Studies, societies or sleep? A guide to tackling the balancing act

Taken at Pi Magazine’s ‘Balance’ launch earlier this year. Photography by Hans Hu & Ananya Banga.

Pi Magazine Editor-in-Chief, Kinzah Khan, shares her tips and tricks for balancing all your commitments at university.

Coming to university is an undeniably overwhelming experience. At UCL in particular, the range of presented opportunities stretch far and wide, from taking advantage of the city, applying for internships or flourishing in one of our 300 societies. These are all in addition to studying an inevitably challenging degree at a world top 10 university.

Reflecting on my first year, I remember being concerned that I had over-committed myself. Would it be viable to juggle the demands of my degree, devote myself to a high-commitment society, build new relationships, have some kind of a social life and get a relatively healthy amount of sleep? Initially it seemed almost impossible, and some students have even more responsibility! Part-time jobs, family commitments, commuting, applications and much more. The life of a student is chaotic, but in a way that is so unique to each individual that it is impossible to give a ‘one-size-fits-all’ tutorial. Nevertheless, here are some useful techniques and points of advice to help you tackle the great balancing act: 

Scheduling

I cannot emphasise scheduling enough. Writing down all of your readings, responsibilities and events, and organising them in a coherent, digestible format will help you to cope with the chaos of  your week. Having everything down on paper and some kind of a physical plan really does help a great deal more than having a million dates spinning around your head. Additionally, organisation skills and being able to balance your responsibilities is something you can put on a CV. It’s a skill that employers value and being able to use the evidence of balancing studies and other work will only strengthen your application. Of course, sticking to a schedule won’t work for everyone. Maybe you’re not a visual learner or maybe things just keep shifting too much. But it’s worth a try. 

Looking ahead

Even if you’re not someone who likes to schedule, it’s still important to make sure to look ahead at your deadlines. It’s very likely that there will come a point where you have summative deadlines and some kind of societal commitment, like a match or an event to organise at the same time. These periods are often daunting, so to at least be aware of the responsibilities can help you to prioritise your tasks and hopefully dilute the intensity of your workload. Put simply, clarity reduces stress levels. It won’t necessarily make those periods any less intimidating, but knowing what’s coming will help you to brace yourself. 

Give yourself a break 

An important point which I don’t think is emphasised enough is to take a break. That doesn’t just mean taking the evenings off. It means allowing yourself to go to events that may be outside of your society and your degree responsibilities. If you find yourself  in a high commitment society, it can be easy to fall into the trap of doing your degree, attending your society events and nothing else. It’s important to remove yourself from all responsibility sometimes, perhaps by going to an event at the Natural History Museum or going to Ministry on a Tuesday. You’re in London! Take advantage of it!

Last but not least… 

Don’t panic! 

First year is about figuring all of this out – don’t feel bad if you don’t get it immediately. If you feel yourself missing training regularly or skiving too many tutorials, reach out to someone: a mentor, a third year, a tutor, a captain, a welfare officer or just someone in your flat. Share notes with each other and work with someone on your course. Everyone in university has either been through or is going through the balancing act. You are by no means the only one figuring this out and asking your neighbour can help you enormously! Sometimes it just helps to know that everyone else is just as stressed out as you. Don’t hold your cards close to your chest. Help each other out. 

Everyone says university is about figuring yourself out. However, that goes beyond finding a career path or discovering your love for origami (with our origami club! Yes, that’s a thing!) It’s also about understanding how you can be productive, how you cope with stress and what makes you thrive. I finished my first year having only missed one netball match and one training session, both due to illness. I studied my butt off and ended with a strong grade. I made incredibly close friends, explored London and made my first year the best of my life, despite the stress and occasional sleep-deprived night. 

So what’s the secret? Trial and error. An irritating, painful, lengthy process that continued into my second year and will surely factor into my final year too. University is one big balancing act. We’re all still trying to get to grips with it and if anyone says otherwise, they’re either liars or delusional. Don’t be afraid of trial and error. Try these techniques and develop your own. It’s not easy, but it’s not impossible. You’ll figure it out.