7 Things You Should Stop Doing in Uni Right Now

University can be one of the most transformative periods of your life. It’s where ideas click, confidence grows, and future paths begin to take shape.

But it can also quietly become a black hole for your time, energy, and focus.

Between lectures, deadlines, social pressure, late nights, and constant “I’ll deal with it later” thinking, many students fall into habits that don’t feel dangerous—but slowly sabotage their growth.

Whether you’re a first-year trying to find your rhythm or halfway through your degree wondering why everything feels harder than it should, this guide is your wake-up call.

These aren’t extreme mistakes. They’re common, socially accepted behaviors that almost everyone does in uni—and that’s exactly why they’re dangerous.

Here are 7 things you need to stop doing in university right now if you want to succeed without burning out or graduating full of regret.

1. Waiting Until the Last Minute for Everything

Procrastination is practically a university tradition. Deadlines creep closer, adrenaline kicks in, and somehow the assignment gets submitted at 11:58 PM.

It feels like it works—but it’s lying to you.

Last-minute work:

• Trains your brain to live in panic mode

• Increases stress hormones and fatigue

• Reduces actual learning and retention

• Makes uni feel harder than it needs to be

Cramming doesn’t just hurt your grades. It teaches your brain that learning equals stress, not curiosity.

What to do instead

You don’t need superhuman discipline—you need systems.

• Break assignments into small, low-resistance steps

• Start with 10–15 minutes, not “finish everything”

• Use timers or time-boxing

• Reduce friction by preparing materials early

Many students now use AI tools to lower the barrier to starting. For example, turning lectures or YouTube explanations into summaries or cheat-sheet notes means you can prep before panic hits—even on low-energy days.

2. Taking Notes You’ll Never Read Again

If your notes look like a word-for-word transcript of the lecture, something is wrong.

You’re not a stenographer. You’re a learner.

Most students take passive notes:

• Writing everything down

• Copying slides verbatim

• Never revisiting or restructuring them

This creates the illusion of productivity without real understanding.

What effective notes actually do

Good notes help you:

• Process ideas in your own words

• See structure, not just information

• Recall concepts later without rewatching everything

A better approach

• Summarize instead of transcribing

• Use questions, diagrams, or frameworks

• Highlight why something matters, not just what it is

• Connect ideas across lectures

Many students now offload the raw transcription step to AI, then spend their energy editing, questioning, and understanding instead of copying.

3. Skipping Class Because “The Slides Are Online”

This is one of the most expensive lies in university.

Slides are skeletons. The real value is in:

• What the lecturer emphasizes

• Examples they repeat

• Off-script explanations

• Exam hints disguised as “side comments”

When you skip class, you’re not saving time—you’re creating more work later.

If you can’t attend

Life happens. When you genuinely can’t make it:

• Record the lecture if allowed

• Get the full explanation, not just the slides

• Turn it into structured notes you can actually review

Listening once with context beats rereading slides five times with confusion.

4. Comparing Yourself to Everyone Around You

University comparison culture is brutal.

Someone always seems ahead:

• Better grades

• Internships already lined up

• Side hustles, startups, perfect routines

What you don’t see:

• Their burnout

• Their anxiety

• Their behind-the-scenes chaos

Constant comparison:

• Kills confidence

• Makes you rush decisions

• Pushes you into paths that aren’t yours

The mindset shift

University isn’t a race. It’s a training ground.

Your job isn’t to beat others—it’s to:

• Build skills you actually enjoy

• Grow steadily, not instantly

• Leave uni more capable than when you entered

Progress beats performance optics every time.

5. Saying Yes to Everything

University makes overcommitment feel virtuous.

Clubs. Group projects. Networking events. Study sessions. Part-time work. Social plans.

At some point, your calendar becomes a threat.

Burnout doesn’t come from doing hard things.
It comes from doing too many things without recovery.

Learn to say no

Saying no isn’t laziness—it’s strategy.

• Protect white space in your schedule

• Leave time for rest and boredom

• Prioritize depth over constant activity

The students who last longest aren’t the busiest ones.
They’re the ones who recover properly.