How to Survive Offline College?

After having functioned in the online mode for almost 2 years, University of Delhi opened its gate for students on 17th April 2022. The ‘real’ college experience since then has been different for different people. However, there are common elements that bind us all together. Letting go of online mode procrastination, getting up early, focusing in classes and budgeting are some of the many things that constitute this physical experience. Here are 4 tips and suggestions to help you survive the transition from online to offline :

1. Estimate Commute Time: Perhaps the most significant change brought about by the transition is the long hours spent in travelling. For students who stay far away from the college, there are broadly 3 options in public transport – Metro, bus or auto/ cab. If you’re travelling via metro or bus, there’s a time element involved. Metros are more frequent than buses in Delhi. They are also more consistent as in they ply at approximately the same time everyday. For metro commuters, its a helpful habit to take a note of the exact arrival and departure times of the metro. For eg, I have to take 3 metros to come to college. My first metro comes at 7.24, second at 7.38 and third at 7.55. Keeping these time stamps in mind assists me in managing my commute time better and helps me reach college on time. While bus timings can fluctuate because of traffic, rain or other reasons, they also follow a pattern. Taking a note of this pattern helps you to estimate your commute time better.
2. Balancing Extra Curriculars with Academics :There is no single mantra to manage the juxtaposition of college societies with classes and the work that follows. It varies from person to person based on their preferences and choices. However, one way I adopt to sort out my work is to finish as much society work as possible in my free time in college. This doesn’t imply isolation from social life but whenever a teacher takes a leave unannounced or i find a seat in the metro, I try to complete my work. This work can be refined and fine tuned after coming back home. However, when the bulk of the work is done, I find more time to go through my notes and study material. At home, I use the Pomodoro technique to get started on studies. Initial goals of studying just for 10 mins or reading just 2 pages reduces the intimidation associated with a vast syllabus. The gist of this tip is to divide your time across the day and have a priority list.
3. Dealing with Physical Exhaustion: The first few days of college resulted in leg cramps and body aches for many of us. The sudden increase in physical activity is responsible for this. Sleeping and taking rest is essential to ensure that you’re re energised for the next day. Most teenagers and young adults require 6-10 hours of sleep to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Having hot water showers a night before college is another way of reducing physical exhaustion. Cramps are caused by lactic acid accumulation in the muscles. Hot water showers increase blood circulation which in turn increases the oxygen supply This helps in breaking down of lactic acid into carbon dioxide and reduces the intensity of cramps. Drinking sufficient water is another way of combating physical exhaustion.
4. Managing Expenses: College students have this new, exciting and anxiety provoking liberty of managing their own expenses. Whether it is outstation students who are in a new city on their own or students residing in the same city, money matters are a concern for everyone. Tracking your money and creating a budget helps in managing your expenses. Making a list of all fixed and non variable expenses that are to be incurred in a month makes things more organised. Purchases of books, grocery, food etc are to be covered under fixed expenses. Meanwhile, fluid expenses like travel, entertainment, eating out etc are to be covered under varying expenses. Keeping a maximum limit and then working on incorporating all purchases in that limit is another way of budgeting your college expenses.
5. Taking Breaks: It may seem like there are not enough hours to complete all your work, study, socialise and maintain your sanity all at once. However, taking breaks is essential to preserve your mental health and be efficient in all other spheres. Slipping in nuggets of ‘me time’, doing whatever you like the most is an essential component of student life. For me, it’s reading a book in my free period or talking to friends in between classes. It can also take the form of taking a leisure walk while listening to music. Anything that dissociates me from my commitments and takes me to my own wonderland, revitalises me. Even when you have a lot of work to do (well..capitalism), do remember to invest some time in yourself.

Offline or physical mode college is a new experience for a lot of us. It can be exciting, refreshing and full of opportunities but at the same time it can be tiring and exhausting. It is important to strike a balance between the two sets of emotions and get the most out of college experience. Making some changes, incorporating managing techniques helps you survive the physical mode while maintaining your sanity. 

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