Thousands of pupils all across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland found out their A-level rankings last week. While the media have announced an unprecedented drop in grades, there is no denying that many students have been checking their university applications accordingly. Despite the drop, the number of students who will attend university starting September remains positively high. Ultimately, less than 3% of students were not admitted in their first choice university, which may be the natural wake-up call for the generation of pandemic students and teachers.  That being said, thousands of young people will be nervously embarking on the journey from high school to university in an exciting yet daunting step in the student’s life. While the prospect of higher education and newfound independence is invigorating, young people feel anxious at the thought of moving away from familiar surroundings and adapting to a new environment. How do you best adjust to the student's life? There is unfortunately no clear formula to success, Everybody is different. Nevertheless, there are some helpful hints to remember!

Organisation serves as the cornerstone of a successful transition to university life. As students face a sudden increase in responsibilities, this can be easily overwhelming. But effective planning can ensure students are equipped to stay on top of your academic and personal obligations. Ideally, you want to keep to-do lists visible, especially if things such as managing budget, grocery shopping, and household chores are a novelty. This will ensure that you can easily tackle essential tasks while still addressing academic needs. It can be helpful to keep track of important dates on the calendar and create a schedule for both academic and lifestyle goals. 

Why does clutter happen? This may seem silly but even individuals who were tidy at home can accumulate clutter at university. Essentially, keeping a new space and new habits organised can be tricky. However, clutter can have a devastating impact on your mood, your motivation, and your performance. So, you definitely want to keep clutter at bay in your student accommodation! The key lesson from student’s life is downsizing. You can’t possibly bring all your belongings with you. If you still need to bring bulky belongings that you may not use frequently, such as seasonal items, you can consider using specialist secure storage for students. These storage facilities are budget-friendly, and will keep your favourite winter sports equipment or any other item safe and secure. You also want to invest in shelving units and boxes that will help keep your student room clear and tidy. Typically, smart multipurpose furniture can be a game-changer in a student’s bedroom. So, you can look for boxes that can be used as stools too, which means you get a storage unit and a chair to work at your desk. Vertical storage is also a great way of maximising the space while keeping everything you need easily accessible. Last but not least, you want to look into vacuum storage bags for clothes or blankets, as these will be easily stackable and save a tonne of space in a small room!

Having a clean and organized place to study and live is really important too. When you study, make sure your area is neat and tidy so that you can easily find your things like books and notes. Keep away things that might distract you. It's also a good idea to keep your computer and online files organized, like how you organize your stuff in real life. This way, you can quickly find what you need when you're working on your computer. Just like cleaning up your room, tidying up your digital stuff helps you stay focused and get things done.

Are you ready to attend university for the first time? There will be a lot of challenges, starting with making new friends and getting used to university lectures. But, in the meantimes, staying organised needs utmost attention.