Balance studying and socialising at University

It’s difficult to know how ‘prepared’ students are, or should be, for the new social environment they will experience at university. The main characteristics are usually made clear to them before: socials, societies and other events are common knowledge before you start. Still, knowing how to navigate social life at university is, and always will be a bit of a mystery - there is no ‘correct’ method to it, and every student must approach it according to their own preferences. Nevertheless, there are a few things that are helpful to keep in mind before entering the university social environment.

Differences in social life versus school

Socialising at school is relatively “straightforward”. Through registration, you hear the same thirty or so names almost every hour of every weekday for several years during the beginning of secondary school. Of these names, you eventually find a group of people you get along well with, and it is likely that these friends will stay with you for much of your school life.

Socialising at university is different. Calling it harder or easier would be too broad of a generalisation. On the one hand, many students see university as a route out of their comfort zone, and hence they choose to socialise more often. However, there are some notable changes in socialising that are helpful to know before starting university.

Consider some shifts in lifestyle from school to university. A typical 3-year duration at university will have you attending lectures for a few hours on certain days of the week. Contrastingly, a typical 7-year duration at secondary school plus sixth form will have you in classes for 6 hours every weekday. If your degree is popular, your lectures may be filled with hundreds of students, compared to the usual thirty in school lessons. The contrast in socializing is already becoming clear: generally speaking, with so many people and such little time, it takes more effort to find new friends at university.

Even though this may seem difficult at first, a small shift in perception changes everything: more students around you means you have the chance to meet several people from different backgrounds. Also, everyone is under the same time constraint, so you’re not alone in having to socialise more often. To make all this easier, it’s good to have a few ways of finding like-minded people.

Finding your tribe

Arguably, the best way to find like-minded people is through university societies. It may sound like a cliche, but meeting those with similar interests to you will help you to form stronger friendships. There’s a plethora of clubs and societies at UCL: in my mind, every prospective student should enter university with at least a few that interest them. Don’t be ashamed of trying something new, unconventional and out of your comfort zone. Your involvement in these groups will vary depending on your academic commitments and preferences, so try them out fully at the start.

Department socials are another way of meeting people, and perhaps the most convenient way of socialising with those on the same course as you. Lectures and tutorials usually have little interaction between students, so these events are there for you to speak to those with similar academic interests.

Finally, for those living in UCL accommodation, you will naturally share space with those living near you. Furthermore, you are surrounded by many people in the same boat as you: take the chance and get to know them!

Striking the balance

Apart from starting a new social life at university, prospective students are often concerned with striking a balance with socialising and their studies. Time management is key here, despite being obvious. Your daily hours are allocated to study and socialising by a fixed timetable at school. At university, lecture times are fixed, but you control the way you allocate your time to independent study and social life. Some prefer more rigid time management, to ensure you fit a fair bit of study and socialising into constrained time, while others prefer to be more flexible. Find your preference during your first year of university by trying them out.

If you prefer to be more flexible in your time management, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to socialise or study less than those that are stricter. Productivity is another significant part of striking this balance, in both studying and socialising. More time spent is not always better: learn to constantly evaluate yourself here – Ask: Can I find more like-minded people if you adjust the societies or events you involve yourself in? Can I spend less time socialising but make better connections through these like-minded people? Or for academia, am I spending too much time on something I simply don’t understand? Will asking for help save this time? Also, can I use different approaches in my learning and revision to save time but simultaneously better understand my course?

All of this will help you not only strike the balance between socialising and studying but also improve your ability to socialise and study productively, which will in turn give you more time to relax – a necessity often overlooked during university life!

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Copyright: © James Tye