[SpicyStrawberry]

Any tips for someone who is commuting to uni every day?

edit: I'm at uni now but this question would be good to answer for any future students who commute!

[tea_loving_girl]

1. It'll all be alright. You can handle everything that is thrown at you.

2. Don't panic if you are not a massive party animal/drinker etc. That isn't the be all and end all of university life. Don't make a big deal about it. Just be yourself and don't do anything you are not comfortable with. Anyone who tries to force you to do anything you don't feel like doing isn't going to make a very good friend. Just talk to people and relax around them.

3. Make your room feel like yours with photos, trinkets etc., it'll help you relax more.

4. Stay positive and smile. And don't rush home the first time something goes wrong or you get home sick, in fact, if possible stay away from home for the first 4-6 weeks. It'll make you a stronger person to work through it.

5. Remember all the reasons you are at uni in the first place. Go to lectures, do work on time and get into a good routine. It'll pay off in the latter years immensely and actually give you far less panic/stress and more time to relax and enjoy yourself.

6. Don't talk about your money situation EVER. It's no one else's business and can lead to many problems. When you have been friends for a couple of years maybe, but in first year don't do it.

It's your life and you should live it your way, but that goes for everyone else too. Don't be judgmental of other peoples choices but except them as they are.

Always stay true to yourself so the friends you make love you for just being you and not for some bravado act.

Have fun and take care xxx

[xoxAngel_Kxox]

It's normal to be very nervous, and also normal to decide you 100% don't want to go. I'd planned a full alternative life for myself, which just sounds stupid now.

[MagicNMedicine]

- Freshers Week, and to an extent the first 4-6 weeks of 1st year, are quite different from the rest of university life. If you are unhappy during Freshers Week don't assume it will continue. For the shy types who are a bit intimidated by the fact everybody seems to be on a massive booze up noisy party, don't drop out after one week because you think university is not for you, you are more likely to meet like minded friends once things settle down.

- Try and keep a relatively low profile in the early weeks. By all means be sociable and friendly and go out to stuff, but the people that establish themselves as 'characters' in the early days are taking a risk. If things go well for them, they will be divisive figures, popular with some and found irritating by others. If things go badly they might just end up irritating everybody.

- Don't assume that everybody is having sex and getting with people. Whilst some are, and will be telling everybody about it, there will be a lot who aren't and are wondering if they are inadequate

- Be wary of (often well meaning) people that have gone to uni for the social life rather than to work. They will have a great time for three years but pretty much know they will come out with a 3rd, and they don't care and will make loads of friends along the way. But they will end up dragging some of those friends down academically because they will just invite them to too much stuff.

- If heavy drinking and stupidity isn't your thing, don't do it, in halls there are usually communal type places where you will be able to find other people just chilling out, watching the TV etc, if you don't want to go on the boozy nights in Freshers Week head down there and you will probably find someone else who is more quiet, to talk to. It's important to make friends but it's more important to make friends with your kind of people, there's no point just tagging along with a group of idiots who are going to make you do drinking games and throw up over you, just because you feel you have to fit in.

- as regards the academic side, getting through uni is not that difficult if you've got through A levels, but doing well at uni does require some commitment, so if you are targeting getting a 1st you will have to make some sacrifices along the way.

[Chillywilly93]

could my girlfriend come stay with me while im in halls?

[MagicNMedicine]

Actually I would stress my first point as the biggest point of all. When I think back to my time at uni, every year was very different, the opening weeks were very different to the second semester in halls, and halls were a world apart from living in a shared house with a few mates in 2nd and 3rd year. I seemed to enjoy uni more and more as time went on, the only disappointing thing was how quickly 3rd year seemed to fly away. 2nd year is possibly the best time to be a student, you are used to your city, familiar with the environment, getting more self confident as a person, and the workload is not quite as intense as third year plus you don't have as many other things on your mind like job hunting etc.

But overall although you won't believe it now even though everyone will tell you, the three years at uni will go very quickly, and lots of people do miss it when it's over. When I meet back up with my old uni mates, although most of us have done OK for ourselves and have decent lives now, we all agree that life is not as much fun as it was when we lived together in our uni house.

