What To Expect At University – The Ultimate Guide
Congratulations and well done on getting through your A levels in one piece, feel free to give yourself a pat on the back for the culmination of two years of hard work!
It’s now time to put your sixth form days behind you and look forward to your first few weeks at university. The unknown is always daunting so don’t be too concerned if you’re feeling unsure and dubious about going to university. That’s completely normal and many others will be feeling the same way. That’s exactly why we created this blog post, to settle some of the nerves and give you a better understanding of what to expect at university.
First things first;
Freshers Week
Try and get the paperwork out of the way ASAP…
Although freshers week in the UK is synonymous with partying, there are also some serious matters that need attending to. You need to find your way to your campus, attend your induction, register for classes and get your timetable. If you have a disability it is also a good time to introduce yourself to the disability team at your university, they may want to arrange a 1:1 meeting with you to discuss how they can help. If you wish you can also send them an email before freshers week, so they know you’re coming.
If possible, it’s good to get the paperwork out of the way as soon as possible so you can start having some fun.
Let the good times roll…
Overall freshers week is a very exciting time. Your university will likely have a freshers fair for you to attend where you can learn about activities, clubs, societies, sports teams and register with a local doctor and/or dentist. You will also get inundated with a huge amount of flyers, discount vouchers and free gifts from local businesses, bars and restaurants looking to capitalise on the sudden influx of potential customers. Not to mention all of the student focused club nights that will be happening every night of the week. There will be a huge amount of socialising in freshers week, which brings us to our next point.
Making new friends…
We’ve put together a short 2 minute video going over some tips on how to make friends in freshers week.
You can read our more detailed blog post on this here – 7 Tips For Making Friends In Freshers.
Independent Living
Learning
You get out what you put in…
One thing you will quickly learn is that unlike secondary school and sixth form it’s up to you to organise yourself and your time. Sure you have a timetable, but it’s your job to make sure you get there on time. If you do decide to stay in bed and skip a lecture your tutors probably won’t be chasing after you to find out why.
You are viewed more as a responsible adult and as such you are expected to take some more responsibility with your learning. No one really tells you what to do at university. Gone are the days of your teacher saying “you must read chapter 3 tonight!”. You will have deadlines for coursework but it’s up to you to plan your study time suitably and accordingly.
This can come as a shock initially but if you allocate yourself plenty of time to complete research and essays, you should be fine.
Our blog has an array of articles covering things like how to boost productivity, setting goals and revision tips.
Finances
You’re now completely in charge of your own finances…
This may have been the case for you before university, but for many, moving away to university will be the first time they are completely in charge of managing their own finances.
We also have a short video on tips for managing your finances.
You can read our more detailed blog post on this here – 8 Tips To Help You Survive Financially At University
Conclusion
It’s important to enjoy yourself and have a good time, but try not to forget that freshers week is also the beginning of your university education. Make sure you do everything that is required of you academically and try to get some good routines in place from day one.
Good luck on your course,
A2B Assessments.
