How To Organise Your Life

By Amy Mellows

Uni life is difficult, many of us get off on the cheap thrills of over commitment on a regular basis, or suffer under the pressure that we aren’t doing enough to stand out from the competition. If this sounds like you, you’ll know organisation skills are vital to survive in this highly caffeinated world, and I have a few of the best tips and tricks to help you continue avoiding that complete mental breakdown.

1. Online calendars are your friend:

Using an always-accessible app/website such as Timetree to record every one of your appointments, lectures, meetings and social plans is vital in our modern world. Paper diaries just won’t do, this virtual calendar means that you’ll have access to your plans wherever you have a phone or computer- which is basically everywhere. Timetree has a great range of colours and settings to make busy schedules appear manageable, and reminds you of your plans very morning alongside wellbeing messages to remind you to take it easy, because let’s be real, you need to.

2. Be strategic when making plans:

This is an obvious one, if you’re making a lot of plans, meet your friend for coffee in the café next to your 3pm lecture, and just after your X-Media meeting on the floor below. Be strategic when making plans by grouping together activities that take place in the same area on the same days. However make sure you have enough time to move between your events, and bring food and drink in case you don’t have time to stop for lunch (this also saves money on Pret baguettes- it’s becoming a real problem).

3. Accessories are Key (and an excuse to go shopping):

Having folders for each of your modules that you regularly file all your notes into, and labelled folders on your laptop to keep any work/reading helps to keep your physical, digital and mental space organised, and will help you when it comes to essays and exams. Get a bag that has enough room for all your stuff, and a sturdy but light water bottle (that won’t leak over all of your stuff) to stay hydrated throughout your long days- don’t forget that phone/ laptop charger too (portable if possible).

4. Say Yes but know when to say No:

Saying YES to new commitments is great for your career prospects, but not always for your mental health. You HAVE to find a balance, and learn your limits. Yes you are more resilient than you realise, I promise, but do not let your busy schedule consume you to the point where you are always stressed and unhappy, what’s the point?

5. Make time for yourself (I know it’s hard):

Remember you are also at Uni to have a great time, meet new people and live your life the way you want to, so remember to embrace this, and factor in time on your schedule where you can do whatever you want. Don’t be afraid to go on that spontaneous night out, you might regret it at 7AM the morning after, but in the long run they’re the memories you’ll keep from Uni (unless you black out drunk of course).

Good luck, and let’s hope one day all the commitments pay off!

“Organisation isn’t about perfection; it’s about efficiency, reducing stress and clutter, saving time and money, and improving your overall quality of life”

Christina Scalise

How to: Move away from home

Written by Callum Dinnett

Moving away from home is one of those experiences that essentially everyone in the world experiences at some point or another. Personally, I got my first taste of this last month, moving from my parents’ house to university accommodation. Going from conversations that I have had with other people in my accommodation and other members of the year, there is a common thread of emotions: worry about leaving home, about being able or, rather, not able to care for yourself, and fear of what new neighbours and flatmates will think of you is commonplace. Regardless of how much parents or guardians or elder siblings or even friends who’ve moved away from home assure you that there’s no reason for these fears, most still feel them. So, instead of saying you have nothing to fear, I will advise you not to let the fears get the better of you, and stop you taking the leap.

I would also like to make sure that people know that you will make mistakes, and things will go wrong at some point. What is important when this happens is to keep calm and approach the problem logically. With all the stress of moving, the smallest problem can seem as if it’s the end of the world, but all that’s needed is usually step back, take a breath, and look at the situation logically. Most problems can be solved by just taking a calm look at the situation.

Regardless of where you are moving from, and whether you started to preparing months, weeks or (hopefully not) days before you move, if you are moving into University accommodation, everyone living with you will be going through the same thought process. You can and will support each other as you get used to new responsibilities, and when there are darker days. This goes for both this year’s and any future freshers. I know I am writing this as a fresher, but you certainly learn a lot in the first few weeks. My advice is that, if you are struggling with homesickness or a particular task, make sure to see if any of your new neighbours can help, and also remember that your family is simply a phone, or video, call away. It is a bit of an overused idiom, but the statement ‘treat others as you want to be treated’ is a good motto to go by. Make sure to support others if they are struggling, because there will be a point where you are struggling and they will need to support you.

My final piece of advice is to make sure to enjoy yourself. Moving away is a crucial step in life, so it shouldn’t be a pain or seen as some kind of burden. Meet new people, form friendships and just try to enjoy yourself, as it promises to be a big adventure.

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And you are the one who’ll decide where to go.”

— Dr Seuss, ‘Oh, The Places You’ll Go!’

How to: Shop as a Student!

Written by Mo Stevens

Being a student comes with many difficulties and one of those difficulties is how to do a grocery shop on a budget?

To successfully shop on a budget, I would recommend that you follow these simple steps:

Firstly, before you even head out to the shops, plan the meals that you are going to cook at the start of every week. Then write a shopping list of the ingredients you need – along with any other essentials (for example, breakfast cereal). This way you won’t have to go to the shops twice in a week and you also won’t waste money on buying any unnecessary ingredients because you will know what you need.

Secondly, don’t go to the shop that’s nearest to where you live for convenience because the shop may be a little expensive. For example, don’t walk to Sainsbury’s simply because it is a 10-minute walk from your accommodation. Instead, it is worth it to walk that little bit further to a discount supermarket, such as Lidl or Aldi, because you will save a lot more money than you might initially think.

Another useful tip is to bulk buy ingredients that you know you will use a lot. This is because buying in bulk is simply cheaper. So, don’t be afraid of splashing out on a 1kg bag of dried pasta, because you will save money in the long run.

Furthermore, don’t buy foods or products for convenience, such as ready meals, pre-cut vegetables, grated cheese etc. This is because these are far more expensive than you might think because you are paying for the cost of cutting vegetables, for example. Whereas it is free for you to cut the vegetables yourself and it only takes a minute or 2 to do. So, don’t be lazy, grab a knife and cut the vegetables yourself.

Also, don’t buy branded products just because you think that they are better than non-branded. Often, supermarket own brands are of as good quality or even better than branded products. Plus, non-branded products are usually far cheaper, so it’s a no-brainer really.

Finally, it’s handy to bring your shopping list and a pen with you when you are shopping, so that you can tick off the items on the list as you shop. This has nothing to do with saving money, but it does ensure that you have brought everything that you need and haven’t forgotten anything, which can really annoying.

So, there we have it: a few simple steps on how to do your grocery shop whilst living on a budget. I hope that this has helped in your venture to be a savvy student shopper!

A bargain ain’t a bargain unless it’s something you need!

Sidney Carroll