Freshers' Tips & Advice

Hello lovely Dreamers!

It's that time of year again, September is round the corner and shortly, a bunch of freshers will be off to embark on the next chapter of their lives, as university students. My three years at uni were the best three years of my life (so far) and despite a few hiccups along the way, I know I made the right decision in going. In this blog post, I'm going to be offering advice, although this advice is largely targeted at those who are moving away to uni, some of it will undoubtedly still apply if you're going to be living with your parents. So read on for my top five freshers' tips!

My first year bedroom

Get Involved
I cannot stress this enough. I regret that I spent the majority of my first year of uni alone in my bedroom, this is not how it should be. Yes, I spent time with my housemates and course friends, but I didn't really get involved with any societies. I joined Yoga and Aerobics, and there were so many times when I just didn't feel like attending. Life improved in second and third year for me, because I did so much. By the final term of my final year, I was in Yoga, Aerobics, Magic, Panto, Sociology, Sewing and Meditation Societies. Honestly, societies are the best things about uni, try something new, meet like minded people and have a blast.

Work Hard
Its so easy to fixate on the fact that you only need 40% to pass and first year doesn't count. This may be true, but you cannot expect to get through your first year with 40% and be able to magically get a 2:1 in your second year. A degree is hard. You need to work hard in first year so that you know what level you're at, try hard to get good feedback and know what you need to do to get the top grades. Its like a trial year, but to do well when it counts, you need to actually try when it doesn't. But don't slave away working 24/7, it is first year...

Personalize Your Space
Your bedroom is your sanctuary. For many students, its your first time away from home. Homesickness at some point in inevitable, so make your room a place that you want to spend time in, make it your own. Add posters, bunting and fairy lights, take cushions and blankets and lovely bedding, hang photos up or take some in frames, buy houseplants. Make your bedroom Your space. If it feels homely and familiar, you'll feel more at ease with being there, no matter how surreal everything else may seem.

Don't Stress
No, this doesn't mean that you can blow all of your student loan on booze in the first week of term and live in your overdraft, nor does it mean you should skip every lecture and seminar and pull all-nighters to write assignments last minute. Not stressing means that, if you find it hard to settle, if you don't like your course, if you get homesick, try not to worry too much. University is not for everyone, and it can be difficult, but if I could go back and tell pre-breakdown first year Ruth anything, it would be everything is going to be okay, you can do it. Don't overwork yourself, don't fret about anything, and please don't cry too much.

Make the Most of it
This is probably the most important advice of all. The majority of people only go to uni once. That's one chance to live away for uni, to get involved in things you wouldn't usually do. You will grow so much as a person throughout your time at university, you will grow into an adult and you will learn about who you actually are as an individual. You might not get along with everyone you meet, but you'll learn how to deal with difficult people whilst being pleasant to them. And you will meet some incredible people who you will call your best friends for life. Make the most of it, it will go so so quickly and you'll miss it once its over.

Further Information

Click the following links to see my previous blog posts about my experiences during my time as a student:

Alternatively, if you would like to read them all, Click Here.

I really miss being a student and I'm devastated to not be returning to uni in a few weeks, its a shock to the system not going back after the summer. Several times since finishing, I have sat in my bedroom, whilst figuring out what to do with my future, then remembered something good about my student life, and sat crying. Please make the absolute most out of every opportunity you are given at uni. Its awesome.

Thank you so much for reading, please share this with anyone you know who is starting uni soon! And feel free to leave a comment down below, subscribe to my blog or follow me on social media

I met my best friends at uni

Labels: Student Life