Organising my time at university

As a university student you might be balancing your studies and assignments with part-time work, and opportunities to relax and socialise. Here's Child Nursing student Abbi with her top tips on how to organise your time.

Being a student nurse means that I have a very busy life: from placement to part-time work, studying and socialising. Therefore I need to organise my time well to ensure I get the best from my experience. The same is true for any university student.

I have found a number of ways that work for me. They help me to remember what I am doing every day and ensure I am learning what I need to.

Top tips for organising your time at uni

1. Calendar: I'm a bit addicted to using my phone, therefore I decided that the best option for me is to use the calendar on my phone, as I am able to quickly access it wherever I am. This means I can put events in my calendar quickly and also means I will not double-book things. 
2. Post-It notes: I love using them because they stand out. If I am likely to forget something I will write it on a Post-It note so I don’t!
3. Lists: if I have a lot of things to do in one day I like to write a list, as it helps me to gradually work through all the things I need to do and not forget anything.
4. Timers/alarms: I tend to set alarms a week in advance so that I don’t forget to do it, then check just before I go to bed so that I am waking up at the right time for the day. I also use timers if I am revising to ensure I am doing a certain amount of revision a day, which also works if I am writing an essay.
5. Breaks: I always try to give myself one socialising day a week, where I do nothing university related. This is to de-stress, relax and ensure I am spending quality time with my family and friends.
6. Diary: if you prefer writing things down, I would suggest buying a diary at the start of the year and writing down everything you are doing weekly.
7. Schedule: a good idea as it means you know exactly what you are doing throughout the day. For example: 7am wake up, 7.15am breakfast, 7.30am shower, 8am leave for campus, etc.

Once you start university, I would say: start organising early and do not leave it until the last minute. You will feel better, more alert and will be able to sleep the night before an essay is due if you organise your time well and get your work completed.

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Explore ARU

Abbi studies BSc (Hons) Child Nursing at ARU. Find out more about this, and other degree courses, at one of our Open Days.

If you're getting ready to join ARU this year, check out our helpful guide to preparing for university.