So over two years ago…(wow this makes me feel old!) I started University. It was a massive change and a start of a brilliant new adventure. So I wanted to share a few tips to help the ones starting university in the next couple of months to be prepared and not make the mistakes I did!
1. Look into social events before you arrive
Make sure you throw yourself into meeting new people who will be staying in your Halls and on your course. Uni is a place where you meet a tone of people! But its important to socialise both with the people in your halls and people on your course. Making friends with both will make your life so much easier and you will get to enjoy and do amazing things! I was very lucky to have one of my friends in my flat who practically dragged me out to meet the rest of the gang on the first day I arrived. From that I have three of my closest of friends who then became my house mates the next year and will forever be another family to me. So don’t be scared you have no idea who you could meet!
2. Don’t spend all your money in freshers week
Spending all your money at once will start you off with bad habits. Trust me I know. You will be stuck in an ever ending vortex of a student over draft for the next three years. This was especially hard for me when I was in London and have friends who like going out a lot. Just be smart with your finances and you will enjoy going out more and be able to afford food (which ya know is quite important to live…😅).
3. Label all of your food and equipment
Or at least have a dedicated cupboard to it all. People have a way of using stuff that isn’t theres so LABEL EVERYTHING! One day this new boy had appeared in my flat of the halls I was staying in and started to use all my equipment to cook. I didn’t mind he just hadn’t clocked on to the fact that we all had our own equipment and stuff.
4. Be brave.
Its a big change learning to look after yourself then having to make new friends. Uni is where most people meet friends for life because you basically are all in the same boat trying to survive without your parents guiding you. Therefore you all end up helping each other and teaching each other life lessons. I showed someone how to make a cup of tea and she’s one of my bestest of friends now. Don’t go home all the time. I know its hard you may have another half back home or you might be supper close to your family. I get that I had to learn the hard way that if you spend all your time going back home you don’t truly get the University experience. You have to really throw yourself into the deep end to really have the full experience. Trust me you will love it.
5. Make your room cute!
I found it hard being away from my family and my mum especially as we are supper close. Something that I really found that helped was to make my room cute and homely so it didn’t feel like such a new place. Saying that making halls personal is a little hard. So i recommend fairy lights, cute bedding, pictures to pin on your pin board and little ornaments and vases to go on your desk.
Hope this helps! University has definitely been the best years of my life! I have grown so much as a person! I wouldn’t change it for anything!
xxx