Happy Monday,
For some of you this might have been a very daunting weekend with many students moving away from home for the first time and starting university! SO I’m going to try to give share some tips on how to get through this first year. I’m just about to start my second year so these are taken from personal experience, so they have been tried and tested! This will be the final instalment of my trilogy of uni-related posts including my Uni: Unusual Essentials and more general Uni: Advice. These tips are aimed at Freshers but obviously can still be applied to later years in your studies. Here we go:
- Make your room homely: This will keep you busy for your first few days at uni and if you take the time to do it right then it will really help reduce homesickness later on. I mean everyone wants their room to be pinterest-worthy BUT you just really need it to feel like home. I would suggest going for LOADS of pictures of your friends, family and fave celebs, fairy lights and fluffy blankets… that is probably the best place to start. When the buzz of starting uni starts to fade and you begin missing home that’s when your room really becomes your little haven so it is definitely worth spending some time making it special.
- Try and go for it: The key word in this is ‘try’. If you’re like me who doesn’t drink alcohol and worries about EVERYTHING then just give it a go the best you can… that’s the key advice really. I went to a couple of taster society sessions and didn’t really like them BUT the main thing was I gave it a go! I left my door open when I’d rather lock it and have a nap… and honestly these little things meant that I did make friends, had fun and I wasn’t isolated.
- Treat yourself: If the ‘trying’ doesn’t go to plan then it is okay to binge watch a new netflix series and have a serious lie-in…after all it’s what students do best! You don’t have to be out socialising 24/7 and you’ll soon realise that everyone needs their space. SO have a bit of a pamper session or eat some Ben and Jerry’s- remember to look after yourself first and the rest will follow.
- Stay on top of your Work: Lectures are probably the least of your worries but just keep an eye on deadlines and turn up on time then you’ll be absolutely fine! You don’t need to do ALL the extra reading in the first year and you don’t need to ace every essay… just keep everything above 40 and you’ll be wonderful! Some people get really stressed out about work but first year is just about the foundations, so just don’t stress.
I hope these very real tips help make your first year a really enjoyable experience! Obviously the main thing is to have fun, so don’t get too hung up on getting a first or having a spotless kitchen… these things happen! The first year ends up going SO quickly so try to savour every moment- the good and bad because it will all make good stories in the end.
HAVE FUN,
Amy💖
Always Amy 