Student life has a lot to enjoy! But it can also be a big adjustment – if you’ve not lived away from your family before, especially if you’re the first one to go to study at university, then you have a lot to get used to. Getting the best out of student life can take some effort, but today we’re here to help with some tips to give you a head start!
Making a Home
If you don’t have somewhere that feels like a home to come back to, it’s easy to become exhausted and burnt out very quickly, which stops you enjoying everything university has to offer.
Make your first student housing a home, whether you’re in the historical halls of Oxford or Cambridge or the cutting-edge Sheffield Hallam accommodation, means you have somewhere you feel totally comfortable to rest and recharge, somewhere you can get away from the shock of the new that assails you at every turn.
Bring a couple of precious things from home, whether they’re soft toys, posters or action figures – a couple of mementoes won’t compromise your attempts to reinvent yourself for this new stage in your life.
Spread Your Wings
University is a great opportunity to try new things – you’re unburdened by your past reputation, and have a free hand to have a go at anything you’ve always wanted to but haven’t had the chance. The drama society doesn’t know you used to stutter, the football team weren’t around for the own goal that cut short your career as a midfielder at school.
Most importantly, the early weeks of term give you the opportunity to experiment without having to commit – you can go to some early meetings, training sessions, workshops, or whatever way the society regularly meets to see if you like the people and the activity. Most will offer taster sessions for first years (‘freshers’ in the parlance of most universities) so you can sample what’s on offer without making your whole university life about it.
Managing Your Time
The most important thing to master is time management: you have a new social life to embrace clubs and societies offering you the chance to pursue hobbies to new heights, and of course academic work to complete. Even if your qualification isn’t the most important reason for you to be at university, not giving it due attention could result in an early end to your university experiences.
Try to set yourself a timetable that means you’re working a regular amount in each day at the required reading and essay work that your course demands – as though it’s a job with set hours. As long as you put the work in, that means no stressful, punishing all night study sessions as deadlines approach. You’ll be rested enough to enjoy your free time with friends and societies too!
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