Life as a student can bring about all kinds of challenges. But, some can be improved with a few changes we can make to our lives in the new year…
1. Waking and sleeping
The great thing about university life is the freedom and independence it provides. Your parents aren’t there to be the back-up alarm clock or to give you the death stare when you slump downstairs at two in the afternoon. But, missing out on half of the day isn’t that great either and the nocturnal life of a vampire can get very impracticable and unsociable. Going to sleep at a reasonable time and waking up earlier and more refreshed makes for a good New Year’s resolution for a student wanting to face the day head-on.
2. Meeting deadlines
“I’ll do it tomorrow”. We’ve all said it and there’s a pretty good chance we’ve left ourselves rushing through a piece of work in order to meet that quickly approaching deadline. A new year offers the chance to change your lax ways and get work done. Make a resolution to do your research, plan your work, write it up and send it off with enough time for that all important 456th final read through.
3. Revision done right
Cramming is awful. Don’t try to deny it. Not only are you forced to stuff as much information as possible into your frazzled brain, but it coincides at a time when all you can think of is all the things you could be doing instead. Start revising well in advance of your exams and make sure you go over everything that needs to be revised. to be revised. It’s also important to get as much practise in on past exams as possible, whether its UCAT practise or Physics, it’s important to get as much in as possible. According to BBC article with Professor John Dunlovsky of Kent State University, “distributed practice” (that is spreading out revision) is the most effective way to revise. So, start early this year!
4. Saving the Student Loan
The day you get an instalment of your student loan is a great day indeed. There is just so much to spend that precious dollar on and you’ll be praising the day you submitted those forms for it. But soon enough, you may realise that you should have been a little more fiscally responsible as bills and rent rear their ugly head. The new year should signal the time to monitor how much you spend, or at the the very least, make sure you have enough to pay off the landlord.
5. Fire up the oven
It’s been a long day and you really can’t be bothered to cook anything. Who can blame you? The problem is, you do the same thing on less trying days. It’s time to get a little more active in the kitchen and start preparing and cooking your own meals and help dispel the myth of your Pot Noodle-addiction that your family clings so dearly to. Cooking doesn’t have to be a dull affair. Fun and innovative culinary creations can be found through sites such as Tasty on Buzzfeed.
6. Get more involved
You’ve promised yourself from the start you’d be immersed in all that university life has to offer. Unfortunately, especially on cold winter nights, the warmth and comfort of your room has been a bit too irresistible to seperate yourself from. This year should mark a change. You should go hunting for societies and activities that satisfy your interests and maybe offer you something new. You can find more information form your Student’s Union or from your department’s own society.
Have you made any New Year’s Resolutions this year? Let us know in the comments below!
