Time at the university can be really stressful. Even the time you before you enrolled in the university of your liking, you can accumulate certain levels of stress. You are about to make a change that will mark the rest of your life, and you, let’s be honest, don’t have any experience with finding what’s best for you.
When you arrive at the university, you find yourself living in a strange new place surrounded by new faces you don’t really know and new ideas that you, most likely, are not familiar with. It’s easy to get overwhelmed. After that, you need to collect yourself and continue. If you feel like you can’t keep up or you need some help managing your work-life balance, you’ve come to the right place. We’re here to give you five amazing tips that will help you to feel a little bit more on top of things.
1. Remember to sleep and to exercise
It’s easy to become bogged down with your assignments and your social activities. Lots of students fall into the trap of prioritizing work and social events above sleep and exercise, which can lead to exhaustion and stress. This is the easiest way to get yourself overwhelmed.
Sleep is a crucial part of your overall health. Be sure to aim for 7-9 hours of sleep a night. Even if you are overwhelmed by schoolwork, getting a good night’s sleep will mean you wake up refreshed, alert, energized and ready to work.
Also, sitting for too much in one place can have a negative impact on your overall mood and energy. Not to mention that your physical energy can be affected by it. It is crucial to stay active at least for some part of the day.
Exercise is another key element of your health that gets overlooked by many students. Exercise releases endorphins which helps to improve your mood. Many therapists recommend regular exercise for those who are struggling with anxiety or depression.
The stress you feel now will improve with a decent amount of exercise. The ultimate result is that you are going to have much more energy and focus to spend on studying. This is the first thing that you should pay attention to when you are finding a new strength within yourself.
2. Start keeping a daily planner
If you haven’t already got a daily planner, be sure to invest in one. Plan out each and every day in detail. Also, be sure to write down all of your upcoming due dates. That way you will give yourself a sense of achievement whenever you complete some of the chores you gave to yourself. You can write down all of the assignments you have for the semester in question.
With a planner, you’ll know when you’re free and you’ll be able to keep track of your upcoming obligations. Try to set aside some time for actually doing your schoolwork. If you see a three-hour gap in the middle of your day, set it aside for your work. You need to have in mind that some of the greatest minds in history stated that keeping a daily planner is one of the best things they’ve done. This is both effective at work and it has a very good influence on your overall mood.
3. Do attend class!
Lots of students are amazed when they arrive at university – you don’t actually have to attend lectures! Sometimes they don’t even take attendance! Do not fall into the trap of skipping lectures. This is something that can affect students’ mindsets pretty easily and it’s not so easy to get out of it.
For example, if you missed, let’s say, a week of classes and lectures, you need to make sure that you catch up. While you may think you can use the time for another class’s work and catch up later, you’ll find yourself feeling more and more overwhelmed when you start missing lectures.
4. Don’t be ashamed to ask for help
If you are feeling really overwhelmed, don’t be ashamed to speak to someone. Whether it’s a family member, a friend, a teacher or a mental health professional, they will be able to help you feel less alone.
You could also consider using Assignment Expert, a service that will help you get through any assignment you may be struggling to complete. This online service is quick and easy to use. It’s like having a tutor by your side, helping you to grasp difficult concepts or to structure that essay.
5. Look only at important things
Sometimes you can get overwhelmed because you have a lot on your mind when it comes to the subject you are studying. This is specifically hard if you have a part-time or full-time job. You can either try to navigate both of those two obligations or you might want to quit one of them.
In this case that would be your job, naturally. The reason is, your studies are one of the most important things in your life. So, you might want to put all other things that are not so important aside. Also, you might want to go easy on your social life or taking action in some organizations of clubs.
6. Be strict about your studying time
Choosing one part of the day when you will do nothing but study can lead you a long way. You can achieve much more with discipline than without it. You can even do a little experiment like studying for 8 hours each day, for example, 8 am to 4 pm or 9 am to 6 pm. That way you will get a sense of responsibility and you will feel bad if you don’t follow your schedule, which is a good thing, right?
Final thoughts
We hope these tips have given you some inspiration for different ways to manage life as a new student. Remember, never be afraid of speaking to someone about how you’re feeling. It’s completely normal to find the transition to college life a difficult one, and your friends and family are sure to understand and offer more tips and support.
