The Thing About University

Well, many things about university. Whether you're about to enrol or you're entering your final year, chances are that university has you worrying about something. For many, this is the first time in your life that you'll be fully independent, and, whilst that can be a great moment, it often brings with it many doubts and downfalls. As a fourth year student, here are a few things I think it's important to consider throughout your time at university to make sure you don't get lost in all those doubts and have the best few years possible!

Freshers: Everyone's in the same boat

The weeks leading up to starting your first year at university are full of excitement and nerves. You're about to start a new chapter of your life, start working towards that degree and meet a whole new bunch of people. The most important thing to remember during the first few weeks of university is that everyone is in the same situation as you -  everyone is hoping to make new friends. I'd say it's probably 50/50 whether people get along with their new flatmates, and if you're one of those that don't you will have plenty of opportunities to meet others! Go along to your university fresher's fair, sign up to a few societies and attend your course introduction classes - they're a great time to start chatting to your fellow coursemates even if you are a tad hungover from all those fresher's events! Even if you're a bit of an introvert and it all seems so overwhelming, you'll get there eventually. I am the complete opposite of extroverted and often struggled with the heavy social aspect of fresher's and first year, but I did manage to find a great group of friends. Some I met during fresher's week and others I didn't start hanging out with until second and third year - you really don't ever stop meeting people throughout your time at university.

Don't buy all of the reading material

Probably not the most important point, and yes there are some course books that you will need to buy but don't jump straight in there, and definitely don't buy them brand new or your bank balance will never forgive you! When I first started university we were given the option to buy a discounted book bundle which still came to over £100, a completely unnecessary expenditure when there were always copies available at the university library. If you do prefer to have your own copies, don't head straight to the nearest university bookstore. Take a look online first and try to find them used, head to the usual places like Amazon and also drop a message to your course's university group - there will be current students looking to sell off their old books at a pretty good price. More often than not there isn't much difference in content between old and newer editions, though it's a good idea to ask a lecturer first to double check that the book would still be suitable.

Do take advantage of your university career's service

And try to do so before the end of your final year. I'm pretty certain every university has some form of career's advice service on campus, whether it's faculty specific or university-wide. They offer great tips on topics from improving your CV to building up a LinkedIn profile and how to write a top notch application. Most even give you the opportunity to attend mock interviews which are especially helpful if you're prone to turning into a bundle of nerves whenever you walk into an interview setting. As they say, practice makes perfect! The more you take advantage of these opportunities the more prepared you'll be when it comes to applying for that mid-uni placement, that dream graduate job or that postgraduate degree. Attending university career fairs is also a great way to network and gain information about possible future employers. Some companies use these fairs as a first step in their recruitment process and are always on the look out for potential candidates. So, if you have your eye on a certain company do a a spot of research beforehand and be sure to strike up conversation with their employees that are in attendance. Also, these fairs are a great way to stock up on pens and other stationary essentials...

Try not to compare yourself to others

University is full of a whole range of different people with different personalities. Some people attend two lectures in the whole year (probably not the best idea), whereas others choose to pull frequent all nighters in order to get as much studying done as possible. Whilst I would recommend attending as many lectures as you possibly can (see below), not everyone has it in them to spend every waking minute doing extra reading, and not everyone ends up getting a first class degree. It's just about doing your personal best and understanding what you need to do to graduate with the degree that you want. Remember, not every employer is solely looking for those who graduated with a first. If that's an achievable goal for you then absolutely go for it, but don't get yourself down if other people on your course are getting higher grades than you. On the same note, some students manage to tackle several societies alongside their studies and part time employment. No two people are in the same situation, and it's important to remember that. My personal viewpoint is to put everything you possibly can into your degree whilst maintaining a healthy work life balance. Your degree is an incredibly important part of your life, but it's not the only part.

It's all about that work life balance

Yes, studying for your degree and graduating is the main reason why you're at university, and it is important to prioritise your workload and attend as many lectures/classes as you possibly can. However, it's  also important to remind yourself that your health still comes before any of this, whether that be mental or physical, and you should never put yourself down if you miss any work because of this. If you need to take a day off for any reason, drop your lecturers an email and ask if they'll be making any powerpoints and notes available so you can read over everything when you're feeling up to it again. Also, you don't need to spend every evening and weekend doing extra work and reading - some people choose to do this and that's okay too (again, don't compare yourself to others) but even students deserve a break from studying. You might get a part-time job, or spend your evenings involved in societies or even just watching TV. Make time for other things, especially those which make you happy, and your university experience will be a lot better for it.

Don't be scared of failure

Towards the end of your undergraduate degree you'll probably be applying for countless graduate positions or postgraduate courses. Even though you'll be somewhat prepared from taking full advantage of the university career's service (see above), it is likely that you'll still receive some knockbacks. In every cohort there are always a few that get the first graduate job they apply for but most have to send off tens if not hundreds of applications before they start to get somewhere. If this is the case, try not to get too down about it and where possible ask for feedback on your applications so you can keep improving. Even if it gets to graduation and it feels like you're the only person without somewhere to be when you graduate, that is absolutely not the case as many graduates will be in the exact same position that you are. Plus, there are still jobs and postgraduate positions being advertised over summer and even if you have to take the not-so-ideal job for a few months, or go back and live at home for a while, everything will work out in the end and that not-so-perfect situation may turn out to be the best decision you've ever made.

Emily J

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