Starting the university year is always a big change. If you’re someone who likes a routine, term beginning can ruin the structure in your weeks. Uni life can be full on with lectures, seminars, society events, and what can feel like endless nights out. Blogger Hannah gives her advice on creating your new-term routine.
When I started university back in 2019, I really struggled during the first few months. I’m someone who likes a lot of routine, and the shift to university living really threw me. Structure was difficult to find in my days, events were often shifting and moving as weeks went on, and it was tough to find my rhythm. Even moving back to university this year makes me a little nervous, as I know I need to find my routine as soon as I can. However, I have the below tips in my arsenal (and now you will too!) which can help me build an effective and supportive routine.
Create small routines as soon as possible
We often think of routine on a weekly basis, but I think the foundation of a strong routine can be on a daily basis. Waking up and going to sleep at a similar time every day is a really positive way to increase your sleep hygiene and maintain healthy sleeping habits. Having a routine after you wake up or before you go to sleep is also a great way to set yourself up for a positive day, or wind down before bed. Maybe going for a short walk before breakfast or watching an episode of a particular TV programme in bed would be a positive habit to build into your daily routine. These things are often much more reliable than habits during the daytime, as they are short and can remain unaffected even when you have a really busy day. Of course, such habits aren’t always possible to maintain every day, but having a daily routine to fall back on can help make university a more comforting and homely environment.
Use your timetable
One thing I dislike about university is how late we get our teaching timetable – how am I supposed to build my routine beforehand! Regardless, once you finally get your timetable I really recommend using it to create your weekly routine. Take advantage of the fact that we are (currently!) allowed out and about on campus. Do you have a seminar near the Arts Centre on a Tuesday? Use it! Choose to sit in the Arts Centre foyer to catch up on reading after your seminar. It sounds small, but little habits like these are one of my favourite parts of the university experience. I love to people watch while I work, and adding these little variations to your study routine can help break up the monotony of a boring topic, and add structure to your week.
Sign up to a weekly activity
Struggling without a regular weekly activity? Choose one for yourself! This could be with a society, but I found that they normally don’t start as soon as term does, and can often change week by week. You don’t necessarily need to restrict yourself to university-based activities with this tip. There are really great weekly classes and groups in Coventry and Leamington Spa, only a bus ride away from campus! Having a regular activity, such as a fitness class or volunteering project, can really provide you with a focus away from university life.
How do you find routine in a new term? Tweet us at @warwicklibrary, email us at libraryblogs@warwick.ac.uk, or leave a comment below.
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