Every year thousands of students across the country brace themselves for the exciting and
nerve-racking experience of starting a new degree. After the initial dread of making new
friends and learning new things fades balancing university life can still be a massive
problem.
Times Higher Education recommends just eight key tips for using your university time
efficiently :
1. Look after yourself
2. Take control of your time
3. Strike a good balance
4. Don’t blur the boundaries
5. Exercise and eat healthy
6. Study with friends
7. Mix up your techniques and resources
8. Study in short bursts and take breaks
Looking after yourself is number one on the list just like it should be number one in your
priorities. Make sure you keep your well-being first and be ready to lean on others when
things start going wrong.
Taking control of your time and making active choices about your priorities can make a real
change in starting a good routine. Striking a good balance between socialising and studying
can reduce your chance of burnout.
Remember to not blur the boundaries in your routine. Be sure to switch off and relax when
you intend to as well as stay off your phone when it’s time to study. Adding exercise at least
twice a week is also important for mental and physical health.
Studying in groups can make the whole study process less isolating. You might love your
course but too much of a good thing can still get boring so remember to take breaks, study
for short bursts and mix up your study resources to keep things interesting.
These eight tips aren’t just going to magically fix everything and if you’re still feeling lost The University of Sheffield has tools like Residence Life mentors and the Student Wellbeing
Service to help students make the most of their time at university.
We spoke to second-years Jack Knoble and Camille Ball about their own first-year
experience adjusting to balancing university life.
Jack, a History and Politics student, typically has around 10 contact hours a week and works
over twice that independently, as well as working for a hospitality agency and singing in the
student band The Poppy Seeds.
In contrast, Camille, a medicine student, has 20 contact hours a week and works that
amount outside of class hours along with being an avid gymgoer and mentoring prospective
students.
How long did it take you to adjust to balancing the less structured university life?
Camille: “It definitely took me about a month of university teaching to get used to being
independent, because all the free time seems exciting compared to school, although
adjusting was slightly easier because I had more contact hours than most people."
Jack: “It took me quite a while to get used to less structure. At school, it’s very formulaic so
it’s quite a change. Once you figure out your rhythm and schedule it’s really rewarding to fit
your own time into it though."
What do you do to take time for yourself outside of work and social life?
Camille: “I definitely really struggle to take time for myself and I try to make myself a priority time-wise by having a long morning and night routine so that I get to spend the start and end of each day relaxing."
Jack: "Outside of uni and social stuff I try and keep active. I mess about with a lot of sports,
I’m an online maths tutor and I’m also a singer in a band I formed with one of my course
mates called The Poppy Seeds."
What advice would you give to first-year students on staying on top of everything without
feeling drained?
Camille: “My top piece of advice would be to make time for yourself as well as your social life and degree. Putting ‘you time’ into your calendar means you can relax, and recharge and
you have much more energy for everything else. Also making a to-do list that you can edit
from your phone and laptop, and then put everything in there, then you won’t forget
anything.”
Jack: "I’d say make sure to take time for yourself. Resting is just as productive as working.
With that in mind though don’t leave stuff too late and end up reading at 1 in the morning."
How have you changed how you balance your university life coming into your second year?
Camille: “Coming into my second year I am keen to have a bit more routine than I did last
year. I am hoping that will make me feel more organised and I won’t feel guilty when taking
time out to be with my friends or do other commitments."
Jack: "Coming into my second year I’d say want to do more work for myself which means
more secondary readings and independent readings. As my course gets more ‘serious’ I’m
trying to take it more seriously."
In the end, it is important to not get too overwhelmed and remember although you are there to complete your chosen degree you are also still living your life and you should take timeout to socialise and make time for yourself.
To contact student mental health, counselling and therapies service:
Phone: +44 114 222 4134
Email: mentalhealthcounselling@sheffield.ac.uk
To contact Residence Life if you live in university accommodation:
Phone: 0114 222 8800
Edited by Caitlin Hart