UNI ESSENTIALS

Ahh! I'm a Year Two University student! And I'm just about to start my second semester of year two! How did this happen? I can't quite believe that I'm in my second year already!? I don't really speak about my personal or educational life much on social media, so you probably won't know too much. I'm currently studying a BA (Hons) in Journalism, and I love it! As you're all well aware, I'm the future editor of Vogue, so it's only natural I get a degree in general Journalism, right!? Anyway, within this post, I shall be talking you through how I get (and stay) organised at university. From my must have stationery, to my tried and tested ways of dealing with stress, the accessories I take on a day-to-day basis, and my top tips on getting through exam season.... keep reading to find out all of this and more...

University is a different world, even if you're going to be living at home! Loads of my friends have left their home towns to move to different universities, but I decided to stay at home – both have their perks, and both ways of completing university are SO different to school or college. Whether you leave your home town or decide to stay, university life is mental – I'll be writing a post on exactly this real soon!

Organisation is key...

Being organised is crucial. You can either go through the year being poorly prepared, or you can ace the year with precision. Admittedly, I wasn't mega organised in Semester Two of my first year, but nonetheless, I still aced it with some pretty nifty organisational skills.

1) I like to have a pretty planner. I originally bought a student planner from Waterstones, but then I realised it really wasn't me, and didn't suit my style, so I decided to spend yet another £8 on a different planner – one that's a little more chic, and a little more me. There was nothing wrong with the student one, it's perfect for Fresher's for sure – but I suppose I was just having a superficial moment (haha). Anyway, whatever planer you decide to invest in, make sure it's practical (maybe even pretty as well), and make sure it's in a format that suits you. I prefer week-to-view rather than day-to-view, and I also like to have a month-to-view section for each month.

2) Make sure you label all of your exercise books. I do this as soon as my modules are up online. I'll go through, and write the name of the module, module code, and times and locations of the lectures on the inside cover, or on the front cover. This keeps me on top of things, and feeling organised too.

Accessorise to motivate...

A weird approach, I know. But I love feeling confident in what I'm wearing, sporting, and with what's with me. I like my stationery to be pretty, I like my bag to be on point, and I like my reading glasses to be on trend yet practical.

I need reading glasses for both reading close and long distance, and the glasses that I have I ADORE! They're so pretty yet practical, and super stylish too! I go for regular eye tests at Vision Express, and these gorgeous new frames are from there, they are by In Style from Vision Express, and they are cat eye frames, and they retail at £99. They suit my face shape, they aid me in studying, and they team so well with all of my outfits too. I love the tortoiseshell detailing, and the accents of red.. and as I'm a big red lipstick wearer, the frames always make my outfit and makeup pop too! I also LOVE how affordable they are – great for students like myself, who are on a tight budget.

Also on the topic of styling and accessories, I have a large array of handbags, backpacks, and satchels that I use for university. I like to change it up, and I hate not having an edge – I like to be different and unique. When I'm not using one of my trusty Grafea backpacks, I love to use large tote style shoppers or satchels! I'm currently obsessed with my stunning 16.5-inch Kalen Briefcase Satchel from The Leather Satchel Company!

Coffee and books...

Coffee and books are two HUGE essentials when at university. Coffee is a must because lectures can be draining, plus I commute so my day gets lengthened by 2 hours each time I go in. And textbooks are obviously a must, because without them I wouldn't be able to pass my degree! So yeah, I would definitely say it's vital that you're prepared for the above two essentials. To be prepared, I recommend investing in a reusable coffee cup – I got this pink collapsible cup from Waitrose, its by the company Stojo, and it's amazing! At my uni you get loyalty stamps when you use your own reusable cup, so it's well worth investing in this nifty little cup!

Textbooks can be pricey, so finding the best online retailers is key. In my first year I bought a lot from Waterstones because I was pretty clueless about the discounted book retailers out there, so I ended up spending well over £150, and I didn't even really need to buy all of the books. But this year, I got most of my books from Wordery.com, as they have great discounts! If you're a student, I highly recommend checking them out first, because the chances are, you'll get your textbooks a whole lot cheaper!

I hope you found this little article helpful. These are my favourite ways of staying organised and keeping on top of work while still looking fabulous, and caffeinated with lots of coffee!!

Do you have any tips you'd like to share? Let me know below!

*Vision Express gifted me the glasses