Dr. Thomas Varsamidis on the most common roadblock students hit - and how to get past it
In our ongoing ATH/TECH Faculty Insights series, we invite our academic staff behind ATH/TECH College to share the knowledge that textbooks don’t always capture – the lessons learned in the field, the principles that hold true regardless of how fast the technology moves, and the advice they wish someone had given them earlier.
This week, we spoke with Dr. Thomas Varsamidis, Academic Director of Postgraduate Studies at ATH/TECH College.
We asked him: What is the most common roadblock you see students hit, and what is your go-to advice for getting past it?
“They may consider some topics too ‘difficult’ to work in and not take them on. Everything in technology is there because of a good reason, not ‘just because’. Take it one step at a time and all will make good sense soon.”
It is a pattern Dr. Varsamidis has observed across years of working with students at postgraduate level — the moment a subject feels too complex, too abstract, or too far outside a student’s comfort zone, the temptation to step back rather than step forward can be powerful.
His advice reframes that moment entirely. In technology, nothing exists arbitrarily. Every concept, every framework, every language has a purpose – and understanding that purpose is often the key that unlocks the subject itself. Difficulty is not a signal to retreat. It is a signal to slow down, break it into steps, and trust the process.
Stay tuned for more insights from the people behind ATH/TECH College.