January sucks for students but it doesn’t have to
How to stop January ruining your student life
January: for parents and non-university friends, it means struggling through dry January, Veganuary or a new fitness regime. But for students, it signals the end of the Christmas holidays and the prospect of multiple deadlines and exams.
It’s time to take the fairy lights off the plastic tree and put them back round the door frames, where they belong.
But there’s no need to feel down. These tips should give you the motivation to get back into the swing of university life this January:
Deadlines? We laugh at your deadline!
If you’re revising for exams – get to a library early – try and take regular breaks and a lunch hour. Then you can relax and enjoy the evenings catching up with your flatmates.
One of the best things about living in a student house is that, when it comes to exam season, you’re all in it together and can support each other through it.
If you live with people who do the same course as you, organise meet ups to discuss what you’ve been revising. If everyone in your student accommodation is studying other courses, tell your flatmates about something interesting you’ve learnt. This is the most effective way of actually remembering something (as long as they don’t tell you to shut up).
Make your student house a home again
If you’re looking for some productive ways to spend the hours you’re procrastinating, cleaning is a great way to waste time and still be productive.
Hopefully you remembered to clean the kitchen and change your bedding before you left for Christmas. But, in case it slipped you mind, ensure you’re ready for the term ahead and upcoming deadlines by tidying your room and having an organise. It’s one of the best ways to prepare as you won’t have to worry about it when you’re busier!
I appreciate that tidying your room is the last thing you’ll want to fill your mid-revision afternoon ‘tired slump’, but it would only take a small amount of effort and often a tidy room really does mean a tidy mind.
Plan, Plan, Plan!
You’ve got a busy term ahead – and if you’re a final year student these will your last ever couple of months at uni…so ENJOY THEM!
Get dates written into your calendar now – plan weekends with friends and find stuff to look forward to. This will be a massive motivate to power you through the stressful exam periods and beat those January blues!
Finally, if you’ve got exams and you’re reading this, stop procrastinating and get back to work!
Short, snappy breaks are the key for maintaining focus – so keep going and just look forward to the celebrations once you’re all finished.
Don’t forget
Remember it’s only 31 tiny days. It will be over soon, no matter what it feels like now.
If you’re feeling like you might not survive, you don’t have to suffer alone. There’s lots of people who can help. Here’s some of them:
Birmingham students
University of Birmingham: https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/student/welfare/mental-health/index.aspx
Birmingham City University: http://www.bcu.ac.uk/student-info/student-affairs/enablement-and-wellbeing
Bristol students
University of Bristol: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/students/wellbeing/
University West of England: https://www1.uwe.ac.uk/students/healthandwellbeing.aspx
Cardiff students
Cardiff University: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/student-life/student-support
Cardiff Metropolitan: https://www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/study/studentservices/Pages/default.aspx
Nottingham students
University of Nottingham: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/studentservices/healthwelfare/index.aspx
Nottingham Trent University: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/CurrentStudents/StudentSupport/
Everyone
Student Minds: https://www.studentminds.org.uk/findsupport.html
Rehab 4 Addiction (free support line): http://www.rehab4addiction.co.uk
Cover image credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/quinnanya/