Pack, Panic, and Pretend You Know What You’re Doing
Starting university, moving cities (away from The Big Smoke no less), and finding a new social circle to immerse yourself in is nothing short of a daunting task. It requires big changes. You might move from a 7 person family with no sisters to living in a 9 person all girls flat.
It requires new found independence (ChatGPT, how do I use a washing machine??!). It requires you to be proactive because not only do you have to keep up with the lecture notes, but you may have to balance a job, societies, and assignments. Lastly, it requires an air fryer.
How Will I Swim, Not Sink?
This academic year I have vowed to stay organised and attempt to catalogue my life. To follow through on this very serious blood oath, I used an intricate list which included every essential for university. This list may not have been my own (I am indebted to many TikTok accounts), but I managed to mostly stay true to it. This is excluding the salt lamp that my mother had decided was not necessary. Truthfully, it would only add clutter to my desk which breaks my oath and ends in very serious consequences: failure.
I pride myself on my ability to pack sensibly, so overpacking was not a major worry. University rooms can be a reincarnation of Harry Potter’s cupboard. However, they’re bought for the small price of your first born child along with a down payment on a luxurious Beverly Hills 1 bed, 1 bathroom apartment.
The real struggle came when I then had to box my life into a couple suitcases and hope my three brothers stayed a five foot radius away from my Hunger Games collection. Very slowly, my floor-drobe disappeared and a Notion account appeared on my laptop. I was metamorphosing.
It was trial and error to find the perfect Notion templates for my academic life, finance and meal prep (I refuse to survive off pesto pasta. It is not a sustainable solution to fuelling yourself on a budget). Ultimately, I am a predictable person. I went for an ocean blue aesthetic much like everything else in my life: my phone, iPad, MacBook, bedroom walls, duvet sheets, cups, spoons, plates etc. I can’t help that I have a favourite colour.
My course has not yet started so it will be interesting to see if I make use of Notion. Regardless, It will be useful when sticking to a tight budget (I just love being a student!)
If it’s not Notion, then enlighten me on what you use to stay organised!
Friends Before Freshers
Arguably, social prep is just as important as academic prep. Yes, everyone eventually finds their people. But why not get a headstart so an unfamiliar city has some friendly faces. You might even find your flatmates! You likely won’t be able to tell if they prefer their dishes marinating in mould for a week before they even think about picking up that Dishmatic. However, if you guys click, hopefully the power of friendship may just scare the silverfish away. Hopefully…
My line of logic is that if I am in an all girls flat, there won’t be nearly as much uncleanliness. I have no evidence to support this conclusion- I have only ever lived with my mum and grandma who have years of experience on us freshers. Senior adults, if you will (only in experience, obviously).
Through apps like Unibuddy (left) and Unifi (right), I managed to find most of my flatmates. I also found quite a few people with similar interests and on the same course as me! Suddenly, the idea of University and new chapters didn’t seem as daunting. I knew people in the city and was sure I would love my course.
I’m hoping for a smooth transition into university life where I balance everything exquisitely from the first day because ultimately, I am a perfectionist. Despite that, I was sent to do the family food shop and was asked to buy a cabbage. I delivered a lettuce. Who was going to tell me they aren’t interchangeable? Anyway, my first food shop awaits!
Amnacademics 
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