Those of you starting your first year of university are probably relishing the new freedoms of being away from home. To quote William Wallace from Braveheart, you are probably thinking: “Freeedddooommm!”
How could you not be excited? For the first time in your life, you are totally autonomous. You are now learning to deal with life on your own, and the focal point of your life is most likely school. That is the problem with freedom: it comes at a price.
It is very easy to get caught up in the freedom of university and forget that you have responsibilities, especially since your parents and teachers aren’t reminding you to keep your eye on the ball.
Since no one is hounding you to do work it may feel like you don’t have any. What a great feeling, right? Well, it may not be so great when you forget to do an assignment, sleep in too late and miss an important class, or show up to your midterm a little too hungover (Aggie pub can be rough for some people).
However, if any of these things happen to you, don’t worry! We’ve all been there. Finding the balance between fun and school is nothing short of a momentous task.
How do you decide between going out and partying or staying in and studying? Truth be told, there is no easy answer to that question and each person varies with regards to how much they can handle.
Some simple advice: try and remember that school should always come first — even if we all pretend it doesn’t sometimes — and that you have limitations. Saying no to a night out may seem like the worst choice in the world, but it can also pay off big time when it comes to your academic career.
It’s easy to let the independence of moving out go your head by partying too much and spending too much money but not spending enough time taking care of yourself.
I am by no means the arbiter of perfect university behaviour, but I do know that it’s important to make tough decisions occasionally, especially regarding how you spend your time at university.
The freedom of university is amazing: you can be a whole new person, make all new friends, and be exactly who you want to be. However, that often means you have to try and make more “adult” decisions. I know, what a drag.
Independence is one of the best parts of university, but finding a balance will definitely make your university career much more enjoyable. I hope you find yours.
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The priority must be the academic side of university life but always leave room for some pleasure and fun. Too much of anything can become boring so live a balanced routine.