Making the Most of Your Time

One of the aims for many students is to achieve better time management so that they can complete all their assignments on time, study for exams and live the whole student experience in full.
However, there are many obstacles to successful time management and these include:

Mobile technology – all the myriad forms that need my constant attention and involvement
Social networking – as above
Watching entire TV series – because unless I know what happened in xxxxx I cannot participate in the above
Daydreaming. - spending a lot of time thinking about things but not really doing anything. It’s not really wasting time, though.. it’s fostering creativity.

So it might be obvious but the first step to better time management is actually to spend less time on any of the above. But what are the next steps?

Prioritising

It is important to learn to prioritize by balancing what needs to be done soon with what might need the most investment in terms of time, effort and energy. It seems obvious but keep a diary to make a note of dates of tests, project and assignment deadlines. Once you have created a list of your priorities you can timetable.

Timetabling

You need to plan how to divide your time between study commitments, leisure and any other events that take up your time on a regular basis. You have to be very realistic about how long activities take, be that reading a chapter from a text book or researching information on the internet. Plan plenty of breaks because unless you are really good at self-discipline your timetabling and organizational efforts are going to be wasted. So don’t timetable every hour of the day, leave space for leisure or unexpected events. Be flexible – consider timetabling a 2-3 hour block every week to catch up on something not achieved. Know yourself too – when do you work best? Are you a morning lark or a night owl? If you are a morning person schedule the most difficult tasks for first thing in the day. If you can’ t function until mid-afternoon then schedule your most important tasks for that time of day. Create a daily routine and stick to it. Research suggests that a habit takes 30 days to form so give your new routine a chance to work and good working practices will become habit.

Organising

Keep all your papers and files clearly and neatly organized so that you can find references quickly when needed. Again this seems obvious but it will reduce wasted time looking for them. Organised notes are the best way to use study time effectively. Make good use of stationery such as post it notes and index flags to mark important pages in books and journals. Likewise, invest in markers and coloured pens to highlight important points and make your notes more inviting. Organise a dedicated work space in your room or make better use of library facilities.
Make the most of YOUR time, your university experience is only short!

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By Neil Kinnerly • October 31, 2025

Halloween is nearly here and it’s always a good time to add a little spooky fun to your day, whether you’re hanging out with friends, getting your place ready, or just enjoying the autumn vibes. Before you dive into the celebrations, we thought it would be cool to share some interesting things about Halloween in the UK and some local Swansea stories to get you in the mood. Halloween actually has really old roots here in the UK. It goes back to an ancient Celtic festival called Samhain. People used to celebrate the end of the harvest season and the start of the cold, dark winter. Back then, they believed that the boundary between the living world and the spirit world was thinner around this time of year. Because of that, they thought ghosts and spirits could cross over and roam the earth. It was a time to light bonfires and wear costumes to keep those spirits away. The pumpkin carving tradition that’s so popular today actually started a little differently. In Ireland and Scotland, people used to carve faces into turnips or other root vegetables to scare off wandering spirits. When Irish immigrants came to America, they discovered pumpkins were easier to carve and much bigger, so the jack-o’-lantern as we know it was born. But if you want to keep it authentic, you could always try carving a turnip this Halloween. Trick or treating is another interesting tradition. It didn’t really become popular in the UK until the 1980s. Before that, kids went “guising” which meant dressing up in costumes and going door to door to perform songs or jokes in exchange for treats. It was less about threats and more about entertainment. So when you’re knocking on doors this year, you’re taking part in a tradition that’s only a few decades old here but has deep roots in earlier customs. Swansea itself has plenty of spooky stories and places that make Halloween feel a bit more real. For example, Swansea Castle is said to be haunted, and people have reported strange noises and ghostly sightings there. The Maritime Quarter has its own legends of mysterious figures wandering the docks late at night. If you’re up for a bit of local adventure, grabbing a few friends and exploring some of these spots could be a fun way to get into the Halloween spirit. If you’re staying in your student house, adding some decorations like cobwebs, spooky lights or even a hand-carved pumpkin can transform your place without much effort. You don’t have to go over the top to make it feel festive. And maybe set up a horror movie night with your housemates. Whether you prefer classic chills or silly scary comedies, it’s a great way to relax and have some laughs. One more fun fact - did you know that in some parts of the UK people still follow the old tradition of “snap-apple” at Halloween? It’s a game where apples are hung from a string and you try to bite one without using your hands. It’s messy but a good laugh with friends. Whether you’re planning to head out, stay in or just enjoy some snacks and spooky stories, it’s a great chance to take a break and have some fun. We hope your Halloween is full of good times, a few surprises and plenty of treats. If you come across any great local events or have some cool decorations or costumes to show off, we’d love to hear from you.