Off to university for the first time this year? A bit nervous about what to expect or how to make the most of your time there? Not to worry - Rachel's here to share all of her tips and tricks from life at university!
As the leaves are beginning to blush with the colours of autumn, the time is almost here for students across the country to fly the nest to university, many for the first time. Starting a university course marks a new chapter in the life of a young person, an experience that truly shapes their life. Flexing the wings of freedom often brings a complicated miasma of emotions - a strange blend of anticipation of the adventure and trepidation about the unknown. Some of you may be setting off to a new city, relatively far from home comforts. When I began my university degree in Natural Sciences, aged 19, I switched from my life in a quiet Welsh village to the towering spires, bustling tourism and thriving student community of Cambridge. I couldn’t tell whether the butterflies that I couldn’t shake were ones of excitement or anxiety.
If you’re going through something a little like this right now, rest assured you are not alone. You’re about to embark on a life-changing journey on the road to independence - for very few of us graduate as the same people we were when we arrived. Now, writing to you a few years down the line (I am now at the end of my PhD), I have a few words of wisdom to share with anyone about to start their university course.
Mental Mapping
As you unpack your belongings in your new ‘home-away-from-home’, your mind may be racing in an attempt to take it all in. It’s a big change, to move from a place where you know where everything is, to one you need to actively find your way around. For a while you might need to sneak a peek at Google Maps to track down a pharmacy, a grocery store or somewhere for a bite to eat. I promise you that the unfamiliarity doesn’t last long. Take some time to just wander around your campus and local area. If you happen to be studying neuroscience (which I highly recommend!), you may come across the hippocampus in your course – the ‘place cells’ in this brain region will be building a cognitive map of your surroundings that you can call upon for navigation. Go and play being a tourist for a while, and before long you’ll be just as qualified as a tour guide yourself. I felt quite a sense of pride when, several months after starting, my family visited me at Cambridge and I could identify almost all of the buildings they asked about (with a few fun facts to go alongside).
Breaking the Ice
Joining you on this adventure will be thousands of other students from across the country, maybe even the world. You may not know anyone where you’re heading. If you’re anything like me, you might be intimidated by the idea of forming a new group of friends, especially bonds as close as those with your school friends. If you’re from a close-knit community and feel very connected to your home area, you may also feel the pangs of homesickness and start thinking about when your family should first come to visit. My advice? Take a deep breath and dive right in. You will be so glad that you did.
Be a little bold and strike up a conversation with the person in front of you in the queue to collect your keys or to order a coffee. Maybe offer to help someone moving into a room near you. One interaction may lead seamlessly to another – that person whose potted plant you’re holding may ask you to join them and a mate for dinner that evening. Whether you’re a natural social butterfly or prefer a closer friendship group, there’s no right or wrong. You’re all crewmates in the same boat. Universities offer a wide range of events, large and small, to support socialisation and interaction in those early days. I think it’s a common misconception that university friendships can only be forged over a pint or something stronger, but there is absolutely no pressure to drink if it’s not your cup of tea. Some of my fondest memories of early university days, after all, are of sipping our latest creations at the Smoothie Society. The events programmes offer something for everyone – the budding sports stars, the creative spirits and the pub quiz nerds alike.
Try a New Hobby
Speaking of societies, there’s also no better time to experiment with new hobbies than at the beginning of university. Extra-curricular activities help anchor you and provide some much-needed opportunities to get your mind away from academia. You’ll be inundated with opportunities as university societies launch their campaigns and make their pitches. If there’s a ‘Freshers Fair’ or something similar, be sure to go along. Amble along the stalls and stop at any that even slightly pique your interest. My advice would be to sign up for any that there is even a remote chance you’ll interact with – it’s easier to leave a mailing list than find it again and, worst comes to worst, jotting down your new university email address will help you remember it!
You might be a total beginner at whatever you’re trying, but that’s all part of the fun as you’ll certainly be in good, equally inexperienced, company. Even if it doesn’t quite turn out to be your kind of thing, you may create some fun memories or anecdotes to take away – did I mention the time I played a lacrosse match in the snow, stumbled through a Cuban salsa routine or tried to juggle in a park? But maybe you’ll hit upon some new sport or activity that is just right for you. After all, I never would have thought that turning up to a magazine launch for Bluesci (the science communication society at Cambridge) would one day lead to me being its President!
