overwhelm and turn “I’ll do it later” into small, manageable steps you can start today. 

Start by mapping out your key deadlines for the semester, then work backwards from each one. Set mini-deadlines for research, drafting, editing, and formatting, and plug these into a simple weekly routine where each course has dedicated time blocks. Consistent 20–30 minute focus sessions spread across weeks are far more effective (and less stressful) than a single late-night scramble. 

For each assignment, break the work into small, clearly defined steps like “draft 5 bullet points for key point 1” or “find one example for the recommendation section.” Estimate how long each step will take and add a small buffer so unexpected events don’t collapse your plan. 

Pro tip:  

• Using the SMART goal framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound in setting up your deadlines makes it easier to track progress and maintain accountability. 
• Set up a master calendar with all your due dates in one place (Google Calendar, Notion, or a paper planner) so you can see busy weeks early and plan your study time more realistically.  

One of the key challenges in working with deadlines is finding the balance between completing tasks promptly and maintaining a high standard of quality. Rushing may result in work that feels incomplete, while focusing on too much perfection can lead to unnecessary delays or missed deadlines. 

The aim is to use deadlines as a source of motivation without compromising quality. This involves defining what “good enough” looks like for each assessment, aligning your level of effort with its importance, and allowing sufficient time to review key aspects before submission. For tasks that are especially complex or carry significant weight, it can also be helpful to build some flexibility around your own internal deadlines. 

When your calendar starts filling up, it’s easy to forget self-care but maintaining balance is key to long-term success. Burnout often happens when you focus only on deadlines and forget to recharge. 

Find what genuinely recharges you: a quick gym session, a walk around campus, or a chat with friends at the café. Keeping your energy up helps you stay focused when it’s crunch time. 

If you ever feel anxious or overwhelmed, remember that RMIT offers Wellbeing services that are free and confidential for students. Sometimes a short conversation with a counsellor is all it takes to reset and regain focus. 

Meeting deadlines at university isn’t about being perfect, it’s about having a clear plan, knowing your priorities, and taking care of yourself along the way. When you break tasks into steps, balance quality with urgency, and protect your wellbeing, deadlines become something you can manage, not fear. As you settle into life at RMIT, think of each semester as practice: the more you apply these strategies, the more confident and in control you’ll feel when the next busy week arrives. 

Story: Hoang Ngoc Tram, a Professional Communication student at RMIT Vietnam. This article does not reflect the views of RMIT Vietnam.