Uni Life. Finding dat balance.

[KingRyan]

Hey guys, Ryan here again, and i am here asking for a help, tips and tricks in another topic. As mentioned in an earlier post i made about girls, i was going to uni soon, and here i am. All the tips and tricks and advice you have been giving me about the girls has been working out, but that isn't the topic here.

Anyway, i have been at uni for a little over 2 weeks now, and as things change, the balance of life is disrupted. I am finding it somewhat troubling to re establish balance and get into my stride of: getting work done, finding time to socialize, finding time to find a possible lover, finding time to keep up in the things i like (no one here is as big as a gamer, nerd, internet dweller, or anime lover as i am), possible extracurricular activities, eating, bathing, and sleeping. Can anyone give me some hints as to what to prioritize and what to sort of put on the back burner?

[Chase]

Priorities should always be Work Hard, THEN Play Hard.

> Attend Classes; Do Assignments before deadline

After doing the University things that you're supposed to be doing, the next priority should be taking care of yourself.

> School, Homework

> Sleep, Eat, Bathe, Pay any living expenses, Save Money

After getting working and living under your belt, start off with small ball on the social game, and avoid spending money where you can.

> School, Homework

> Personal Care

> On-Campus activities (Intramural Sports, Interest Clubs, Study Groups, Campus Worship)

While balencing light socialization, school, and living, you should be able to find your free time to be alone and relax.

> School, Homework (and WORK if you do.)

> Personal Care

> Light Socialization

> Anime, Video Gaming, Phoning your parents

NEVER actively go for love interests. Period. Your romantic life should always evolve out of circumstance in college. If you are given an opportunity and your light socializing causes you to be interested in someone, be sure to use that socialization to learn about what they want as well as about that person before you rush into a higher pursuit mode.

If you find something you absolutely love being a part of, join an extracurricular after you get the above list of priorities top-down down-pat.

Hope this helps!

[SnowGlaceon]

Hey, I'm a freshman too in high school! Actually going to boarding school, so I think it's a fairly similar experience to Uni. Fairly. Once again, I'm in no position to offer any advice, but I'll just tell you how I've prioritized things.

1) Getting work done.

That's it. That's the entire list right there. Your number 1 priority is to study. Get work done. That's really the entire point of school; to learn. Unlike the other things on your list, this one determines your life. Literally. If you don't do well/ drop out, you probably won't get a very good job, and we know where that leads. So yeah, study hard, do well, that's your biggest priority.

2) Eating/Bathing/Sleeping

'Sleep is for the weak.' Unless you pulled an all nighter. In that case; 'Sleeping for a week'.

Life necessities. Nuff said. Why do they come after studying? Because you'll probably be going without sleep/ optimal hygiene/ sufficient nourishment when the living hell that is "Exams" come around. Good luck.

3) Socialize/ Extracurriculars

Studying is important, yes, but so is this. All work and no play will make you dull. I grouped these together because with one likely comes the other. Humans are social beings, so be social. Don't do anything you'll regret though. A good way to socialize is to join a club. You'll meet people with similar interests and make friends and such. This is pretty much the "Finding time to keep up with stuff" part too.Kill two birds with one stone. I'd prefer it if they were geese. Geese are evil. Fun times.

4) Romantic stuff

Sorry! This is kinda the back burner imo. It's important. Very important. Just not right now... You shouldn't prioritize this over getting your work done, because that'll get you nowhere in life. I'm not saying you shouldn't have a relationship or look for one, just don't make it your main focus. It'll come in due time, don't rush/force it. And ignore the fact that this is coming from a 14 year old kid who's never been in a relationship but actually gives decent advice I hope. Literally don't know where any of this is coming from. So yeah, all in due time.

In short, each is important. Don't neglect anything important to you, but keep your priorities straight. You'll do fine! Good luck!

[Etesian]

Welp, not much I have to add to all that^^, but:

-I'll level with you, as much as people say that you should attend all classes, see for yourself. Of course, go if they're worth it, but if some just aren't useful and if attending them isn't compulsory, you're wasting time. For example, in my college (programming), all classes have theoretical and practical lectures. The theoretical lectures are good, but everything taught during them is repeated and put to use in the practical lectures. I didn't attend the theoretical lectures at all and aced the subject.

-Socialization is actually very important. The better you get along with people on your courses, the more people would agree to help you if you need help with any subject. Just do it in moderation, studying always comes first. This is supposed to be a plan B if you can't manage something on your own (and it's obvious that people are more likely to help you if you can help them. Quid pro quo and all that).

-As for romance...study. Before worrying about your romantic life, make sure your actual life is secure.

-Also, if you're not paying full attention during classes (and maybe even then), whenever a workday's done and you get home, go through everything that was taught that day. You're losing out on some free time, yeah, but you'll have a much easier time when it's exam time.

[Maelstrom]

The first and most basic step to having any sort of balance is registering for classes. This is your one and only chance to set the pace for an entire semester. You can block classes together so you knock them out of the way and get on with your work and life, or you can have your classes spread thoughout the day, which keeps you on campus all day but you have the added latitude of being able to do last minute stuff between classes or actually get a head start on required reading and things like that before moving on to the next subject.

Unlike girls, a guy has to go hunting for relationships, cultivate them. I suggest staying within your field. People going for the same major and taking the same classes will better understand your time constraints and just have more in common to talk about. Try not to go out of your way for a relationship but if it just happens, you know you'll have to crack down and be more efficient with the time you have left.

[MellowSlinky]

Sorry for lack of organization, kind of just mind dumping my thoughts here

--

IMO university is just as much or even more about the soft-skills you learn outside of the classroom then what you learn inside of it. Even for professional faculties like Engineering or Comp Sci a lot of employers don't put a ton of weight into your marks. Extra-curricular projects you do look significantly better to them. Even getting involved in clubs and stuff can be a huge positive if you got involved on the executive side. Managing people and being eloquent will get you farther than a lot of people realize.

I would recommend that you find an extra-curricular or two that you really want to get involved with and dive in headfirst. Having something that you are really passionate about outside of school hours is huge because it forces you to get all of your work done when you have the chance. If you slack then you have to work instead of going out to things that you really wanted to do. Its also a great way to meet people with similar interests and make friends. Speaking from personal experience nearly all the friends I have held onto after University were made outside of the classroom.

Not sure where you are going to school but most larger universities have a huge number of extracurriculars so you should be able to find something that matches your interests. If something that you really want to do doesn't exist then you can start your own club/organization. The university / your student government may even help you get it started with funding.

Make friends in your program and find a good study group. Not everyone can be good at everything and you will definitely find a course or two that you struggle with in your 4 years. This is where its great to have people help you through. For the courses you do really well in but your friends don't, teaching someone else is also a great way to re-inforce what you know.

--