A New Way of Learning
As you start your new course, you’ll likely have to adapt to a different style of learning. Pre-university courses provide the essential groundwork that sparks your initial interest, but university will give you access to the next level of knowledge in your field of study. I was fascinated when a new piece of information made the pieces of the puzzle fit together in my mind and I understood a difficult concept – in neuroscience, this could be the first time you really get to grips with the ways neurons communicate through action potentials (spoiler alert – it’s more complicated than they tell you at school, but much more awesome!). Not only that, but depending on your subject, you may be able to engage hands-on, to an extent, that schools just cannot offer. Practical labs give you the chance to put your newfound knowledge into action. It wasn’t long before I was recording electrical activity directly from nerve fibres! Although some universities are transitioning more fully into the post-pandemic rhythm of hybrid lectures, I strongly recommend going in person - you’ll get so much more from your course that way, from engaging deeper in the content course and also giving you more chances to interact with friends.
It is all too easy to feel overwhelmed at the beginning of all this. You may feel that the lectures are too fast-paced, or things aren’t clicking quite as easily in your mind as you are used to. This is normal. Be kind to yourself and give yourself the time you need to get used to university-style teaching. Don’t expect to get everything right the first time, even if this is what you’re used to. The first few essays I wrote involved some late-night library sessions and were handed back to me slathered in red ink comments, but it wasn’t long before I was confidently sending off written work without concern.
Time management is also an asset to your skillset, so take the time to develop a working rhythm that works for you. Don’t let your working hours be influenced by those you see around you - someone may look like they’re buried in a textbook, while secretly scrolling through their Instagram feed. Use your newfound freedom to find a pattern of study that works for you, as all our internal clocks are tuned a little differently (another of my favourite course topics was, coincidentally, how our ‘circadian clocks’ tick to regulate our daily rhythms). I was always a stronger contender to be the first in the library and switch off a little earlier than my friends, whose minds sharpened more towards the afternoon. Even now as a PhD student, my lab mates and I are all working to slightly different daily schedules.
Acts of Kindness
Last, but by no means least, I would like to place a big emphasis on taking care of yourself. I mean that both in the physical sense (keep active, don’t skip meals and get plenty of sleep) and in your mental wellbeing. I can’t say in all honesty that university is a stress-free ride, so finding ways to buffer the challenging times is an essential skill. I certainly felt a strong pang of imposter syndrome in the first few weeks. It can take some time to get a handle on independent living if you’re not used to it. It took me longer than I’m proud to admit to operate the washing machine the first time I ran laundry.
Take note of the support network you have around you to turn to if you ever need a friendly face or a listening ear. These could be your fellow students, the pastoral staff or even your friends and family from back at home (the pandemic may be over, but Zoom is as useful as ever). Despite their ill-founded reputation as hardcore academics, your tutors and lecturers are often willing to chat to a student and review a particular topic. Take regular breaks during study sessions, especially because taking your mind away from a challenging task can often allow you to see a problem in a new light. If you’re feeling a little stressed, why not head to the library with a friend and feel the benefit of group study? Ultimately, no matter what may be thrown your way, academically or otherwise, there will always be a source of support.
Flourishing Freshers
Even after reading this and (of course) believing every word I write, you’ll likely not be able to completely shake the nerves when the time comes. But be proud of yourself for making the leap and having the courage to take your education and possibilities one step further. Enjoy every moment, for before you know it, it’ll be time to don the graduation cap and move on to the next big adventure. The memories of my time as an undergraduate are some of the best of my life, and I went into my PhD as a more confident, strong and resilient person for all of my experiences. Sure, it was no picnic and I worked extremely hard to graduate with a First, but I do not have a single regret. To the Freshers of 2024, I send the very best of wishes.
This article was written by Rachel McKeown and edited by Rebecca Pope, with graphics produced by Lilly Green. If you enjoyed this article, be the first to be notified about new posts by signing up to become a WiNUK member (top right of this page)! Interested in writing for WiNUK yourself? Contact us through the blog page and the editors will be in touch.
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