Managing at Uni:

University can be super overwhelming at times, believe me, I know. It can be so tough to juggle course work, a part time job, any societies you might have joined and a social life. It’s a lot, and if you’re anything like me you’ll think everyone is so put together and coping whilst you’re struggling. Sound familiar? Well read on to see the few tips that I’ve put together to survive university.

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Don’t do nothing:

Sometimes life gets so overwhelming and can send me into a depressive spiral where I don’t know where to start, I don’t know how to make things better and I don’t know how to catch up once I’ve fallen behind. And whilst I’m a strong believer that having a duvet day occasionally to catch a breather is more than okay making this the norm isn’t and will just make you feel worse in the long run. Although, I am by no means saying this is easy and even showering can become a hurdle. If this is the case please make sure you speak to someone most universities have a great Counselling service that you can make an appointment at.

It can often feel like there are simply just not enough hours in the day and this can seem daunting but it’s all about time management and even if you complete half of what’s on your list a win is still a win. Don’t be hard on yourself.

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Have a day off:

I find it really helps to have one day a week where you don’t do course work, don’t have a shift and no societies. This can just be you’re day to watch movies, maybe meet friends, eat your favorite food and do a face mask. This means on all the other days of the week when you’re feeling stressed and over worked you know you have a day of nothing coming up.

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Be apart of different things:

I sometimes feel like my whole life is university related, which isn’t always healthy and can make you feel pretty trapped in the system. That’s why I love having my part time job, it provides me with different friends and experiences that are nothing to do with my course, writing this blog also helps me take time to do something I love that isn’t for an assignment. For everyone this will be different but I encourage you to find something you love doing away from uni even if it’s just taking a walk!

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Don’t compare yourself to other people:

You know how people say don’t compare yourself to people on social media because it’s all fake? Well this applies to uni culture too. We are all just faking it till we make it, and that’s not always a good thing. But it is true that students are all so self conscious and desperate to fit in that we do only ever show you what we want you to see. It’s important to remember everyone has their own battles and nobody is okay all the time so don’t ever think that you’re alone.

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Avoid the FOMO:

FOMO (fear of missing out) is one of the biggest struggles of uni in my opinion. It’s important to remember that you are but one person and can’t be expected to go to everything. Since starting second year I have seen a difference in myself in not attending everything and only going to things I can/ actually want to. But in 1st year this is one of the biggest struggles and if I’m honest with you I’ve not found a magic cure for it yet but I have got some tips. Make plans with a friend to stay in, maybe have some drinks and play games or watch a movie, think about other plans that you will be able to make (this will just make you more excited and probably make the night better,) or just take a night to yourself and use it to catch up on work if you’re feeling stressed this might help you chill the next morning.