There’s no denying that university can be overwhelming. What with a hectic social life to keep up with, a long list of assignments to plough through and the desire to join in with extra-curricular activities on the side, there is a lot to keep up with. But that doesn’t mean that maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle while you’re at university is impossible.

In fact, there are actually just three simple challenges standing between most students and a balanced lifestyle; the desire to have a thriving social life, a need to study and high levels of stress. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a first or third-year student, at some point or another it is highly likely that you’re going to come up against at least one of the three common challenges. Which is why we’ve put together some tips to help you tackle them so that you can start living a more balanced student lifestyle!

Maintain a social life:
When you’re in the midst of exam and deadline season it is easy to decide that socialising is not a priority. But if anything, it should be even more of a priority now. That doesn’t mean you should be going out every night or skipping an important revision lecture to go on a two-day bender. What it does mean, however, is that no one (not even the best of students) can revise 24/7 without it taking a toll on them eventually. As humans, we are social beings, and as a result we crave the company of others which is why it is so important for your mental health to keep up a social schedule. If you really suffer with guilt over socialising then write down your social plans on your to-do list – that way, while you’re catching up with friends over a cup of tea you’ll still feel as though you’re being productive as you’ll be able to tick something off your list when you return home!

Stick to a study schedule:
At school, your day was divided into manageable, hour-long sections. At work, you will find your day is split in a similar way with tea and lunch breaks which are put in place to ensure that you don’t spend eight hours solidly sitting in the same spot in the office. So, it makes sense to maintain some kind of structure during your time as a student. By setting aside manageable blocks of time for studying, and for relaxing, you’ll find yourself feeling much less stressed as you won’t be flitting around from task to task with no real plan in your mind.

Keep stress at bay:
There is no experience quite like the university one. But so many students forget to enjoy it as they spend their entire three years stressing over their grades. Sometimes stress can be beneficial but when it comes to combatting unnecessarily high levels of stress, the key is to tackle it before it arrives. Find study methods that work for you, stick to your revision plan and carve out time for activities that relax you – whether that is going for a quick run around the block, watching a movie before bed or delving into a good book. By keeping stress at bay, you’ll find that you’re ill far less often, that you get more done as you don’t go into a panic shutdown mode and you’ll find it easier to justify time off from studying too.

Shannon Clark writes for Inspiring Interns, which specialises in sourcing candidates for internships and graduate jobs.