Molly Banks shares her best tips on how to strive for that most elusive aspect of life at University: balance. 

University can be some of the best years of your life, however, to get the most out of this, you need a balance between work, family, friends and time to yourself. No matter what year you are in, finding a balance never gets easier, and uni can be confusing and unsettling until you find a personalised system designed for you. There’s an abundance of support available that you shouldn’t be afraid to use if you are struggling. As a second-year student still finding the perfect balance, here is some advice I have found useful so far: 

Focus on yourself

Accepting that your life will change as the year progresses, and having a flexible schedule is one of the best things you can do to prevent stress and disorder becoming overwhelming. Studying should be a priority for students, but your everyday life should focus on more than this, to improve your well-being which is essential for managing and coping with uni life. Joining societies and exercising daily, even if it's something as simple as a short walk, will help you settle into university and establish a routine that will soon become a habit. 

Be in Control 

Perhaps the most important thing for successfully maintaining a balance at university is organisation and being in control of your time rather than letting it get away from you. Making active choices regarding how you spend your time can help maximise study time and reduce procrastination. Gaps between classes can be used for smaller tasks or starting the larger ones, such as making an essay plan. Planning your day the night before can be beneficial and help create realistic goals, leaving you with a productive day planned, whilst also having time to yourself in the evening.

Avoiding blurring the line between boundaries can help you get the most out of your time.

Set boundaries

Creating boundaries to separate your personal life from your studies can help with managing a fast-paced university experience, such as not studying past a certain time in the evening, or setting a time in the morning when you get out of bed. Remembering that you don’t have to take every opportunity if you are feeling tired, overwhelmed, or burnt out is essential to prevent your work or personal life dominating the other as more opportunities will always arise. Avoiding blurring the line between boundaries can help you get the most out of your time.

Prioritise

Prioritise what is most important, whether it is a mental list or a physical copy to keep your mind grounded as life becomes increasingly busy. Then you can get the most important tasks done, as well as recognise what matters most and how you can act accordingly. Creating an order of what tasks are most important can help organise your time better and give you guidance on how you could structure your schedule for the week. For example, allocating a time slot for the high priority tasks can prevent them feeling like a burden on your mind. 

Managing part-time work

Working set days a week or communicating with your manager to plan shifts that work for you can help to effectively organize your time and create a routine. Aiming to attend all your classes will reduce your time spent catching up, meaning when you have upcoming deadlines, you’re able to start studying earlier to make the workload more manageable. Not over-committing to shifts allows you to still have time to yourself for things you enjoy, helping you feel more in control of your time as overtime shifts can still be asked for if you want them later on.

Published 21 January 2025