I regret going to uni. Probably not the best way to start a tips post about getting through uni but I’d say going to uni was the biggest regret of my life.
This leads me to my No1 tip: Do you really need to go to uni? What reasons are you going for? I say this because I always wanted to go to uni to study Spanish, but on A Level results day I found out I bombed and didn't get the grades, my tutor pulled me aside for a chat and suggested I do a foundation degree in animal management and welfare, there weren't really any entry requirements and he knew I loved animals. Swept up in all the joy my friends were feeling and jealous of their excitement at starting uni I got swept up in the moment and enrolled on the foundation. I’d never shown any interest in working with animals, never studied an animal related subject, yet here I was, going to do a degree! WTF! At the time I thought going to uni was the thing to do, there were no other options and if you didn't go to uni you'd be screwed. Boy was I wrong! Looking back now I was just so ashamed at my sucky A Level results, green eyed at every single one of my friends and peers as they were all sharing their uni stories and excitement and I didn't want to be left out. I was wrong. I wish now I’d taken a different route, an apprenticeship, internship, starting work somewhere and working my way up the ladder, maybe re-doing my A Levels to get the grade I wanted to do the course I wanted in the first place. Think long and hard about if uni is right for you. Hell I have a shitty degree now, student debt and I work in a food store! So I guess you could say I'm one of those failure stories you hear about people not getting their dream job after uni and are stuck in a minimum wage job 10 years later! Even now I have no idea what kind of job my degree can get me!
Tip 2: Embrace your new life. Most people heading off to uni will be leaving home for the first time, and living on their own, without parental supervision! The thought of this is very exciting but can also be quite daunting, you're leaving your home, the space where you're surrounded by loved ones and comfort. But home will always be home and it will always be there. Living on your own is tough but fun, you'll make great friends in your halls and you'll be getting some independence. I believe this is when a teen makes their journey to adulthood. The typical stereotype of first year uni students is party crazed, drinking to coma status teens, but whatever you're into embrace it, have fun but be responsible and take every experience you can to the fullest. Because I didn't, I was too shy and insecure and I regret not experiencing more at uni, going out, making friends, joining clubs or teams, so whatever you want to do, do it, go out, join it! Live it!
This brings me onto tip 3: While you're living it up, living your best life, don't forget that you're paying thousands of pounds to LEARN!!! You're not working a party season in Ibiza, you're there to study, and write essays, and challenge yourself, and take exams, and attend lectures and seminars. You need to find a balance. You'll find yourself one day needing to study or meet a deadline, and someones planned a party, do you a) sack off studying, go to party, rush to finish project, get a disappointing grade? Or b) stay in and study, do some fine ass work and be proud of that super grade? Hell if you finish earlier than expected the party will still be there after. We've established that I'm an introvert and I’d substitute party for cinema or meal or movie night with friends but I mostly chose option a, and I'm ashamed to say my degree suffered for it. Planning ahead is easier when you know of things coming up that you want to attend, like seeing a film at the weekend or the party next week, you can easily plan your studies to fit around your social life, but the temptation of spur of the moment plans is super hard to resist, especially if friends are pressuring you to go out and fob off your studies you had planned. Stand up for yourself and don't let anyone make you feel pressured to do something you don't want to. At the end of your degree you want to graduate with a diploma that says that amazing grade you want, remember that.
Tip 4: Join clubs, teams, activities, make study groups. I did this to some extent but I let my own insecurities get in the way. I used to play badminton, and found that there was a team at uni and would loved to have gone to play with them, but I didn't, I was too scared because no one I knew wanted to come with me and I didn't want to go alone, FFS I wish I’d have just gone! I hate that I let myself get influenced by others and let my own scared little self get in the way of something fun, active and a chance to meet new people. Instead I joined my two friends horse riding, I could sit and walk on a horse but thats as far as my riding skills went! My two friends had ridden all their lives so I was like the 3rd wheel tag along to bring for entertainment! I'm actually getting angry at myself writing this because I wanted to do so much at uni, and did none of it and I'm actually kicking myself for it. Why didn't I just go for it and do what I wanted!! So if anyone reading this wants to do something, but is scared or is worried what their friends might think or scared to go alone, just fucking go. Because you'll be sat 10 years on loathing ourself for not living.
Tip 5: You will feel homesick, stressed, alone, pressured, all sorts of feelings and emotions, but they will get better. If you feel homesick call home, plan a weekend visit, have your family visit, show them around your new hometown. Keep in touch with friends who have gone to different uni’s, have them visit and visit them. If you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed with studying or have a huge workload talk to someone, make a plan to tackle it and stick to it. Set goals and smash them, they will keep you focussed and will cut down huge workloads into smaller more manageable chunks.
Make a budget, student loan wont last forever and it can be easy to start to run out of money. You could get a part time job, turn a hobby into a little business to bring a little cash in, like a youtube channel, etsy store, photography, blog, dog walking, anything. And its always a fab thing to add to your CV.
So theres my tips for all you freshers heading off to uni. In short, make sure you're 100% happy with what your studying and what uni you're going to and just live the fullest life you can, learning something you're passionate about and making memories you'll look back on and smile at.
Thanks for reading!
Vikky
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