Starting university can be a scary time; new people, new tutors and a new environment! But here are four things that i wish i knew before i started my degree!
Don’t need to buy everything on the reading list! Books can be expensive, heavy to carry around and can take up a lot of room; and this can seem pointless when you only look at one page in the whole book throughout your degree! As soon as I received an email with the books to look at, I bought every single one of them, they are now pilled up on my book shelf and haven’t been looked at since September. Its best to wait until you start and ask your tutor the books which will be used the most and then purchase them. A lot of the books can be accessed online or in the library so don’t worry about buying them.
Don’t be afraid to meet new people! I remember the first day of my course when it came to meet everyone; I was sat in a room of people who I didn’t know, the majority of which where older than me and had all come from the access course. I was terrified! The majority of people knew each other, and it was just scary trying to interact with this massive group of strangers. Now, 6 months down the line I have cried to them and laughed with them. I class them all as good friends and know I can trust them. Your going to be possibly spending the next 3 years with these people whether you like it or not, so make friends! Not only will this make your full university experience more enjoyable, but it will land you in good footing when it comes to group work. Also, make friends with those in the other years! They can help you out when it is needed with notes and just telling you where you might have gone wrong with your work. They have just spent a year doing what you are doing now so they will understand what you’re going through!
Make sure you do the reading! This probably isn’t the first time someone has told you this, and it won’t be the last! Everyone will tell you this and your tutor will drill it into you from day one; but you must do the reading set! And if there isn’t any reading set, still do the reading! In my first semester I made the mistake of not doing the reading and it really reflected when it came to the general knowledge needed about certain subjects and it also reflected in the marks I got for my assignments. It is so crucial that you keep up to date with all reading set!
Have fun! One thing I underestimated before starting was how fun it was going to be! It is hard work and there will be many time you may sit and cry and want to scream! Trust me I have done them all along with saying how I shouldn’t be on the course and saying I want to quit, only for minutes later to be sat doing the work needed. It is stressful but don’t worry! Everyone in your group will be in the same situation as you are, so when you get time to sit, relax and get to know people, make the most of it! Enjoy yourself because this may be the only chance you get at university so make it one to remember! Enjoy the little things because they will get you through the hard times!