Finding your feet during your first year in university is, in my opinion, a false narrative. It took me till at least the spring semester of my second year to really hit my stride and feel like I had found the societies, sports and communities that really matter to me. This is not to say I had a bad first year, I had a great time and had a wonderful flat and friends.
Uni was such a departure from my norm—as it is for many of you—and there was just so much I had to decode, reorganise, and understand. We can all testify to the fact that there is a lot going on all at once in the first year of uni and I sincerely wish that my uni experience was longer now to compensate for the lost time. How I’ve managed to anchor my time is the same as many of you, with activities that interest me.
I run the newspaper you’re reading right now, which takes up an awful amount of time, but at least I enjoy doing it. My swimming with the Athletic’s Union adds further structure to my week, with training being a key part of my downtime. And with that comes the highlight of my week: YOLO.
Joining the Boxing Society for their socials is another little highlight and spending time with mates in weird and wonderful themed outfits just adds to that joy. Going out for some is great, but not all of us enjoy that kind of night. For me, it may be a time off, but it does have its knock-on effects for me.
My Thursdays take a while to get going—at the jeopardy of my other work and commitments. So, am I really benefiting myself by doing it? I like to think I am, though you might have a different opinion.
It’s what takes my mind off the work—for me that’s key. Something else that I feel isn’t talked about enough is the work/work balance that is quite often a uniquely student experience. I found it challenging over the Christmas holidays with both my job and uni work occurring at the same time by necessity.
Exams are never an entertaining way to spend your holidays, but definitely doesn’t help when I’m wrapped up in my burgundy jacket at Sainsbury’s at a time where I should be writing an essay. It’s during these times that I really feel my work suffers most, because, even in my third year, I still haven’t been able to find the equilibrium that I so desperately want. I want to take a second and tip my hat to the people who work continuously throughout term time.
It is not an easy task, but I hope you’re trying to find that balance. With my graduation looming ever closer, my attention turns to the new work/life balance I must create. I catch a glimpse of it when I go back during the summer.
The long break brings out the new routines that, for me, differ greatly from uni life. Everything here in Cathays is so close—the gym, uni, my friends— are all within walking distance. I took the ease of getting from work to “life” for granted in second year until summer rolled around and I was once again in my burgundy Sainsbury’s uniform.
Once I get into the world of work and I am out of my hometown, I will have to start from scratch with new routines. I guess that’s the crux of what I’m rambling out—the resilience of our routines. I’ve tried to identify elements that are transferable wherever I might go, like the gym and my swimming.
Once I have a place, those are easy to pick back up wherever I might be. Maybe have a think about your routine and what elements of it are transferable. Now that spring semester has started, I’m picking up my uni routine for the final time.
I hope in this semester you can start or improve your work/life balance and see where you can find those moments of relaxation. We’ve got a long road ahead of us till summer and I for one don’t want to be an academic waif by the end of it.