Are you doing these 12 things which will make you a winner at university this term?
Now that university is in full swing, you find out that it isn’t the easy alcohol-fuelled ‘holiday’ that the Daily Telegraph make it out to be. It’s not always a piece of cake balancing your social life, the 20 clubs you signed up to at the Freshers' Fair, your finances and actually doing your degree work. To top that all off, you still haven't finished the last season of Breaking Bad and you're having to buy extra underwear to alleviate your current washing crisis!
So instead of having major crying sessions once a week, it's best to celebrate the successes no matter how small they may be. From attending all your lectures this week to joining an awesome society, winning at university isn't always that difficult. Here are 12 things you can do/are already doing which make you a winner at uni.
1) FEELING FRESH FOR A 9AM
Despite the many years of getting up early for school, at uni, 9am lectures are unbearably tough. If you make them every day, you are doing better than most. However, the people who are really winning are those who don't feel they need a nap as soon as the lecturer starts talking! If you're going to go, you may as well be in a fit state to at least attempt to understand what's going on.
Above: A thursday 9am after sports night
2) COMING UP WITH THE ULTIMATE HANGOVER CURE
The day you find your ultimate hangover cure should be a personal bank holiday. This could come in the form of a huge breakfast sandwich, a smoothie or even getting back on the drinks (this isn’t advised). Never again will you suffer the atrocities of a full-blooded hangover… in theory.
3) Getting a question right on university challenge
Even though at university you’re meant to be in the top however many percent when it comes to intelligence, for most of us University Challenge is still a struggle! If you get one answer right during an episode you are really the winner. Take a victory sip and hope that nobody finds out it was a complete guess.
4) Not being in your overdraft
It’s only a few weeks into term, but if you haven’t dipped into your overdraft after freshers’ week you must be doing something right. Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait until January for your next student loan payment, but you’ve made a good start at least.
5) Handing IN an assignment before Deadline Day
No matter how long you give students to do an assignment, there will always be those who are up at 4am the morning of the hand-in, wired up on Pro Plus and having mini breakdowns every half an hour. If you aren’t one of these people, you may have stayed a few nights in the last week, but overall you are feeling a lot better about things. Plus, your work is likely to a whole lot better without the deadline day panic.
6) MAKING THE PERFECT COCKTAIL OUT OF ONLY TESCO VALUE ALCOHOL AND MIXER
You have probably got used to paint-stripper like taste of Tesco value alcohol and the watered down value juice or lemonade you mix it with. However, you are not truly a seasoned student until you have worked out how to combine all of this to make genuinely alright tasting cocktails. It's a great feeling when you master Sex on the Beach using Aldi's own peach schnapps and basics vodka.
7) If you haven't had a ready meal or takeaway in the last week
According to new figures the average students will spend over £2,000 on takeaways during their degree. That's outrageous! So, if you have been swapping Domino's pizzas and supermarket currys for cooking something from scratch, you're doing alright this week. You'll be richer, healthy and you may even have eaten the odd vegetable or two.
8) Getting on with all of your housemates/hallmates
This is often easier said than done! Chucking together lots of 18 to 22 year olds into shabby student accommodation is inevitably going to lead to arguments, no matter how well you think you all get on. If there are rifts in the house, it's just a less nice place to be for everyone. So to keep everyone onside it helps if you bake house treats, spend less than 15 minutes in the shower and don’t set off the fire alarm during the early hours of the morning.
9) Knowing the barstaff on a night out
If you’re on a night out and you know people behind the bar, you automatically feel like a bit of a big deal. Plus, you get served first which in turn makes all your friends think you're a bit of a big deal. It’s clearly going to be your night!
10) Having a Coffee with a Professor
In academic terms, this is the equivalent of being a BNOC. As well as giving you sound academic advice and stimulating academic conversation, most lecturers are good people too. You never know when you might need a favour, so it's always best to befriend them.
11) Surviving a week without getting a cold, or man flu, or actual flu
You’re in a freezing cold house, eating no fruit and veg and you’re playing drinking games with communal cups. It’s going to take a miracle to survive a whole term without getting at least the sniffles. So the best you can aim for is staying fully fit and healthy for a couple of weeks or so.
12) Getting a first on an assignment
For some students this is just another day in the office (...or the library) but for all of those just aiming to cling onto their low 2:1, a 1st is a rare beast. It's times like this you realise you're never to old to show off your work on the fridge.
