Week 1 has arrived and we are all finally back in the bubble together. With most of us having gone home and likely being on vacation mode in the last month or so, going back to classes and dealing with the hectic nature of university is probably something most of us are feeling apprehensive about this January. As such, I’m sharing my top five tips for readjusting to university life as soon as possible.
Plan, plan, plan!
Planning is your best friend. You might think this is a pretty obvious tip, but I feel that it is important enough to be reiterated. I would say this is particularly important for my fellow honours students, since grades now count towards final degree classifications. It is vital for you to familiarise yourself with your weekly schedule, classes, and the expectations in your classes as soon as you possibly can. Early on in the semester, make sure to set aside time to properly read through the module handbooks and the Moodle pages for your classes to make sure you have a broad understanding of what’s happening in terms of assessments, weekly preparation and everything else related to the course. While I appreciate this doesn’t sound like the most riveting activity, your future self could very well thank you for it. You don’t want to be that person who walks into your seminar on Monday morning only to realise that you haven’t done the required readings, or find that you have mixed up your deadlines and that the assignment you thought was due next week is actually due in three days.
Clean up your room/flat/space
It is commonly believed that there is a huge correlation between your environment and your mental health. In my experience, this is very much true. A new semester is a fresh start, and tidying and deep cleaning your space—whether that’s your flat or just your dorm room—can reinforce that sense of a fresh start. Cleaning and tidying (especially since most of us have not been in St Andrews over Christmas) will not only allow you to declutter your space, but can also help you feel like you’ve got your life together. Who wouldn’t want that?
Go back earlier (mainly for future semesters)
This is a tip mainly geared towards the international students here (and for future semesters as the semester has already begun), but it is nonetheless an important tip. It is no secret that St Andrews is a very international university. To return to St Andrews, many students have to travel across multiple time zones, and will therefore likely experience the horrors of jet lag. As a Singaporean international student, there is currently an eight-hour time difference between the UK and home, and the jet lag was as awful as it sounds. If you’re someone in a similar situation, I would recommend travelling back to St Andrews at least three to four days before the semester starts, so you can let your body readjust to UK time before classes start. Believe me, you do not want to be waking up at 3:00am or 3:00pm because of jet lag.
Make plans with your friends
While classes and academics are an important part of university, it’s not the only aspect. As most people went home over the break, you probably haven’t seen them in a while. Making time to meet up with your friends for coffee, a meal or for drinks in the next few weeks can allow for your days to have more variety, while also allowing you to hang out and catch up with the people you love the most.
Romanticise uni life (but don’t go too far with it!)
The slog of university and the anticipation of knowing the impending stress and deadlines approaching in the next few months is anything but a fun thought. While the bubble is small and can feel suffocating after a few weeks, there is no doubt that St Andrews is a beautiful university and is a beautiful town, with gorgeous places such as the beaches and the cathedral ruins. Not everyone will experience university life in a small mediaeval village! There is a certain charm in romanticising university life by emulating beloved academic characters such as Hermione Granger or Rory Gilmore, and it can help you escape the occasional monotonous nature of university life. That being said, everything is best enjoyed in moderation, so don’t go too overboard with romanticising university life either. It’s still important to keep your feet on the ground!
Adjusting back to university (and university life more broadly) is undoubtedly something that is unique and different for everyone; every student does so in their own time. That being said, I hope that some of the tips I have provided could help make this adjustment period and process a little smoother.