See I started writing this post on the 25th June but because I'm lazy I'm only just posting this now ... Hope you enjoy.
SOOOO
It's the end of my first academic year at the university that I attend (the name shall not be disclosed x) I'm currently doing nothing and quite frankly I feel jobless (I'm sure some of you can relate; edit: I now have a job thank God).
Anywho back to the main subject of this post which is my first-year Uni experience. Let me start off by saying that my uni experience did not match up to my expectation. I thought that I was going to be going out all the time, that I would be so involved in the societies that I wanted to join and just generally living my best life. I also thought that I was going to LOVE my course and go to all the careers events.
Did that happen? Erm NO (I tell a lie, to an extent it did). I mean I joined 3 societies Which were MecSoc, the equestrian society (yes ! I'm a black girl who horse rides) and ACS. The only society that I can actually say I was involved in was ACS; the funny thing is that the society that I was most excited to join the most was the one that, I was least active in and that was the equestrian society.
Looking back I notice that I was more interested in socialising than studying. At the times where I would go out instead of "focusing on my books"; I would have flashbacks to my dad telling me in the car that I didn't come to uni for fun and games that my education comes first. He would also tell me that I shouldn't drink alcohol and that I should drink Shloer instead lol. I soon came to realise in second semester that I am not as good as balancing my time as I thought I was, and learning how to balance your time in uni is so important. You no longer have teachers chasing you for homework, or calling your parents telling them you haven't been doing your work. I also learnt that I don't know how to say no. In second year I am going to say no more lol.
In terms of friends, it's true what they say: the people that you meet in the first week of Uni will not necessarily be the friends that you will have at the end of the year. Having said that I think it's very important to be open to meet new people, you never know what doors the people you meet can open. Everyone is nervous; you're all in the same boat. Especially if you came to Uni by yourself, If you came with a group of friends then I guess you're calm, just don't fall into the trap of not socialising with other people but at the end of the day, it's not by force. I think what I liked most about my uni experience was meeting new people.
So... here are my 10 tips for first years:
1) Pay your rent on time
2) Don't use your SFE to buy Gucci (that's not financially prudent)
3) Budget your money
4) Make sure you get a student bank account I recommend Santander, it comes with a railcard
5) Join freshers chats
6) Go to your lectures ... First year is actually important the people who tell you otherwise throw them in the bin
7) Utilise lecture capture it will become your best friend
8) Drink responsibly *pulls left eye*
9) Don't follow the crowd be true to yourself
10) Enjoy first year you don't want to look back and wish you did things differently
To all the friends I made during first year, you're all annoying x
