As September slowly looms into view, University students across the globe start to prepare for the inevitable – going back to school. We know exactly what is on everybody’s mind: is it really that time of the year again? It seems like only yesterday the school bell to freedom was signaling the start of a long, lazy summer ahead. Alas, all good things must indeed come to an end. As summer draws to a close, it’s time to abandon bad habits of staying out late and sleeping in till noon.

Understandably, the first few weeks will feel like hell as we all dread going back to dusty old lecture rooms after some 2 to 3 long months of summer vacation. So, we’ve rounded up the best ways to get ready for a year filled with books, deadlines and tears – just joking! Here’s a list of things you will need to face the year ahead.

Getting Back into a Routine

It’s always a little difficult to get back into a routine – waking up earlier, having assignments to do etc. This transition will be tough on you even though you’ve practically been doing it for years now, but there are a few things you can do to make things easier for yourself.

Try to ease yourself into it by preparing for a different sleep schedule at least a week before you actually have to go back to Uni. This will help to reset your body clock and get used to a new routine so you won’t feel as groggy during your first week. (No, six cups of coffee won’t help you if you don’t get enough sleep).

A New Step in your Journey

Whether you’re in your first, second or last year, you’re going to find yourself questioning why you took up Chemistry instead of Theatre Studies, and you’ll probably contemplate quitting and starting afresh with a completely different course.

Unless this is something you truly desire and not something that you turn to when you’re fed up of trying to understand how glass is actually a liquid that just flows very, very slowly, then you might want to take a seat and think it through before going haywire.

If you’re convinced that changing courses is truly a step in the right direction then try speaking to lecturers or counsellors regarding this matter so as to avoid making rash decisions that lead to undesired outcomes.

Take Some Time to Relax

You know what we’re talking about – find some time for yourself to just chill at home, cook yourself a nice meal and lie back and watch your favorite TV shows. We all need to do that from time to time. Sometimes you need to disconnect from reality to be able to get back to it, so leisure time is not debatable.

Other ideas you can take on involve taking a hot bath, enjoying a glass of wine, watching a football match with friends or playing online games. Allocating this kind of “me-time” each day will help you wake up the next morning, ready to face the day ahead. 

Extra-Curricular Activities

Yes we cannot stop stressing how important it is to have a life outside Uni, and by that we mean having hobbies, and not just meeting up with friends and wasting a weekend away drinking and going to bars. Give yourself a reason to look forward to mornings or afternoons where you can practice your favorite pastime – whether it’s going to the gym, playing an instrument, joining the drama club or snap photos with your camera.

The good thing is that most Universities make great investments in extra-curricular activities from sports to performance arts, there’s usually a lot of options that won’t disappoint. Just don’t go too crazy and remember you still have work to do and books to read, so balance is key here.

Good Luck!

We hope we’ve inspired you to face the next year ahead with a solid plan and determination! If not, make sure to take care and keep in mind that, it’s not the end of the world. You CAN do it.