- Freshers flu is real - I'm sorry but it is true, pretty much everyone will be coughing and sniffing in your lectures, coffee shops and all over campus within the first few weeks and it is highly likely that it will come for you too. I didn't go to freshers last year and I still managed to get sick, so be prepared. Get yourself some first defence spray and carry it on you like its your child!
- The cliche statement of 'your first year will be the best year of your life' is true - I was told a million and one times before I went to university that the first year is the best year every. In all honesty I have to agree and disagree. First year is definitely a lot easier than second and third but sometimes it can be a big jump from A-Levels or College. However, I made the best friends in my first year and we are still friends now!
- It's never too late to make friends - during the first few weeks of uni, it's completely acceptable to make friends by just going up and saying hi, or handing them loo roll under the cubicle door, or in the queue at the coffee shop. However, by Christmas time it feels like everyone is in new friendship groups and the time for bonding has gone. That is not true, I was still making friends after months of starting university and even now, about to head into my third year, i've just made some more friends. You might even find that the people you make friends with later in the year become closer friends than the ones you made right away.
- You will learn that you are able to get ready for lectures in record time when you've slept through your alarm if you put your mind to it - there have been many times where I have slept through my alarm and woke up panicking that I won't have time to get ready and get to my lectures on time. However, I now lay out my clothes, shoes, folders, notepads and anything else I will need for lectures the night before. This has saved me soooo much time. I even pack my lunch/snacks the night before too so all I have to do is grab everything and go. If there is only one thing you take from this post, please, let it be that!
- Anything loses its interest when you have to write an assessed essay about it - Again, sorry if you are about to start your degree but it is true. During my first year I was interested in everything I was learning about until we had to write an essay on it. It automatically looses its interest because you have to research so much, write about it consistently for days and then you start to have a love/hate relationship with it.
- Reference everything - This is no joke, you will become to hate referencing but it eventually becomes a habit. My advice is to reference everything while you are still on the website/article/reading the book. If you don't then you will probably spend hours trying to find where the quote came from and get so stressed out about it at the same time. Trust me, you'll thank me later I promise.
- Budgeting your student loan - this is something I wish I was taught before I started uni. Budgeting your loan can be hard, especially when it first goes into your bank and you feel like the queen will all the money in the world. You will spend, spend, spend and then start to panic when you start running low. Especially when it comes to April time, your student loan has to last you from April through to October (6 months) compared to the normal 3 months. My advice, is to sit down and budget how much you will need for rent, food, books, phone bill and any other things you have to pay for and then always remember to save a little for yourself every month. It would also be handy to try and find a part time job, so that when it does come to the summer holidays, you have extra money coming in.
- I still feel really young - I thought going to university would make me feel so much older, but honestly I still feel quite young. It's hard to get my head around the fact that in just 3 weeks time I will turn 21 and will be (offically) an adult.
- It's okay to not have a plan for after universtity - I will admit, I don't have a clue about what I want to do once I finish my degree. I'm just heading into my third and final year this October and I'm still trying to decide if I want to do a Masters or take some time out to work for a while. Don't panic if you're the same, you're allowed to take some time to have a think about what you want to do. You don't have to have your whole life planned out at the ages of 18-21.
- Finally, remember to look after yourself - one of the most important things I have learnt since being at university is that my physical and mental health comes before anything. There are many amazing people who can help you at uni if you aren't feeling great or if you are worried about falling behind, they will make sure that you come first. My mum has always made sure that I'm doing okay, especially if I have a big essay coming up she will bring me snacks, coffee and just sit and chat with me and it honestly helps so much, so thanks mumma!
So, that is my top 10 things I have learnt since being at university, I would not change my uni experience for the world as it has made me independent, strong, organised and showed me that I am capable of doing anything that I set my mind to, and so can you. If you are about to start university in the next few weeks, good luck and enjoy every single moment of it.
0 comments