University was a time where a lot of sleepless nights,
self-realisation and personal growth occurred. And definitely not in that
order. It was a catalyst for experiences that would more or less change my
life. Not to say that they define me, but they are and always will be a part of
me.
I would like to take a few minutes to explore some of those
experiences, and suggest what you could do to ensure you make the most of your university
experience (and perhaps not make the mistakes I did!)
1. Find a way to organise your time.
I really can’t stress this enough. Whether
you’re old school and prefer a paper journal and a pen like me, or you would
rather collate your day in a calendar app, make sure you plan your time. One of
my biggest setbacks at university was thinking that as a creative person, a
calendar and an organised schedule would get in the way of my projects. It
doesn’t. If anything, it makes your projects come to life because you feel like
you’ve put in the time and effort to build them.
2. University is a small bubble. Don’t get sucked
into drama.
It’s bound to happen at some point or
another, but stay away! As drama unfolds, it drains your energy and your
limited time at university where you could be putting your money to better use.
I was never one to get involved in the full charades of unfolding drama, but I
could see others get sucked into it. As you get accustomed to everyone at uni,
you’ll feel less self-conscious, and more likely to engage in troubles. Try and
remind yourself that university is a tiny bubble compared to the real world,
and staying above drama is what will help you in later life.
3. Food is the money killer, find more
cost-effective ways of eating!
I guarantee 9 times out of 10 if I asked a
university student what their money goes on the most, they will confess food. It’s completely justified
considering you’ve been used to gorgeous home cooked food before you moved out,
and now you’re trying to recreate that taste, but you need to budget!! Living
away from home, I realised that eating healthy was even more expensive than takeaway
in some circumstances, and I took the unhealthy route to save money.
Eventually, I discovered that cooking in bulk, and splitting food shopping with
housemates is an excellent way to save your money. Be creative, have Come Dine With Me nights at your house,
cook Christmas dinner together, or have the first person back from uni that day
start cooking first.
4. Procrastination will be the death of your grades
I can’t explain how much I used
to procrastinate. It was appalling. I would be most productive in every other
area of my life when I was procrastinating from studying. I would get so
inspired to paint, or search the internet, or tidy my house – anything to
distract me from the task at hand. One way I learned to use to combat
procrastination was planning all of my work in advance – in a separate sitting
to actually completing the work. I also used caffeinated products as much as
possible (not overdosing on caffeine of course!) in order to kick-start my
mind. Having a clean and tidy environment is also really helpful to ensure your
mind feels less chaotic and more balanced, ready to complete the work.
5. Take care of your mental health!
The last, and possibly most important message
is to look after your mental health dearly. Students are at a high risk of
falling into low moods, anxiety and poor sleeping and eating patterns as a
result of negligence in their day-to-day life, or stress and pressure that
builds on them. Make sure you get at least 7 hours of sleep at night. If you’re
falling short of this currently, try 7+ hours sleep for a week straight and
make a note of any differences you feel within yourself. More energised? More
focused? More patient? Yup, that’s the sleep kicking in. It’s vital to take
care of your mind. Make sure you’re making time for yourself too. Although ten-hour
library shifts might seem necessary, you need to give yourself a break
(physically and mentally). Make sure you do the things you feel passionate
about every week, and drink plenty of water in-between. Something that might be
useful is registering with your campus’ student life centre (or the equivalent
in your university), and advising them any time you feel below par to complete
work. It’s useful to have a log, especially if it affects your work in a severe
way. The advice they can give you is respectable too, and very motivating. Don’t
be scared to go.
Above all, live your years at university the way you want
to. Don’t listen to anyone’s stereotypes of how it has to feel, or what you
should be graduating with. You came to university for unique reasons, with
unique circumstances, different to everyone else. You’ll graduate the same way.
Make sure you always do what’s right for YOU.
Until next time,
Kalina
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