I have been writing and editing for Her Campus for a while now and I am seriously hoping that this term will be the best for this new venture, which is equally terrifying and exciting at the same time. I thought it would be interesting to start a student section on my blog as being a student has been an integral part of my life for some time now, and it would be odd not to include the lessons I have learnt as a student and my do’s and don’t for almost three years of university. Initially, this article was published on the Her Campus Newcastle chapter page here, but I wanted to also put it up on Stylion to showcase the new student section. So here goes!
Each term brings with it something new and exciting, as the year progresses in your academic studies. However, one of the most important things that I have found to be useful over the years of university is to reflect on the past term and how the lessons from the last term can be applied to perform better in the new one!
Make sure that you plan the night before
Each night as you get ready for another day at university, make sure that you have planned out your next day just so that you can stay on top of things. Except for the usual books, laptop and gym kit, make sure that you pack a simple snack so that you don’t have to reach towards the food at the university snack shop, and make sure that all your electronics are charged.
Write a weekly to-do list every Sunday
Nothing helps cement your plans and must-do’s like a to-do list, and it is essential that you don’t just think about the day ahead, but also the week. The last term, I found that writing up a weekly to-do list plan for the next five days (at least) re-organised things in my mind and made sure that I didn’t forget appointments, study times for group work and made sure that I stayed on top of my reading as the days went by.
Don’t skip lunch
Every day at university can get a bit hectic, and one crucial mistake I made the last term was that a lot of the time, I simply forgot to take the time to sit down and eat something in the middle of the day. Nothing hurts more than realising that you are starving mid-lecture and that your stomach is making noises you would prefer your classmates did not hear. Don’t make that fatal error, and even if you don’t bring in something from home, make sure that you at least grab something from food halls around campus, as that one pound might not hurt you but being hungry surely will!
Each term, try to make sure that you do not slip behind on reading, essential things for your societies or coursework as even a couple of days doing nothing can be detrimental for your mental health when you have to catch up later. If you feel like you cannot organise everything alone, make sure to share responsibilities and keep on track with a roommate or someone from class so that you can always do the best work you can!
STYLION 