Habits not to get into when you're at University

   Taking flight from the nest to university comes with a great deal of responsibility. You won't feel the weight of it at first but, shortly after all the fun, dancing and boozing at freshers, there will come a time where you must 'adult'.

   Take it from me, a university student who has completed her first year, you will do very well not to pick up any of these bad habits...

Sleeping In

   Now and again, it is lovely to have a lay in, especially on a Sunday after a long and hard week of work. However, this is a bad idea if you make a habit of doing it on every day off. As I no longer had my parents or my dog around to drag me out of bed, I did struggle to get up most days even though I used to get up at six o'clock in the morning for school on a daily basis! I found that sleeping in led to more drowsiness, back ache and a general feeling of disgruntlement.

   If you sleep in when you have lectures, that's even worse for obvious reasons! Remember that your attendance is monitored and will be shown to future employers on demand.

Being Untidy

   It can take ages to clean a very untidy room and only minutes to mess it up! Try to clear up as you go. Eating your dinner? Wash up and put your crockery away afterwards. Out of bed? Make it. Taken your clothes off? Hang them up. It really is that simple! That way, you won't end up with a mess so huge that it looks daunting, making you put it off even more. Returning from my lectures to a messy room certainly did not put me in the mood to do my work!

   A clear space equals a clear head.

   The same goes for shared kitchens. Bare in mind that you are sharing this space with people you hope to get on with. Be considerate and acknowledge that kitchens are clean spaces to prepare food that you will consume. Be tidy! 

Leaving Your Work To The Last Minute

   This point was bound to be an inevitable one. I am not going to tell you, however, that - by doing this - you are definitely going to fail. Some people may. On the other hand, you - like me - might be one of those people who are proficient at bullshitting their way through an essay with the help of a cheap, extremely sugary energy drink and an entire night of no sleep. Bad habit.

   First of all, it's incredibly unhealthy. Second, you will initially feel proud of your last minute achievement but then your mind will wonder: what grade would I have got if I spent more time on this? Sure, you might have just scraped a pass or perhaps even obtained a B/A but think of what you could have been capable of if only you organised your time more.

   Your first year at university may not count in the actual degree but, if you get into this habit, you will find yourself doing it for the assignments that really count. 

Eating Out and Having Takeaways

   I don't really fancy cooking tonight. Takeout? Yes please! Sound familiar? If it doesn't, you're probably lying to yourself. Dining out and ordering takeaways are a delicious treat to keep you off your feet. However, that's what they should remain - a treat! Not a regular routine. I must warn you that it is as expensive as it is tempting, if not more. I must agree with you that Dominoes Pizza is a million times better than the three for one deal in Lidl but bear in mind that you are a student on a budget!

   Assuming that your takeaways generally compile of pizzas, burgers, Chinese and desserts etc, it is also not a very healthy habit to be picking up. Did you know that the average student puts on 1.36kg (3lbs) during their first year of university?

Spending Hours on Social Media

   I often found myself in one of those funny moods where I don't want to do anything productive like read or draft a blog post. Instead, I would just lay on my bed and scroll through my infinite feeds on social media. This is okay to do for five minutes or half an hour at the very most. The internet is a great way to stay connected to people. But the moment you look at the clock and realise it has been hours, nothing else in the world can make you feel more isolated.

   There are multiple ways you can avoid doing this. Make plans with friends, even if it is just to invite them over to hang out. You could post something online and then leave your phone for a few hours to have a pamper session. You will instantly feel better because your face is not fixed to a screen and, by the time you return to your phone, you might find you have a lot of notifications at once. It's a lot less depressing than laying there and waiting for them to come through one by one!

Staying In Your Room

   I am one of those people who love to have a lot of 'me' time so I can focus on my own goals or wind down with a book and a cup of tea. This is a perfectly healthy thing to do and a great way to destress.

   However, spending too much time in your room - especially when you first start university - will inevitably alienate yourself from campus society. During freshers, ensure that you speak to as many people as possible to figure out their characters and choose your friends. The more, the better! Get involved with societies, communicate with your course mates and don't be afraid to approach new people. That way, you will always have someone if you ever feel alone or find yourself doing the above.

Have you ever fallen into these tricky habits? Are there any others you can think of?

Let me know in the comments below!

I would also like to thank my wonderfully talented friend, Sophie, for taking these photos.

You can see more of her work here and on her YouTube channel.