8 tips on university survival

I am no expert. But after two and a half years of being a student, I may have a few helpful hints…

1. Support System. Make sure you have a good one. Don’t be afraid to ask people for prayer and encouragement. Let people be there for you and help you through the challenges of these years. Contrary to our society’s individualistic idealism, you do need other people to thrive.

2. Quiet time. It is very easy to neglect spiritual/mental refreshment when your first and last thoughts of the day are of the lengthy list of things you have to do. Even ten minutes can make a huge difference, trust me.
Reading the Bible, doing a devotional, journaling, praying, and listening to worship music are all refreshing ways to refocus. My day is always better if I take time to spend one-on-one with the Lord.

3. Get organized! It has taken me almost three years to figure out a way to stay organized and have a handle on my semester. For your own sake, get organized sooner rather than later! Find a system that works for you, and map it out within the first couple of weeks of school.
I find that writing out all my major assignments on sticky notes and putting them on my wall is a neat way to have a visual overview of what I need to get done. It also provides the satisfaction of ripping sticky notes off the wall when you have completed an assignment. 

4. Sleep. Yes, some of us may be able to function on minimal sleep, but it is not worth it in the long run. Your brain and body will function better if you can get a good sleep on a regular basis. aim for at least 6-7 hours a night.

5. Do fun stuff that is constructive! I don’t just mean Netflix. I mean fun stuff that is also good for you!
Go for coffee, go for walks, do something active, colour (seems to be a trendy thing these days), take up a musical instrument, play games with friends, read a book that is not part of your required reading, go for dinner once in a while, go swing dancing, employ your creative writing skills, clean something (this is therapeutic for me!), play recreational sports, have cuddle puddles with friends, exchange massages, throw out old assignments &c. You can do fun things that are stress-relieving and still engage your mind and body in productive ways. Sometimes productive enjoyable activities are more refreshing than just plopping down in front of video games or a Netflix series. (There is a time and place for movies, video games and TV shows, but if that comprises the majority of your down time, you might want to change it up a bit.)

6. Be active. I guess this also falls under the fifth point. I am someone who definitely neglects exercise; however, I would recommend finding a physical activity that you enjoy and doing it at least once a week.

7. Do NOT believe everything your professors tell you. Yes, they have masters and PhD degrees in their areas of expertise. Yes, they do know what they are talking about most of the time. But remember that they are human beings and are not always right. People may have told you that you will figure out who you are in university, and there is a good chance that they’re right. So be critical — not just in the way that your profs are teaching you to think critically, but also in determining how much you should absorb, and how much you should filter what you are hearing in class and reading in textbooks.

8. Do not take yourself too seriously. Seriously. School is more fun if you can learn to laugh at yourself and be humble enough to learn from your mistakes. So chill out!

Oh. And don’t forget to breathe.
You can do it!

And further…be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh.

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.

~ Ecclesiastes 12:12, 1 Corinthians 3:18 ~