Doing all you can to prepare yourself for university can
help make student life much less stressful and busy. There are quite a few
things to consider before September rolls around, so it’s best to start early
and get everything sorted. In part 1 of this 2-part blog series, we take a look
at 8 tips that can help you get prepared for university:
- Get into a Routine
It’s good to hit the ground running when you get to
university, so it can help to adopt regular routines to help you get the most
out of your days ahead. You can try more regular sleeping patterns in the week,
normal eating hours and even exercise to keep you refreshed and feeling on top
of your life. This will also give you lots of energy to study well, be social
and enjoy the craziness of weekend fun. Having healthy routines can enable you
to get all your most important jobs and responsibilities done and out of the
way, leaving you with plenty of time for friends, flatmates, going out and
enjoying your independence.
- Stay Organised and Keep
on Top of Your Days
The best way to have the least amount of anxiety and stress
about your weekly schedule is to plan and stay organised throughout the week.
You can use daily/weekly planners to help you remember your lectures,
one-on-one meetings with tutors and staff, crucial deadlines coming up,
utilities and rent due dates, and even fun nights out to look forward to! By
knowing your schedule, you can also plan the mundane yet necessary jobs like
weekly shopping and other errands and chores. Planning and getting these done
can free you up to spend more time with your friends.
- Get Ahead
Even though it’s extremely important to have a well-deserved
break throughout the summer, getting started on any work and learning what you
can over the summer can really help your first weeks and months of settling
back into university. Getting your freedom back and studying what you love can
be brilliant, but it can also be very tiring and difficult to get back into the
regular swing of things. While everyone else is cramming and stressing last
minute about reading lists and assignments, you could be having a relaxed start
to the year with plenty of time to adjust into your routines with little stress
about outstanding work or study.
- Keep on a Budget
Living on a budget can really help you to feel that you are
on top of your life, instead of drowning in financial stress. Studies have
found that half of UK adults in debt are also
living with mental ill-health [1]. While sometimes it is fun and good to
let loose, doing it too often with money you don’t have can begin to create
large amounts of stress and burden in your life. Don’t be scared to check your
bank balance frequently and know what you can spend, in order to avoid any
extra mental strain that can affect the whole of your student life. You can
still have fun weekends without over spending and ending up without money at
the end of the month for food and other necessities. Be in control of your
money, instead of letting your money control you!
- Try out Meal Prepping
Weekly meal organisation can do wonders for freeing up your
busy schedule. Try planning 3-5 main meals in advance, therefore saving
yourself the brain power needed to plan your meals EVERYDAY. By shopping for a
few different recipes in your weekly shop, you are free to cook whenever you
want in the evening depending on what activities you have planned. There’s no
need to keep on popping in and out of the shops after the long, busy days ahead
and meal prepping can additionally help you create meals that are healthier,
get you excited and give you something to look forward to. Another brilliant
way to plan ahead and save money is meal sharing. Dinner with flatmates and
friends can be a fun way to hang out while also sharing the cooking
responsibilities in the house and saving money all around. You could also go to
the shops and plan meals together as a way of keeping the process exciting.
There are plenty of exciting meals you can have on
a student budget [2].
- Choosing your
Accommodation and Flatmates
In order to have as little stress and worry as possible, it
is good to get on top of finding your accommodation sooner rather than later.
The earlier you look, the more choice you’ll have, and you’ll have plenty of
time to find good and dependable flatmates to rent with you. Nonetheless,
sometimes life gets in the way and/or plans fall through, but don’t let this stop
you. Unihousing is here with plenty of options and properties for you and your
friends. To ensure the best experience, try to team-up with people who will be
good and reliable flatmates; who will help you take care of the house, share
responsibilities, respect your privacy and will make the year a fun and
exciting one without drama and complications.
Check out Unihousing today and see some of our available
studios in September 2019 or subscribe to our newsletter to be among the first
to see our student accommodation for the academic year in 2020/21.
- Don’t Forget your
Supplies
By this, we don’t just mean university supplies! Make sure
you and your flatmates have all the necessities for your shared home including
pots, pans, dishes, cutlery, cooking utensils, bedding, towels, cleaning
products, and anything else you might need. It’s great to move into a space
that already has all the things you need, without the stress of running around
last minute and attempting to find needed home supplies. That being said, make
sure you don’t forget about your university supplies either. Start your
academic year feeling relaxed knowing that you have all your books, pens,
notebooks, art supplies and anything else you will need to give you the best
head start. Try picking the best supplies for you, things that get you inspired
but will be practical for your needs. Having a fun trip to IKEA with your
flatmates to pick out needed household items and supplies together is a great
way of letting everyone contribute and can create a fun kickstart to the new
university year.
- Learn the Support
Channels
University life can sometimes feel a little overwhelming, so
it’s important to learn about all of the necessary support channels, just in
case. In particular, the University of Birmingham
has a wellbeing service [3] in place to help support your physical,
emotional and psychological wellbeing. Doing the necessary research now means
you know where to go when you need help.
Making use of these 8 tips is a great way to make your university
experience a great one. You’ll not only get the most of your education, but
also make some great memories along the way. We’re not finished here though,
keep an eye out for part two, where you can find even more helpful tips and
tricks for getting prepared for university.
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