2018 marks my second semester as a junior in uni. Days had soared by every day since I entered university and if you tell me to reflect upon these past (almost) three years: sure, I have lived comfortably and felt content in general about new experiences – as what I am currently doing on my one-year study abroad – while also appreciating everything that I already have that will not fade away. Based on my personal observations and experiences, there are some points that I would like to introduce regarding what you should do in university and what you should not do in your four years of uni.
DO: enjoy life to the max.
Easier said than done, right? For some students, “study hard, play hard” is easily manageable – they do not ignore social life while also paying some attention to course assignments. This is definitely an important component in your four years of university; Taiwan even had this slogan of “simply play through your four years” as the Mandarin translation resembles the pronunciation of university. Entering university signifies acquiring deeper and more extensive knowledge through learning; yet enjoying university life is also equally important.
If you can enjoy your university life to the max, it is pretty much like happily attending a live concert. (Image source)
DON’T: procrastinate until the last minute.
Personally and for some students, this is definitely not easy to handle. But this is the most important lesson that I’ve learned during my current study abroad. Some courses might require less effort or revision, yet cramming all the reports, assignments and online quizzes the day before or three hours before the deadline is not the best thing to do. To be honest, there is still a lot to learn regarding time management and sketching out your study timetable for me, but it would not hurt to keep your progress flowing when it comes to due assignments.
It is fine to procrastinate at times, but not too often. (Image source)
DO: if you’re single, enter a love relationship.
This is an interesting point and my personal observation. Having not experienced any relationships yet in my life, wouldn’t it be more satisfying; as I would say, when you’ve got someone that you feel positive affection towards – and also the other way around – by your side for comfort and encouragement when Monday blue arrives or exhaustion is the only thing you feel after a long day of classes? Maintaining a relationship in uni can be time-consuming at times, but I truly believe a happy, loving relationship is necessary in university.
The only piece of love relationship advice you need. (Image Source)
DON’T: feel forced to enter a circle or club.
Again, what students decide to do or spend their time for varies. My little piece of advice would be not to feel overly obligated to join one or for some people multiple, clubs or circles. Entering a club in university can surely broaden your network of friends and help building up or discovering new skills, and I am not here to discourage any university freshmen or senior. But if socializing and having to keep up with practices or considerable time of dedication is not your strong side, the best alternative would be to join public events held by circles or clubs from time to time. In this case, you still would not miss out all the fun, right?
It is now your chance to step up the university game by mapping out your best route for the study-life-balance. What is more important than having fun and truly discovering who you are during these four years of time?