Guide to Surviving Uni

After officially surviving my second week at Uni, I have put together a list of essentials for surviving university. Going to uni is like having your plane crash and trekking back to civilisation. After the initial shock (ie the crash) a plan is needed to survive those long hours walking.

So for all those budding university students or people who wish to take the drop... here it is.. Deb's Ultimate Guide.

DEB'S GUIDE TO UNI SURVIVAL
1. Backpacks
The cardinal rule. You need good equipment for long distances trekking. At uni you move around constantly, up to classes, walk up the stairs, walk to the city.. all this time lugging around your books, stationery, files, papers... need I say more? I have always wondered how some people can go around with a sling on bag on one side. Isnt that annoying? Your balance is thrown off, the way you walk is affected and so is your spinal alignment. So unless you want to end up walking lopsided and with one shoulder permanently placed higher than the other, I recommend you get a good durable, backpack.

2. Water and Food
Ah, the survival kit. Having a waterbottle and a container of food with me has been my saving grace for these past 2 weeks. Once I forgot my water, and was inherently thirsty the entire day. Saves me money too - now I dont have to spend on food. Maybe pack some healthy snacks, or if your like me, a combination of both to last you throughout the entire time your are in Uni. Being Asian, I would advise you to overpack your food, because it almost always never lasts throughout the day, especially after munchies. Some fruit, a museli bar, cheese and crackers, sandwich.. you get the picture.

3. Get to know the place
Get to know your uni. Know where your lectures and tutorials are, but most importantly know where the staff tea room is.
This one technically you aren't supposed to do - but if you are a budget conscious cheapskate like me you will. This saves you at least $4 a day in coffee. A cup Coffee is so expensive yet it is a necessity. If you bring your own teabags, its free!! Lets face it - you need caffiene in your system. My first week after studying till 1am and doing the laundry at 2am, my eyes would not keep open despite every other cell of my body was busy internally screaming WAKE UP WAKKE UP, it did not help I was sitting in the front, and nodding off, had to buy a cup (rookie fail).Lesson learnt: Go Teabags!

4. Pens and Stationery
A man without his tools is nothing. You need good writing aparatuses. I have always been very particular about the pens and paper I use and it has paid off. I personally prefer black pilot ball pens - the click on and off type - no need to look for caps (i always lose them). Notebooks are good, but the paper gsm has to be thick (knowing that at 2am out of sheer frustration you can poke numerous holes into your paper, and then turn that into a game by pretending that sheet of paper is the incompetent lecturer/tutor's face as that is the reason why you still dont understand the material) - and after a poking frenzy, sitback and discover that you've pretty much ruined the entire material you have been working on for the past 2 hours and need to start again) - true story). So make sure you have a good thick quality paper to do your notes on.

5. Having a good bunch of friends
This is essential to surviving on so many levels. No man is an island. Extra tip: Make friends that know what they are doing and that are smarter than you. This way you are fool-proof against not knowing where the lecture rooms are, or when an assignment is due. Better yet, do group projects with them. That way they can carry you.. I mean you can work together collabratively toward achieving your one common goal.


6. Know your way around the library
The library is the place where I spend most of my time when I am not in lectures. Such a good place to do work, go online, facebook, blogging... Set a challenge for yourself. Know where it is and what it contains. A good way to get to know the library is to look for a book. Any random book. Just type it into the catalogue and away you go. For the first week I did not realise the library had 3 levels - I thought it existed in this tiny hole and corner. Not until I looked for a book. It has indeed opened my eyes to the many other computers, books, journals, study cubicles.. it seriously felt like I was living under rock when I discovered this. A whole new world. Seriously.


4. Making friends with the librarian
Once again a good way to do this is to look for a book. Or lose your student ID card in the library. Librarians are a wealth of information when it comes to library procedures and where things are located. I had to go back 3 times to ask where the same book was to the same librarian, and by the end of it I can safely say I have made friends with him. Whether he likes me or considers me his friend, I cannot safely say. I can however, say that he knows me now by sight. And by name as he recorded my information when I lost my card. I got it back by the way so Im taking it as a sign he likes me.

5. Turning up to all lectures, tutorials and workshops
A study showed that students that turn up for their lectures had higher grades than those that did not. So turn up. Even if you think you know the material. Or if you think they are a waste of time. They are not. At the very least you can sit there with your friends (#5) and eat your food (#2). The lecturer will be very happy to see you there as well, and who knows may even give you a good mark. If all else fails just saying that 'you've been to the lecture' gives you credibility with your parents, so thats a good thing right?

6. Be Prepared
I cannot stress this enough!!!! Prepare the night before for all your lectures and for your Day At Uni (all except the food component that is, that one you do in the morning before you leave). Read notes before the lectures, and attempt the questions before the workshop, tutorial and practicals. Buy your bus tickets before going on the bus. Even the tiny details like printing your timetable out matter. Set your alarm. If you have kids, pack their bags the night before so in the mornings just one diaper and clothing change, breakfast and you can go!! If not you are liable to turn into a screaming banshee in the mornings when everyone wakes up late.

So thats my list so far, please let me know if you would like to add anything else to it.. I would love to hear your ideas!

I have a confession to make. I confess that I started this year off thinking and expecting how perfect this year would be.

I would finally get to go to Uni and do my dream course (Physiotherapy). Of course, I would have to also be a High Distinction Achieving student. Jayden would be a little older and would finally start sleeping through the night. I would finally be a superb cook and housekeeper who somehow have superpowers that allowed me to do all housework in a day and done well to meet my perfectionist standards as well as whip up delicious, healthy nutricious meals in the kitchen, and still have time for the gym. Ah, the Gym. I would exercise everyday and of course FINALLY end up with Jessica Alba's body. I would be a seemingly perfect smokin' hot (okay as hot as can be once all pregnancy considered) woman, wife and mother whom all would envy, one that would wrestle with the dog and sleep with the cat at her feet. We would take family trips and outings on the weekend and spend quality time with Jayden, and teach him to grow up as the angelic child who never throws tantrums. God forbid if he cries in anger.

In all my life would be perfect. I would be the perfect wife, mother, cook, housekeeper, student.... list goes on.

Anyway, today marks the second week of Uni. Only one of these things has happened - Jayden has finally started sleeping more or less, through the night!!

As for the others, I must confess I am a looongg way off from being perfect. And finding time for everything. After having consecutive nightmares of failing the entire first semester, as well as having recurring dreams about Human Anatomy Terminology and the Pelvis (I kid you not, this has been happening all last week), I have fallen very, VERY much behind on readings.

A full load of four university courses, as I have discovered, is not to be taken lightly. Even with trying my best, I still find that I am constantly behind. This in turn has made me behind in every other aspect of life - ie, the housework, Jayden time, the bookkeeping and Enjo Business..

I have found this past week that there is too little time in a day. This has resulted in me sleeping at 1-2am on most nights, doing the cleaning/folding clothes at 2am in the morning is an experience you should all try.. and I do not see this lightening up. At all. In fact it is bound to get more stressful as the semester wears on.

I confess, I STILL want to have the all aforementioned things in my life - who doesnt?!! Any ideas on how you all do it?? Please let me know but for now, its back to the Pelvis, knee, bones... skeletal structure...