What every 1st year university student needs to know
What every 1st year university student needs to know
Let’s be honest starting university is daunting so that’s why we’ve asked soon to be graduates what advise they would give their younger self, so you can lap up their wisdom and not make the mistakes they made. Instead you can make a host of new mistakes!
The first year of university does count
The question whether you can get away with partying for the 1st year of your degree, is an evergreen one, but we’d advise caution. Even if you are on a course where your first-year grades don't count towards your final degree, university is hard and lacking a basic grounding of first-year knowledge could make it much trickier to get good grades in the second year. Plus, your tutor will be less likely to help you and let you sign up for opportunities, such as studying abroad at a partner university or taking on a project in industry. Furthermore, if you fail the first year there is a risk you will be asked to leave rather than being given the opportunity to resit the exams or resubmit essays.
University attendance is important even in first year
At university no one is going to chase after you if you decide not to show up to class or hand in your coursework, this freedom can be detrimental for some students and if you are an international student, it can cost you your visa.
And not turning up to lectures can give you a bad reputation amongst the teaching staff, who you need to have on side, as well as other students who may not choose to work with you for group projects if you are considered to be unreliable.
The best thing to do is create a schedule, that helps you manage your workload and get to most of your lectures.
Learn life skills
Arguably by the time you start university you should be able to look after yourself but the shocking fact is many 1st year students don’t have some basic life skills, such as knowing ow to do laundry or how to budget or create a regular structure for themselves. If youa re one of these people use the first year to develop yourself and learn the life skills you need to live as an independent adult and be a successful student.
Learn how to cook
Knowing how to cook, even if its basic entry level stuff, is extremely important when you start university because it will keep you from going hungry, keep you healthy, save you money and make you popular with people that you live with, and believe it or not being able to knock up your favourite meal really helps starve off the homesickness too.
Again, if you aren’t the best cook when you start university, use the first year to refine your skills, because when your studies hot up and you’ve got exams and essays coming out of your ears knowing how to reward yourself with a nice meal or do food prep for the week will make a world of difference to your mood, and help you be more productive.
Make genuine friends
Meeting lots of new people is one of the fun bits of going to university, but if you are a more chill kind of person and don’t want to go to very events and party, then that is totally fine too. Take everything at your own pace and don't feel you have to be best friends with the first people you meet and try not to take any freshers' week romances too seriously! Our top tip is join societies that interest you and continue with your hobbies because you will meet likeminded people.
Think about what you want to do after university
This is a heavy one and you might not have a clue what to do after university – which is totally cool but starting to think what you might want to do at the end of your degree at the beginning gives you plenty of time to look at all the possible avenues and test out different career options by seeking out internship opportunities.
The other thing you should prepare for is over the course of your degree, that your goals might change, after all three years is a long time!
Get as much work experience as possible
Unfortunately, most employers expect more on your CV than just your degree. Therefore gaining as much relevant work experience and bolstering your CV with interesting things, like voluntary work and extracurricular activities as well as showing you can hold down a part time job before you graduate will help you stand out in the competitive graduate market.
Avoid spending all night studying
No matter what bragging rights you can earn for doing an essay in one long, horrible night, there's no reason you should ever be staring at a Word doc at 5am. Not only is it the complete opposite of fun, but it's going to make it so much harder for you to get a first class degree, because it proven that cramming before an exam simply doesn’t work.
And you should aim to have multiple drafts of your essay before you come to your final draft that you are happy to submit.
Stay on good terms with your housemates
Surviving shared living can be tough, and it's natural that things might get a bit tense every now and then. After, all you’re living with people that may have never lived away from their families and have a bit of growing up to do, including yourself, probably
But try not to fall out over things that will seem irrelevant in a few months' time. Having dirty dishes stacked up in the sink is an annoying but inevitable part of university life, so try not to get too worked up about it. Instead tackle things hands on by creating a cleaning roster and have rules that everyone agrees to, one cute idea is to create a house manifesto and get everyone to sign it and then have displayed somewhere like the kitchen.
Get into a routine of waking up early for lectures
Having a routine and being disciplined is a must if you want to get through university with flying colours and not waste three years of your life. Be realistic about how much socialising you can do or how much part time work you can take on before it starts impacting your studies, and ultimately your grades.
We know this may sound boring but going to sleep at a regular time and waking up relatively early and at the same time every day will be a lot better for your health, productivity and mental health.
Know your rights as a tenant and your consumer rights
For some unscrupulous people, the word “student” is a green light to rip you off, so be aware of your rights as a tenant and regardless of who your landlord is read the tenancy agreement before you sign it. And if you are working part time, make sure your employer is treating you fairly and within the law.
Moderate what you put on social media
Everyone loves a bit of Instagram, X (formally Twitter) and TikTok but don't let it consume your life because it can negatively impact your studies and your mental health. Furthermore, think twice about what you say and the views you express on social media, because employers, especially corporates, the civil service and the armed forces check candidates’ social media, as a matter of course, these days. And if they don’t at the beginning you don’t want something to be uncovered as you are riding high in your career.
Travel while you're a student
Yes, university is hard work, but it is probably the one time in your life when you will have so much free time, have little responsibilities, and can just take off independently or with friends and explore the UK and travel abroad, so take advantage of it. So many people don’t and then regret it when they get on the career ladder.
