We asked Edi students for advice on how to get your life together

Uni can often feel like this strange in between phase where you're no longer a child but not quite an adult. You're expected to keep yourself alive all on your own but chances are you have no clue what you're doing a solid 90% of the time.

However, very occasionally you'll have a lightbulb moment where you'll think to yourself: maybe I'm getting the hang of this adulting thing.

So, in what weird and wonderful ways are Edinburgh students getting their shit together?

Cleaning

If that infamous Pollock TV video is to be believed, not having someone to clean up after you is something a lot of 'Edin-yah' students struggle with.

Jo in 3rd year knew she was "beginning to adult" whilst "doing your first proper adult food shop – bleach, rinse aid, ‘dettols’, the whole works".

3rd year Marni recalls: "There was a time in second year that I got genuinely really aggravated with my boss for buying value glass cleaner instead of the branded Mr Sheen because it was streakier and it was such a fuck, what have I become moment".

It's possibly the first time chores have been your own responsibility – and your mum isn't there to nag you to do it. Unfortunately, that mountain of laundry isn't going to do itself as washing fairies do not, in fact, exist.

Adulting is hard you knerrrrrrrrr

Getting organised

When everything feels a bit all over the place, it can often feel cathartic and cleansing to do something about it. 2nd year Politics student Erin organised her desktop on her laptop so "at least now its less of a mess than everything else in my life".

This is especially true with uni work and the weird mystery world that exists beyond graduation – getting a proper job. Marni is, quite frankly, killing it. She is very proud of "being sober enough to read when I come home from the pub and having 12 different cvs/cover letters for different jobs".

Downloading LinkedIn

Once you've accepted you actually need to think about life after uni, getting a LinkedIn is a good step. It's the 'who you know not what you know' mantra literally instilled into a user-friendly social media platform.

But LinkedIn is a very different ball game to Facebook, Instagram, or even Twitter. The name of the game isn't to look cute or fun but network, network, network. So, you need to portray your most profesh, employable self.

However, use LinkedIn at your peril. Sophie in 2nd year advises sensible (sober) LinkedIn usage. She had a truly harrowing experience of finding a guy she met in Hive "who claimed to have no social media accounts – on LinkedIn. At this point, I was unaware it notifies you if someone is having a cheeky stalk of your profile. He must've thought I was such a creeper so I deleted his number and haven't spoken to him since."

Yikes.

So by all means go ahead and "perfect your profile pic, skillz, make dem fire links etc.", as Jo recommends, but remember it's not the place for being a social media stalker.

The art of drinking coffee

It can often feel like coffee is the only thing keeping you sane in your newfound adulthood. However, there are little things that can feel like the cherry on top of the cake. Elena, 3rd year always feels "really put together" when she remembers her Keep Cup. Whilst Sophie, 2nd year is "super proud" of herself for having a latte in Soderberg this morning without sugar. A humble brag indeed.

Supermarket Loyalty Cards

For many young people, starting uni is the first time they've had to properly manage their own money. And ways to make your money go that little bit further are invaluable. Loyalty cards, for example, are a great first step.

Amelia in 4th year has a Nectar Card whilst 2nd year Alex has "a MyWaitrose Card. I only got it because Waitrose was the only big supermarket in walking distance of my first year halls in Marchmont/Bruntsfield. But everytime I use it I feel like a card-carrying boujee bitch."

Every little helps, after all.

Owning a houseplant

I personally have been having a quarter life crisis recently. This is mainly because there are people from home who are the same age as me having actual, real life babies. I can barely look after myself and I have such admiration for people who think they can take on this level of responsibility at this age.

However, there are some taking on the middle ground – and have successfully managed to look after another living thing.

Ema in 2nd year is very proud of keeping her aloe plant alive for so long it now needs repotting. But she did very sadly kill her "thicc plant that looks like it has a fat ass – it was my favourite." A long way to go before a wee'un it seems.

Looking the part

2nd year Yasmin says wearing her cute check Zara trousers is the ultimate way to feel like everything's coming together. Dressing the part isn't going to give you a first in that coursework essay, but it can do wonders in terms of your mindset and how you approach things.

Power trousers x

Ultimately, no one really has their shit together. It's all one big illusion. All you can do is fake it 'til you make it and hope it all comes together at some point in the future, which it will! Until then, hang tight on the fourth floor armed with your Chilly's Bottle and KeepCup, and remember not to sweat the small stuff. We're all in this adulting game together.