> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://guides.reallivesworld.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://guides.reallivesworld.com/university-department-home/uni-department-student/getting-started/daily-tasks-and-assignments.md).
# Daily Tasks and Assignments
### Your Daily Work — Assignments
In RealLives, your daily work is your assignments. There's no separate to do list — your assignment page is your task list. Everything starts and ends there.
***
#### What is an assignment?
An assignment is an activity your professor has set up and added you to. Each one includes:
* A simulated life to play (in a random country, a specific country, linked to an SDG goal, or from the assignment library)
* Sometimes a lesson plan with instructions from your professor
* A due date
* A status that updates as you work through it
You don't create assignments — your professor does that and adds you to them.
***
#### Your daily routine
Here's a simple flow to follow each time you log in:
| Step | Where to go | What to do |
| ---- | ------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| 1 | **Home** | Check your My Assignments card for a quick overview |
| 2 | **Notifications** (bell) | See if there are any new or overdue reminders |
| 3 | **My Assignments** | Find the most urgent assignment |
| 4 | Assignment card | Click **View Lesson Plan** if your professor attached one |
| 5 | Assignment card | Click **Start** or **Continue** to open the simulation |
| 6 | Simulation | Play through your life |
| 7 | **My Journey** | See your countries, reflections, and impact after playing |
| 8 | **My ChangeMaker Space** | Review your competencies and report |
***
#### Assignment types
Each assignment card shows a type label. Here's what each one means:
| Type | What it means |
| ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Random Life** | You're born in a random country chosen by your professor |
| **Specific Country** | Your life takes place in a particular country |
| **SDG Assignment** | Your life is linked to a UN Sustainable Development Goal |
| **Assignment Library** | Your life is based on a themed activity from the curriculum library |
The type affects where your life begins and what the class is exploring.
***
#### Assignment statuses
Each assignment card has a coloured badge telling you where things stand:
| Badge | What it means | What to do |
| --------------- | ---------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Pending** | Not started yet | Click **Start Assignment** |
| **In Progress** | You've started but not finished | Click **Continue Assignment** |
| **Complete** | All done | Click **View Assignment Life** to review |
| **Overdue** | Past the due date and not finished | The play button will be greyed out — speak to your professor |
***
#### Reading the lesson plan
If your professor has attached a lesson plan, always read it before you start playing. Click **View Lesson Plan** on the card to open it.
Inside you might find:
| Section | What to look for |
| ---------------------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| **Overview** | The big picture of what this lesson is about |
| **Learning Outcomes** | What you're expected to learn |
| **Instructions** | Step by step guidance from your professor |
| **Discussion Prompts** | Questions to think about or discuss in class |
| **Activities** | Extra tasks connected to the lesson |
| **Assessment Method** | How your work will be evaluated |
| **Resources** | Any extra materials or links |
***
#### Starting or continuing a life
1. Click **Start Assignment**, **Continue Assignment**, or **Continue** on the card
2. The RealLives simulation opens in your browser
3. Play through your life — your professor will usually tell you what they expect (most often you play until your character's life ends)
4. Once done, your assignment status updates automatically
***
#### What happens after you play
| Where | What changes |
| ------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Assignment card** | Status moves towards Complete |
| **Home** | Your completed and in progress counts update |
| **My Journey** | Your lives played, countries visited, reflections, and impact stats all build up |
| **My ChangeMaker Space** | Unlocks after your first life; your competency scores and report grow with every life you play |
Playing your assignment lives is what feeds all your progress across the platform — it all connects automatically.
***
#### How to prioritise when you have a lot on
| Priority | Focus on assignments that are... |
| -------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| 1st | Overdue or due within the next 7 days |
| 2nd | Already In Progress — finish these before starting new ones |
| 3rd | Pending with the nearest due date |
| 4th | Complete — only revisit these when reviewing for class |
Use **Sort: Latest** to put the nearest due dates at the top of your list.
***
#### If something isn't showing up or working
| What you see | What to do |
| ------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| No assignments yet | Your professor may not have added you yet — check with them |
| An assignment is missing | Search by name, or make sure you're logged into the right account |
| Status stuck on In Progress | Click Continue Assignment and finish the life in the simulation |
| Overdue button is greyed out | Speak to your professor about next steps |
| My ChangeMaker Space is locked | Play at least one assignment life first — it unlocks automatically |
***
#### Things you can't do as a student
Just so you know what's in your professor or admin's hands:
* Create or edit assignments
* Add classmates to an assignment
* Change due dates
* Buy licenses or credits
* Use Live a Life from the sidebar for class work — always go through My Assignments instead
* Pay to generate your ChangeMaker report — it's completely free for university students
***
---
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