It’s been a whole month since uni kicked off. For some of us this is chapter two or three of university life, for freshers everything may still be unfamiliar. Four weeks of lecture hopping, late-night study sprints, maybe a few too many hangovers, and new experiences that will forever be a memory (whether good or bad, that’s up to you).
But now that the adrenaline has worn off, you’ve got some sort of routine and life feels somewhat normal, it’s time to assess how you are really feeling.
Are you still locking-in?
Remember when you downloaded Notion and colour-coded each module specifically? Instead, your calendar is full of lectures you’re behind on and society events that you no longer have the energy for. Burnout creeps in as fast as freshers’ flu appears. And don’t even start on group chats… many unread notifications, three different group projects upcoming, and still no one is replying about going to the pub with people on your course in between lectures – we all get that desperate sometimes.
Remember to sometimes take mental time away. The lectures, the people and the atmosphere can all get too much sometimes. If you’re far from home and can’t escape away from uni, take solo time to call family and friends from your hometown. This touch of normality and reality can really boost your well being.
Financial health: Who needs a budget anyway?
We’ve all made the promise to take care of our finances : No impulsive buys online, no buying coffees every time you’re out, less sweet treat splurges. But now your “treat yourself” moments have added up so fast you can’t keep up.
Meal planning? Abandoned after the second week. Cooking? Only when the Uber Eats delivery driver starts making smirks at you which feels like a shameful dig. You’re starting to realise why people say uni is the fastest way to learn budgeting – the hard way.
Somewhere between homesick and overstimulated
Hopefully you’re getting on with your flatmates – however there’s occasions where things may feel off. Tensions build, mess accumulates and it’s a big mental load.
Sometimes you miss home, you can be desperate for alone time and you may cry over pasta that isn’t exactly how you wanted it to go. It’s all normal and it’s okay. Feel everything. Uni is a huge life shift and you don’t always have to take it with full force. You’re allowed to be happy, exhausted, irritated, and confused all at once.
So… about that gym membership…
The health plan you made in September? The one where you’d hit the gym three times a week, cook all your meals, wear matching gym sets, and drink two litres of water a day? Yeah, same. One month in, I feel accomplished when I walk to and from campus (without resisting the urge to get the bus).
Nights are long, sleep patterns are thrown off schedule, and coffee and Red Bull might as well sponsor your degree. Those uphill walks to campus, that’s your workout. That internal pep talk you give yourself at eight a.m. on three hours of sleep after a rough clubbing night? That’s strength training of a different kind. These small wins are still wins if you need to think of it that way. You’re always doing a lot even if you doubt it.
Bickering, boredom, and burnout
Schedules can often be hectic and stressful, I find it particularly difficult on the approach to winter. Long lectures, rain ruining your outfit and dark mornings when energy is at an all time low. These things suddenly make you wonder if this is really what uni was supposed to feel like.
Clubbing sometimes feels like a chore where alcohol just gives you heartburn. Making plans for brunch gets to be a burden, you can’t afford it or can’t be bothered to get ready and leave the house. The sofa feels a little too comfortable (especially when we’re rotting on it every night, gossiping and talking over the same situations). So, take a break.
Spend time with the people that make you feel most full, go on as many solo dates as you need to be content within yourself and don’t worry if your calendar is sparse at times – that’s normal.
Be kind to yourself
One month into uni, it’s okay to question things. You’re learning, not just academically, but in maturity. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to keep checking in with yourself to know that you’re doing okay.
