University can be an extremely stressful experience which can lead to some students becoming anxious and developing anxiety. From deadlines, peer pressure and learning to live on your own, it can be hard to keep on top of it all. Here are a few tips on how to survive university:

  1. Find a hobby/ society or extra-curricular activity – Having other activities and a social life beyond university is very beneficial. Learning an instrument or attending occasional yoga classes can be very therapeutic for you and can help keep the mind at ease. Other activities such as a sports or club can make you feel part of a social group if you haven’t made many friends yet.
  1. Try to not spend your money on unnecessary things – Overspending can be a struggle in university, but it is very important that you budget your money wisely in order for this to not happen. Every student is different financially, so don’t buy something because your friend just did if you cannot afford it. Bills and food should always be the main priorities. If you are having money problems tell your parents.
  1. Don’t feel pressured into doing anything you don’t want to do – A lot of things are on campus, including drugs, but do not feel like you have to take drugs just because your friends are and it looks like fun. They are dangerous and can cause serious harm. Also, do not feel pressured into having sex/ performing sexual acts with anyone if you feel uncomfortable or do not want to take part, you may regret it later.
  1. Learn how to cook – Take outs may be fun for a while but eventually you will get bored of them and be craving a hot homemade meal, which will be pretty difficult if you cannot cook and your mother is 100 miles away. If you are not exactly a Jamie Oliver you can learn a few basic recipes and add your own twists to them.
  1. Get used to being more independent – University is a step towards adulthood, testing if you are able to survive without your parents help. It’s not as hard as it sounds, but trust me it’s not entirely easy either. You have to learn to depend on you, and you only, whether it’s financially or just to clean up after yourself. You will get used to it.
  1. Try not to leave your work until the last minute – Not starting your coursework until the day before its due may seem normal to some people, but it can have a negative impact on your work and what you submit. It may be rushed and not up to your usual standards due to the limited amount of time you have left yourself, which can result in you getting a much lower grade than what you are capable of.

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