Prepare for the year ahead

Excited to go back to university, leave your summer job and catch up with friends you haven’t seen in months? You might spend the whole summer looking forward to getting back to university, but it can be difficult getting back into your term-time routine after a summer of no course work, revision or exams. Here are our tips to help you prepare for the year ahead:

Find a balance

Often the hardest but the most important balance to find is the workload vs personal life balance. Going out too much and forgetting your course work, or studying too much and not seeing friends enough can lead to stress. As the semester goes on and your timetable ramps up, it’s a good idea to create a revision timetable to help you stay on top of your workload, whilst also making sure you have the time to see friends and have a part-time job.

Organise yourself

Organisation is key! Make a note of your deadlines for each of your assignments to help figure out the amount of work you’re going to have for the semester again and how much free time is available. If the library isn’t for you and you prefer to work from home, make sure you organise your study space – keep it clear of clutter!

Healthy lifestyle

Pulling all-nighters is a part of being a student, but it’s really important to try and get at least eight hours of sleep a night. A lack of sleep can result in a lower immune system and general lack of focus, which isn’t ideal when exam season rolls around! A balanced diet is also key. Don’t worry you don’t have to be the greatest cook – simply dust off those student cookbooks you were given at Christmas and pick out some easy recipes. You don’t want to spend all of that spare SAAS money on takeaways…

Ask for help

Remember to ask for help if you need it. Don’t feel like you shouldn’t ask for help because your friends seem to be coping fine. If you’re struggling, speak to friends, course mates, lecturers or even university services. University services wouldn’t exist if no one ever needed help so try not to feel put off because you feel like you’re the only one who needs it.