Universities are the hub of all things good for any person. They provide education that goes beyond a subject matter expertise. They are designed to build upcoming generations by giving the youth limitless opportunities to grow on all dimensions. Your time at university is time to meet people and build a network of lifetime connections, establish the grounds of a career and livelihood, and most important, build character that shows the initial glimpse of who you are and who do you want to be. So, invest your time at university right, and optimise it where and when you can. Most important, do you not waste it, as time is the only commodity you cannot get back. So, don’t miss out:
Join a society or a sports club
Every university has a Student Union, where students can meet, mingle, learn about university life, play, and have a good time. These unions usually run tens if not hundreds of societies and clubs, and you can join any of them, so pick something you are really interested to pursue, or something you never thought you will do, and give it a try. You might end up with life-long skills, many friends, and existing experiences. Why not even take it up another level and nominate yourself to be in the committee that runs one of these societies and clubs.
Get a part time job
This one is very important, as a student, most likely your CV is empty, so start filling it! Register yourself for anything you can do or want to try to do, it’s great source for pocket money, responsibility, and punctuality, and even character building. So don’t be shy, and don’t doubt yourself, if anyone else can do it, you can do it too. I worked in the university catering, art centre, galleries, receptions, sold ice cream and tickets in cinemas, and in my postgraduate, I invigilated exams, marked exam papers, assisted with teaching, run labs, and mentored final year projects.
Volunteer
Never say no to a volunteering opportunity, you never know what you might learn and who you might meet. A good deed also builds character, empathy, teamwork, and leadership, all soft skills you will need later in your professional and personal life. Volunteering should be in your student bucket list at least once a year during your studies.
Go travelling
Make plans to travel with your mates or by yourself. If you have made international friends who invite you to their country, go for it. Traveling is good your mental growth, it teaches responsibility, budgeting, and prioritisation, it opens your mind, promotes respecting cultures, tolerance, and you will gain experiences that you can’t get from any other activity. You might also learn few sentences of a foreign language as a bonus.
Go on a day trip
You don’t have to wait for that big break post every term, universities and students unions usually plan day trips for all sorts of outing. Many are visiting other cities or cultural and historical landmarks in the UK. Register and hop on few of these, the more the merrier! They are usually fun, you get to experience and learn, and meet more people.
Save money to buy something you always wanted
Money is a big deal to any student, whether you get it from your family, a scholarship, or have worked for it, most likely you are under a budget. So, try to save some of it, get extra pocket money from part time work, and buy something you really want with money you earned or saved.
Attend your mates’ house parties
Another item that should be in any student’s university bucket list is to attend other students house parties. You will be surprised how many people you will get to meet, and how many of them will be your friends for life! Why not spice it up and take some homemade food with you.
Pull an all-nighter
Pre-exam all-nighters are a rite of passage for every student. Whether you are a perfectionist or last-minute reviser testing how much information you can cram in your short memory, you will need to do one of these white nights at some point. The feeling of achievement the day after posting your exam is worth it. Consider it a gift to your future self, as you will always remember these days!
Learn some life skills
Even if they might not be related to your degree, you can learn some skills that would be handy no matter what your future life choices will be, such as web design or writing. You can do this in your free time when taking breaks from hanging out with your mates or watching Netflix.
Do an internship
Let’s be more serious for a second. For most students, finding a job is the objective of doing a degree, and there is nothing more powerful than an internship in your CV to make you stand out from the crowd and seal the deal. Most people do an internship before their final year, but you can apply for more: 1 summer internship between every 2 years. Most people I know ended up with full time offers from their internship providers, and with 1 offer, most likely you will be multiples as companies like hot commodity candidates, which would give you the advantage to negotiate your salary and benefits package. Reach out to your advisor, tutor, mentor, or career office to learn how to build a CV and when to apply for internships.
Visit your friends in other universities
Satisfy your curiosity and go see how your other friends are enjoying their university lives. Visit other cities, campus, and share experiences and maybe some wisdom from your life at your university.
Get a reward, and feel the success
Side from finishing your degree, which is the main reason you are at university, try to find out what you are good at and bank on it. It might be a sport, dance, poetry, baking, volunteering, or even a pub quiz. Whatever it is, try to excel and better yourself. Getting acknowledgment is not about showing off or competing, it is about recognising the feeling of personal success. Our society feeds on this feeling, and usually measures worth through success. Unfortunately, at the time of writing this article, worth is measured though financial success, but who know, maybe this will change. Regardless, it is important to learn to do your best for yourself, and to feel good about it.
Learn another language
Many universities offer a range of language classes, and some have a language centre. Why not challenge yourself and learn one or even two. It’s an opportunity to learn more skills and meet more like-minded people, or at least people with the same interest.
My last advice is to always remember remember why you are here: Be who you are, express your opinion, and listen to others openly, build yourself, and whenever you put your books down, learn through living.
If you enjoyed this article on the university bucket list, why not read How to Get the Most out of your University Days or How to Get the Most out of your University Days
