How to: Manage the double university life 

As we’ve coasted through towards the second half of the second term this year, some people will have mastered their balance of work life, social life and quiet time – but do not fret if you haven’t yet! Trust me, I’m a finalist who is still working out what level of balance works best for me whilst I’m at university.

Sometimes, it can feel truly exhausting to have to do a large chunk of studying or revising in one go, and if that is the case for you, set out a schedule of smaller time periods that you can commit to studying in

It can certainly be a struggle at first trying to maintain everything that you want to do whilst at university – from hobbies to socials to lectures and seminars to coursework and revision, and even just some relaxing wind-down time. This article will give you some pointers on how to learn to balance your time a little better while still getting the most out of your student life.

Obviously, there isn’t much that we can do about lectures and seminars, and don’t think that skipping them and watching them back will be good for your schedule because you will get into a nasty habit of missing them and never catching up! But when it comes to personal study time, you have full control over how much of that you do and how much time you dedicate towards it. Sometimes, it can feel truly exhausting to have to do a large chunk of studying or revising in one go, and if that is the case for you, set out a schedule of smaller time periods that you can commit to studying in – perhaps an hour before you go to bed one night, or between seminars on campus. Deciding on a specific time to study can be greatly motivating for actually doing it, and you may find that it becomes easier to balance it with the other things in your life, as they don’t all coincide at the last possible minute!

Naturally, though, one solution does not fit all, and if you are someone who can plough through a week’s worth of studying in one day, then I applaud you – and if it works for you, then that’s perfect! No two students will have the same studying experience whilst at university, and some of us work a little better under allotted conditions. For those of you who find that a balance works when you are able to dedicate more time towards tasks, setting up your own ‘reset day’ will be a great change in your lifestyle. A reset day will give you time to deal with all those pesky household chores you’ve been putting off, whilst still finding some time for yourself. Personally, I use Sundays as my reset – the end of the week lets me deal with any studying I have yet to catch up on, throw some washing in and take some time to myself (it’s the perfect time to multitask a chore with catching up on your favourite TV show!). Having a day, whether it is the whole day or just a part of it, to ‘reset’ your brain and mind for the following week helps keep things manageable and ensures you’re not putting too much focus on one side of university life rather than the other.

Not only is it great to detach from our phones and screens in these moments, but replacing that doomscrolling habit with a hobby will make you feel so much better!

Personal time can be hard to find at university, as it feels like you’re drifting between constant work and keeping up with the social life of societies, friends and flatmates. It’s a simple fix for this is just to be more intentional with the time that you have. How often do you find yourself doomscrolling before you head onto campus for the day? Or getting back after a draining lecture and sneaking back into bed and spiralling for hours on TikTok? Not only is it great to detach from our phones and screens in these moments, but replacing that doomscrolling habit with a hobby will make you feel so much better! Whether it is watching some TV, reading a book and a crafty knitting project – some of which you can even do on the bus journey into university – intentionally use that downtime to do the things that you’ve been meaning to do!

When it comes to social life, it can be a lot harder to balance, especially when we feel ourselves falling victim to ‘FOMO’. The best thing to do in that situation is just to learn and know yourself, figure out your limits with going out and doing things. Don’t be afraid to say yes to plans, but more importantly, don’t be afraid to say no either. You have many years at this university and there will be another social event for you to attend (probably the very next day!).

Finally, a problem that I have definitely encountered over my years at university is that over planning can be even more detrimental to the balance that you are trying to find. Life at university is unexpected and chaotic, and plans often end up changing at the drop of a hat – your routines may be interrupted and messed about, but you will find your balance, nonetheless. Try different things and work out where your balance lies between the studying and the working and the partying, and focus on making sure that it is good for you.