We know that the temptation is there to forget all your responsibilities once you have been released into the freedom of university life! However, with the move into university comes a whole host of new (and sometimes even slightly exciting) responsibilities to replace the old ones. Money, for example, is perhaps the biggest of these. More specifically, making sure money goes to the right people at the right time. From rent to library fines, bills to council tax (don’t worry, I’m only joking about that last one!) there is a lot to remember so it might be an idea to get it all written down in one spreadsheet. That way, if you’ve had a particularly busy week working (!) then that gas bill you should have paid last month won’t slip your mind again and land you with more red letters from the energy company. Set up standing orders for regular payments like rent or bills to come out of your account just after your pay day if you’re planning to have a part-time job. This way, you won’t spend it on nights out or fancy dress costumes by mistake instead!
New experiences
With all these new experiences and responsibilities you’ll need to keep your body and mind well fuelled, which leads me nicely on to the topic of food shopping. Again, it will be helpful if you budget a certain amount for this every week so you know how much you have to spend on lavish items once you get there! Writing a list before you go might also be handy so you don’t forget your essentials like pasta, milk and beans while you’re picking up more exciting things like lager, ice cream and that giant pack of doughnuts that were on offer! On that note, remember to try and plan some healthy meals in and around the take-aways and pub grub. You can’t expect your mind to produce first class work if it’s only got rubbish to fuel it.
So, on to the next responsibility – doing your degree! You might be forgiven for forgetting amongst all the excitement and change that this is actually the reason you are at university. Planning will be key to making sure you have enough time to complete your essays and pieces of coursework on time as well as keeping up with all your social engagements! Despite the rumours you may have heard, all nighters are not always an essential part of being a student as long as you plan your time effectively. However, see our other article ‘What to Expect at Uni’ for tips on how to survive if the planning falls apart and an all nighter seems inevitable!
Keeping healthy
Besides all the work and play, it is also going to be important to keep yourself healthy while at uni. We’ve already mentioned that you should throw in some vegetables every now and then to your diet, but it’s also important to remember to keep up some form of exercise. Sports clubs are a great way to do this and will without doubt also be a great place to meet like minded people. Just remember, sports clubs also cost money so factor subs and kit costs into your budget spreadsheet as well! If you stay on top of all these things, your time at university is sure to be a good one!
