Title: Starting university - part 2
Duration: 4:29
Some advice
Before you arrive at uni it’s really good to get some basic skills for living independently such as cooking and cleaning and washing. I knew somebody who by the end of the first semester still hadn’t put his duvet cover on.
What really helps at university is if you make sure you know how to manage a budget as well as cooking and cleaning and other tasks because it makes the whole process go a lot more smoothly.
One thing I was told before I came was that the transition from GCSE to A level is bigger than the transition from A level to university. I didn’t find this. I found that there was much more put on me at university and it was my responsibility to study. One thing I would say was go to all of your lectures, go to all of your seminars, go to the library, check it out, do your reading. It’s really interesting and you do so much better in the exam when you’re prepared.
If I was going to give advice to someone starting university, I would say, don't worry if you feel homesick, it will pass. I was very homesick for the first month or so, but it went away, and, if you talk to people about it it’s good ‘cos other people are probably in the same situation. And now I'm in third year, and I don't feel homesick at all, and I'm completely at home here, and that will happen to you. It feels like it won't go away at first but it will.
I think the important thing is to get involved with as much as you can to begin with, and then find the things that really interest you, inspire you, and also to explore a bit, get out of the, sort of, campus area and find stuff out about the city, ‘cos there’s a lot to discover here.
I found it really challenging at first because you come and you have to deal with independent living, independent learning and making new friends. And it’s all like a juggling act. But I think everybody has to do it and you learn to deal with it in your own way.
Don't be scared and feel confident to talk to people, to keep in mind that everyone’s feeling like you and everyone wants to make friends. So you just go there, talk to everyone, and have fun, enjoy it.
The advice I'd give someone about to start university would be to, you know, not worry about being nervous, because it’s natural and you get over that so quickly, because you're thrown into an environment which is so fun, so exciting, and, you know, you learn so much, so to just stay calm, look forward to it and to know that you've got the support that you need in every area once you're actually there.
Final thoughts
University is fantastic, have an amazing time, get involved, it’s been one of the best years of my life.
The best way to make the most out of university life is just to get involved in anything and everything. Don’t feel scared of making commitments early on in the year because you don’t have to follow through with everything. But it’s just a great way to meet people with the same interests as you, and doing so many fun things that you might not get a chance to do later.
If you didn’t get the opportunity to see the university beforehand don’t be scared. For me it allowed me to be more adventurous and I managed to sort of discover the university for myself and that was quite an experience.
I would describe university life as fun, but stressful. You've got to remember you are here to study and that can get very stressful, but you have the relaxing fun post-exams, post-essay deadline times to compensate for that and make it all worthwhile.
Just get involved, talk to everyone, join clubs and societies and in no time at all you’ll feel right at home.
I’ve just come to the end of my first year at uni and it has been a massive challenge but absolutely incredible.
University life I think is what you make of it, you've got to go in there, be really positive and, you know, take the most out of every opportunity that you get given, and it just ends up being a brilliant time.
Aim to come out of your first year, even university as a whole, with no regrets, and just think, I couldn't have done any more with my university life. ‘Cos you only get it once, so you may as well live it.
University is a chance to reinvent yourself, be who you want to be.
University life is just fantastic.