Surviving university 101

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author: alexa lawlor | staff writer

credit: Ella Mikkola

Struggling with uni life? Alexa is here to help!

As the back to school grind slowly sets in, there are a few things that are super important to remember. Here are a few things to think about as the semester carries on.

-Attend lectures. There’s always something that the professor will say that won’t be posted on UR Courses.

-The exception to the above point is if you’re sick, please stay home. You WILL NOT get better by going. Besides, there’s no way you can get down all of the notes, pay attention AND blow your nose every two minutes.

-It’s okay to take a mental health day. Your well being is way more important than school.

-Tell the professor when you’re going to be missing a class. Whether that’s by email (in the case of being sick), or a few classes before (if you have an event that you absolutely have to attend). Most professors will understand and will probably even tell you what you’ll be missing and how you can catch up.

-If your stress levels are through the roof, do something you enjoy to relax. Watch your favourite show, take a bath, cuddle with your pet, anything that will keep you sane throughout the school year.

-Take notes and pay attention in class – or at least try to. You’ll be ecstatic that you took great (or at least some) notes when midterms come around.

-Try not to procrastinate; it isn’t worth it. Writing an entire eight page paper the day before the due date is never the way to go. Trust me, we’ve all tried it. It never ends well…

-An agenda is a good investment. You could also use the calendar on your phone. Add every assignment due date and event you want to go to. That way, you can see everything you have to do all in one place. It’s wonderful and it could save your life.

-Remember to take care of yourself, eat regular meals and stay hydrated. This is crucial to your well being at University.

-Exercise is awesome. Whether you have the time to head to the gym, take a yoga class, or whether you just go out for a walk, your body will thank you. Constantly sitting is definitely not your body’s idea of a good time. And also remember, sleep is a beautiful thing!

-You don’t need to impress anyone, you do you! Wear what you want, act how you want, just be yourself.

-Don’t be afraid to talk to people! Make new friends! Who knows, you might meet a new best friend.

-Be nice and compliment people! Are they wearing a cool shirt? Do they have really great hair? Tell them! I can guarantee that you’ll make someone’s day.

-Voice your opinion, but don’t degrade others. There are a million ways you can voice an opinion without insulting someone.

-Get involved with the University; there’s always something going on and clubs are always looking for help!

-Have fun! However, don’t forget that you probably have assignments to do…

-Try something new. You might even discover a new passion.

-If you feel like no one cares about you or loves you, you’re wrong. I love you, I care, and I bet there are so many other people that do as well.

-If you feel like you have no one to talk to, I’m always around. Or, if you prefer to remain anonymous, the Carillon has a new advice column that you can submit to here: http://sayat.me/carillonoped

-In many ways, university is just glorified high school that you have to pay for. The mean people are probably still mean, somehow the arrogant people are even more self absorbed, and there can be tons of fake friends and relationship troubles. I can also guarantee that there will be people that laugh at you for doing something totally normal. Remember, none of it is your fault! They’re just trying to be cool – and most likely failing miserably.

-University can also be an amazing place to meet new lifelong friends. Sometimes you’ll find them right away, other times it’ll take a little bit of effort to find them, or it could be completely at random! Anyway, they’re all worth it.

I’d recommend following these, but really, it’s up to you! Follow one, follow them all, call me a liar and throw this article in the garbage…it’s all your choice! However, if you take one thing away from this, it’s that among all the lectures, labs, assignments, essays, and everything else a professor can throw at you this semester, there is always one thing that you absolutely cannot neglect…and that’s yourself.

 

It’s fairly important to make sure you get everything done by the deadline, but if you need some time to take a break from the stress of university, take it!

 

 

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