As the first block is drawing to a close and the first exam period is upon us, it’s time to put your head down and study. However, this is often easier said than done. The past few seven weeks may seem like a blur of deadlines and dinners, time may be going too fast for you and you’re not too sure if you even have a functional routine going yet. If it’s all getting a bit much and you’re feeling a bit tired of the academic year already, here are some top tips so you can convince yourself you’re doing just fine. 

Send your parents pictures of you at the library 

Obviously, if you have photographic proof of you studying then you clearly studied hard. Pictures of your productivity is what really matters, not your level of productivity. I like to send my parents pictures of me in the library or studying, it makes them feel like they’re spending their money in a smart way. 

Create a Study Schedule

Create a detailed schedule of all your deadline and due dates. This would obviously contain the optimum times and dates that you could go out and do social activities. Although, because of the messy being that you are, you decide to go out partying at the worst and most stressful times possible anyway. 

Create a Cleaning Schedule

By creating an extensive and organised cleaning schedule you can always feel like you’re on top of your chores. It usually all goes great until you hang it up in the kitchen and everyone ignores it until one brave soul sends a passive-aggressive text message into the house group chat. 

Monthly Partying

You only allow yourself to party once a month, at least that’s what you tell yourself, and your parents. Proving that you’re like a real human, you have friends. Some may even go so far as to say that you have a social life.  

Be Insta Ready

Post pictures on your social media of your nutritious dinners that you make for yourself and/or friends. Especially when these meals are vegan, gluten-free, contain a lot of vegetables or greens. Parents love to see that you’re eating well, and they’re probably stalking your Instagram even if you don’t know it. 

Do Sports

Sign up for one sporting event during the year, preferably in summer of course! Hype this event up with your friends and convince them all to go all. Friends who exercise together, don’t get fat together. 

Blame Others

Blames your housemates for the mess in the kitchen even though you know full well that you created most of it… whoooops

Go to Uni

Being in the right environment can help a lot when it comes to studying. Although sometimes, no matter what the environment your brain just doesn’t want to study today. But surly if you show up, your friend will think you’re studying and I guess thats’ all that matters right?

YouTube

If pretending to study in front of your friends isn’t doing the trick then it’s always possible to get stuck down a YouTube rabbit hole. They’ll never know what you’re up to.

Brain Food!

The last but definitely not the least way to convince yourself you’re doing okay in university is by eating foods that are good for your brain. For example 'studentenhaver', which literally means student oats. In reality this is just mixed nuts. Previously it was thought that eating nuts made you more intelligent. The properties of nuts were thought to aid in the knowledge absorption of your brain. I’ll take a kilo please...