Read our Volunteer blog below:
Time management in University is one of the most important skills to develop (as people keep reminding me). Despite this, I think having a balance between full-time education and other things is important, but beyond sports and other activities. I’ve enjoyed fundraising in the last year as a break from constant essays and assignments, as it has given me a distraction I can focus some of my energy on. The biggest piece of advice I have with time management however is to do little and often… make a goal to dedicate a few hours to it every other week and it’ll fly by!
“The most enjoyable way to manage fundraising is through doing something you enjoy, and turning that into a fundraiser.”
The most enjoyable way to manage fundraising is through doing something you enjoy, and turning that into a fundraiser. Personally, I loved doing photoshop illustrations, and so began selling commissions and putting all of the profits towards my fundraising target. This meant that fundraising was enjoyable down time for me. Other people in my group were music students and so held a series of fundraising concerts! More examples would include hosting a charity sports match if that’s your thing, taking part in a sponsored marathon if you’re a keen runner, or hosting a bake sale and coffee morning if you’d rather relax with a cup of tea! The opportunities are honestly endless but it is by far the easiest way to profit off of your down time- which obviously is essential when in full time education.
“The biggest piece of advice I have with time management however is to do little and often… make a goal to dedicate a few hours to”
Family and friends are also great to get involved in fundraising (either through donations or fundraisers themselves)- people don’t realise how much support they can get from their network! Organising an event in your hometown can be a great way to get family involved and split the workload a little- even if that is just by having an extra hand to help on the day. Uni holidays help aid fundraisers at home as well, as they can naturally tie in through Christmas or Easter themed events! Family network or not, group fundraisers are a brilliant way to get more people involved in your fundraising and manage full time education a little easier. At the end of the day, fundraising for the expedition is all part of the fun in the experience… so make sure its enjoyable! Rather than ‘juggling’ it with your full time education, treat it as a side project, and suddenly you’ll have an extra hobby to look forward to between assignments.
A huge thankyou to Beth Mesher from Cardiff University for sharing her experiences and producing this blog post!
If you’re a student at a UK university and are interested in volunteering with us and heading out to Uganda next summer, please get in touch with Jess at jess@playactioninternational.org
