How to manage your time when Studying Abroad
Vol.1: Food
Espcially in these challenging times, we feel we are sometimes trapped in the cycle of study (work), eat, sleep, repeat. Many students find it very difficult to find time to manage their time and all the tasks. Especially for students budget is another stressful restraint and they might find themselves living on a combination of burgers and rice that is not at all nutritious, but also extremely boring.
STUDY, EAT, SLEEP, REPEAT
These are some of our friend´s ideas and suggestions about how to eat healthily and quickly while staying on a budget. They have all gone through the same as you and did find a couple of tricks and tips that do work well! You can also check some of the Online Open Days that our friends attended before choosing their degree.
Guillermo – I am such a pasta-eater…
and I was so broke during uni that I practically became Italian in my cooking. I made sure to stay healthy by buying a lot of fruits and veggies (which are also very cheap) and eating those for supper and breakfast. Then I would have different sauces ready so that I did not get bored about pasta (normally, macaroni). Some weekends, when I felt motivated, I´d cook a massive pot of sauce so that I had enough for several days, but normally I´d just buy sauce pots in the shop.
Gabriela – When studying abroad, you have to accept that some days you have to cook, but you can skip others.
So whenever I cooked, I was making salad, soup or fish and whenever I didn´t have time I went for fast food. The proportion of healthy and fast-food would vary, obviously, but it kept me happy and healthy while on a budget.
Elisa – The secret for me was always eating with friends and flat-mates.
Each one of us only got to cook once or twice a week, but we always had fun lunchtimes. And you must always remember that microwave and oven are your best friends. Whenever you are hungry, and nobody is cooking, you can use your secret weapon: the pre-made oven-heated pizza.
Miguel – I learnt how to make many easy-dishes while studying in Sweden at Linköping University.
For example, burritos and toasts have close to zero preparation time, so you can eat while cooking and save some time and money. Also, having a protein shake in the morning does give you plenty of energy and calories for the day, and it is easy and not very expensive.
Hector – I didn´t have any time during weekdays and I knew I had to spend money on food, so I learnt a saving trick:
every Sunday I made vegetable pure… a ton of pure, that would last me for the whole week. Then, I didn´t have to spend as much money every day since the first dish I already had. If you have a healthy and full diet in the morning and midday, you can afford to eat fruit for dinner, also.
Linda – I am a vegan, and that means it is very cheap for me to eat!
As a student, I found out that veggies are very, very cheap, especially if you buy big quantities. I used to boil veggies and eat them with rice, or make pure, toasts and many more! The secret to the flavor is adding tomato sauce to any vegetable stew.
Sarah – You should start your day great.
Even when you think you don´t have time, you should pay special attention to breakfast. My trick was making a great warm bowl of porridge with fruits and some milk. It is the best way to start the day with a lot of energy.
We hope that some of these tricks will help you stay fit and on a budget while allowing you to have ample time for studying or enjoying your time. Do not forget the motto: Study, Eat, Sleep, Repeat. You will find a balance after some thought. After all… you only Study Abroad once!
