During your fourth week of being an MTU student, Good Start will focus on 'Striking A Balance' to help students get to grips with balancing study, work, eating well and socialising.
Learning how to balance everything on your plate while at university helps get you off to a good start, not an easy task, but small changes and getting into a routine will help.
Keeping fit and healthy will help you learn, and joining clubs helps with meeting new people.
.
The Student Engagement Associates put together some great advice on 'Striking A Balance' personally, socially and academically during your first week in MTU below...
Striking A Balance - Academically
Making a study plan (and sticking to it) will help you become more organised and will allow you to divide your time between all your modules and keep on top of your workload.
Join or form study groups with your friends or classmates - if there isn't one already, why not suggest your class sets up an online group to keep connected?
Study in advance! Leaving your study to the last minute can have negative impact on your results.
Use gaps in your timetable productively by getting some of your work done in the Library or studying in an area away from your normal workspace when learning online.
Striking A Balance - Personally
Stay healthy! Buying healthier foods is not as expensive as you may think, some shops may do super savers on fruit and veg such as the super 6. Bringing your lunch with you will help you save money and have more control over what you are eating. Choose fruit and nuts or healthy alternatives over sugary snacks to keep your brain full of energy for learning. Try out some recipes from the Student Engagement Associates.
Chat with current MTU students to see how they balance their studies with sports or other hobbies, it is possible you just have to plan your time well.
Take care of your mental health by making sure you take regular breaks when studying and get outside once in a while to get some fresh air.
Striking A Balance - Socially
It is important to balance out your academic life and your social life. Keep on track by creating a study plan, this will allow you to see when you can hang out with your friends without worrying because you have used your time productively.
Always remember, there’s nothing wrong with asking for help and having a support network is very important. Support from your family and friends can also help you to strike a balance.
Remember to take care of yourself while you are at third level. Eating well and exercising will help relieve stress and give you more energy. Joining a society or club online will help you to make new friends or perhaps you could join one of the classes available at the MTU Arena http://www.mtuarena.ie
