Uni Advice 101
Good luck to all those who have started uni this year or to those who are well into their course. This time in your life can be super exciting! You go into it ready to reinvent your personality, search uni lewks on TikTok and max out your card at IKEA. This may also be your first time moving away from home so there are a lot of changes. Once the honeymoon phase is over, reality starts to set in: workload, being away from home, your diet being 90% pesto pasta. In light of this, we’re here to give you some advice we wish we knew when starting uni.
Don’t bring everything you own to uni
You want to make it feel as homely as possible however, bringing every t-shirt you own will take up unnecessary space and start to clutter your sanctuary. If you did the same as me and are now finding yourself tripping over all your stuff, evaluate what you’re actually reaching for at uni and if there’s items you aren’t reaching for, pack them up and take them home the next time you go.
Join a club or society
You may find your flatmates don’t want to join the same things you do, so don’t be afraid to join the ones you genuinely want to do. It’s a great way of having a break from studying and going to do something you really enjoy, increasing your social circle. Your uni will offer loads of different options. Some clubs can be quite competitive to get a spot but they may offer social teams if this is the case. If you don’t get a spot in the club or society you wanted, why not try something you’ve never done before like quidditch (yes, it’s a thing), pole fitness or baseball!
Don’t be afraid to turn up to things on your own
Right, I know this sounds daunting and this is something I definitely had to force myself to do but you’ll be so grateful you did it. Everyone is in the same boat, trying to find their crowd, join clubs they are interested in. I was too scared to join hockey on my own in first year and finally half way through second year I had enough. I messaged them on Instagram, trotted to the sports ground with my £9 Sports Direct hockey stick and never looked back. If you’re scared to rock up, message/email them saying you’re interested in joining. You can do this.
It’s okay not to have a set career plan going into uni
It can be difficult coming from college or sixth form, being continuously grilled about your career plans and continuously having to justify your degree choice. In your three or four years at uni your life is going to change and your priorities might as well. Some students do come to university with a set plan of what they want to do once they graduate but that doesn’t have to be the same for you. It’s perfectly fine to not know exactly what you want to do post-university. It’s also fine to change your plans once you’re there! You may find different passions whilst at uni so don’t feel pressured to have a grand plan mapped out.
Always be yourself
It’s important to stay intune with yourself and don’t do things that you would prefer not to do because you feel you have to or because others are doing them. Find your own interests, passions, likes, dislikes and pastimes. This is the same for making friends, connect with people because you want to, not because you feel like you have to. Always be YOU and you’ll give yourself the best chance of having the ultimate uni experience.
