How to successfully make time for guiding at university

If anyone manages time at uni better than me I’ll be shocked to say the least. I am a Sportswear Design student at Falmouth University, which is a super full on course! We are always working in the studio on different projects, from creating our own brands to working with Adidas. We have to write a dissertation in 11 weeks as well! It's crazy - uni life is crazy and hectic! - but it's the best decision I have ever made.

I am part of three groups in Cornwall, Rainbows, Guides and Rangers, which all takes a lot of planning! Luckily I’m not the only one doing it but it still takes a long time. As well as these I have also completed my leadership twice for different sections and I'm currently working on the third, I'm working towards my QM licence and fundraising for a county trip to Croatia next year.

So here's a short list of ways to best manage your time whilst studying:

• Procrastination is good!

Take a break from studying and procrastinate. Obviously not too much, but you need a break so you can ultimately work better in the long run. The way I procrastinate best is to split my time: for every hour of uni work I do, I give myself 10 minutes of guiding work or planning. It’s something that you know you also need to do and want to do, but studying is much more important sometimes. Take a break from studying and do something you enjoy. You’ll come out a lot less stressed if you do!

• Plan your life

Not down to every second, but plan your week to know what you need to do: lectures, society meetings, social events, food shopping days, time for you and time for guiding. Give yourself a set amount of time to relax, be you, light a candle and chill. Uni isn’t all about studying, you have to live too. Don’t work too late into the evenings - set a time that you will finish working each day. This could change day to day, but make sure you switch off and chill.

• Find a release

Find something you can escape to in the evenings you have away from studying. This could be a new section of guiding you haven’t done before or taking on a leadership role in a section you have worked with. A good one for me is Rangers. When I started uni I found out that there was a Rangers meeting only up the road from halls, so I went every other Thursday for two years! It was time I had without having to run a unit or do anything too strenuous. I could enjoy myself with other girls my age, complete some really nice badges which we all decided we wanted to do, and not have to worry about the stress of uni.

• Learn to walk before you try to run

Don’t commit to everything, you won’t ever get it all done! Before I started uni I got in contact with a Guide group close to halls; I knew exactly when they met and what the girls enjoyed. I was put onto GO! as an assistant leader... and then I started uni. I just didn’t have the time in the first month to go. I kept in contact with the group and told them I was finding it difficult to get to Guides because of uni, they kept the leader role open for me, and after about a month I found my feet at uni, started at the unit and have never looked back. I have seen many leader changes and thought at one point I would be leader in charge, but being at uni I knew I couldn’t take on the responsibility of it all as I was still learning to walk in the big pond that is university. I’m now in my third year with the unit and quite honestly I will be distraught when I have to leave them. I have watched all the girls grow and gain in confidence over the years and it will be so hard for me to leave.

• Enjoy it!

You’re only at university once (apart from the crazy people who decide to go back and do it all over again!). Enjoy it and make the friendships that will last a lifetime - guiding and uni friends are there to support you in your journey. Don’t get too bulked down with everything, and if you do there are so many people in uni and guiding that are there to offer support, all you have to do is reach out!