You absolutely don’t need Facebook to survive at uni

It's approaching that point in the semester when deadlines are coming thick and fast and what makes it even better… tutors decide to throw in a group presentation.

While group presentations are great they really are quite a pain for me, why you may ask? Because I don't have Facebook.

Yes, you read that correctly I do not have Facebook, shocking right? I'm that girl in class you try to stalk on Facebook before attempting to approach. Maybe you'll even try to find me on Instagram, but spoiler alert: you wont find me there either, sorry!

I just can't do it, no matter how hard she tries to get me to join

For me Facebook has always been unnecessary. When I was younger my parents chose to keep me away from it, and most girls in my school used it inappropriately which caused trouble, so I decided steering clear was best…

I do remember my fourteen-year-old self creating an account and being horrified when my first friend request was some shady looking character. He was probably just a normal guy friending a Megan he thought he knew, still, the account didn't last long.

Facebook just really isn't for me, which brings me to my main point. How do you survive uni without Facebook, especially when that seems to be our generation's primary planning tool?

I take one of these every year to remind myself that if I've made it this far, I'll make it to graduation

My survival tips are pretty simple:

Step 1) Make good friends

By this I mean ones that will keep you informed directly if they hear of anything interesting going on. My three year flatbae is an absolute gem, because we study in different classes we operate in different circles. Her friends inform her of things going on around uni and she then passes them on to me, I then talk to my class circles and do the same for her.

She tried to hunt out the best of bad lighting in the flat for this one

Step 2) WhatsApp is a life saver

Seriously the amount of group chats I have on the go is ridiculous. However, in each of them I find out about new events. From pub quizzes to bake sales, and I have a live uni calendar straight to my phone. It's great!

Step 3) Get a job

Honestly getting a job is one of the best decisions I made. For one, a girl has got to eat and pay her rent, but also the friends you make outside of uni really do broaden your social circle. Despite being a fourth year at Aberdeen uni, I am friends with people in years below and also graduates. Not only that, but I have also been lucky enough to make friends with RGU students too and so they keep me in the loop about things that are going on across town.

I decided what I was doing 3hrs before the party…

Step 4) Use the uni's resources

Join a society, there is bound to be one for you, we literally have the widest variety. You could go for a sports team or if you prefer something more chill you could sit with a glass at the wine society. Aberdeen Student Radio is also constantly making us aware of campus events and activities. The Gaudie includes an array of info as well, from events to casting calls and more. Information is never far out of reach.

Step 5) Cheat, kind of.

I do have Twitter, so I'm not a total social media avoider. Every now and then an AUSA tweet pops up to give me details for things that are going on, but I must admit I have usually heard by word of mouth by the time I see them. So not fully cheating.

It was a Harry Potter themed event I couldn't help myself

There you have it, five simple steps on how to survive uni without solely relying on social media.

Give it a go – step away from your phone, shut your laptop and try getting involved.