And it is something you can never recreate again - people who can't face leaving uni and stay on to do a Masters will find that 'student life' as a postgrad is very different and not nearly as fun. Enjoy uni while you can.

[tibbles209]

(Original post by Chillywilly93)
could my girlfriend come stay with me while im in halls?

Technically, you are supposed to sign guests in at the accomodation office but I don't think anyone in history has ever actually done this. Nobody checks, so just ask your flatmates if they are okay with it first (to be considerate, it is unlikely anyone will mind).

[truechristian91]

Now i know there is a lot on here about the social aspect, but i just want to say that doing a bit of reading on your subject before you begin can be invaluable so you can hit the ground running and find the first few weeks a lot easier.

[Aurora.]

(Original post by SpicyStrawberry)
Any tips for someone who is commuting to uni every day?

I did this. Just be as flexible as you can about staying out late, don't complain about it too much, get to know people on your course... Join a society. I kind of vaguely wish I had done that in first year, but I've made some pretty awesome friends just from classes anyway And nothing wrong with crashing at a friend's flat some nights either once you get to know people.

[semolina pilchard]

(Original post by SpicyStrawberry)
Any tips for someone who is commuting to uni every day?

I plan on commuting do, where will you be studying?

[SpicyStrawberry]

(Original post by Aurora.)
I did this. Just be as flexible as you can about staying out late, don't complain about it too much, get to know people on your course... Join a society. I kind of vaguely wish I had done that in first year, but I've made some pretty awesome friends just from classes anyway And nothing wrong with crashing at a friend's flat some nights either once you get to know people.

Thanks for the advice, I already know a couple of people going to the same campus as me for different courses but I'll get to know people on my course as they are the people I'll be spending the most time with!

(Original post by semolina pilchard)
I plan on commuting do, where will you be studying?

Manchester Metropolitan, you?

[Hylean]

Your flatmates are not the be-all of your social life. Don't focus on them just because you live with them.

People are as dicky, bitchy, cliquéy and all the rest at university as they are in school.

Don't do things you don't enjoy for the sake of looking cool, making friends or living the "student life".

Be yourself and have fun, your kind of fun whatever the **** it is and forget what other people tell you you should be doing.

[Craydot]

(Original post by Stefan1991)
you're screwed...

I'll never understand why people are so determined to go out of their way ruin their university social experience and generally with money saving ideas such as private renting and living at home with parents.

I am not one of those people. Im not living at home with parents, or deliberately going out of my way to ruin my university social experience. That would be retarded. If you live in london and go to kings, it's unlikely you'll get accommodation, which is why im going private. Simple.

[Xx_ViiiCkiii_xX]

THAT THEY TOLD ME THAT I PICKED THE WRONG SUBJECTS BEFORE I GOT MY RESULTS

and that there were BTEC courses
that you could go to college and then uni cause i always got told that once you go to uni then thats the end of your study education route

wait im not starting uni yet tho
does it still count then my answer???

[Chillywilly93]

(Original post by tibbles209)
Technically, you are supposed to sign guests in at the accomodation office but I don't think anyone in history has ever actually done this. Nobody checks, so just ask your flatmates if they are okay with it first (to be considerate, it is unlikely anyone will mind).

thanks mate

they might mind if we are doing our thang but im not aggressive

[cinosia]

oh wow, so many things I wish I knew ... Where to begin?

you're young, you're talented, your mind is just buzzing with ideas you can't quite put your finger on - don't worry about the ones who think they know it all and seem intimidating, because every time you fake yourself to try to intimidate others you burn out a little bit of that vital spark that makes you so powerful and special. Maybe you didn't get quite to the university you wanted, but it's misguided to be sad about that - if you really think about it, and break it down, you can find what you want where you are. You really can. But nothing deadens possibility like despair.

You're going to make mistakes, possibly big ones, possibly heartbreaking ones. There are hard times ahead and they are going to make you stronger, they are going to teach you things about yourself that you can't even imagine yet. Be brave.

Don't get drunk if you don't want to, and don't apologise for it. You'll find others like you, and they'll take your lead if you're confident enough to say what you want and not go along with the crowd. Do get drunk if you do want to, but make sure there are people you can trust around you, and drink lots of water, and possibly drink some vegetable bouillon before you sleep, because it's important to replace your salts as well.

Go to the library. Smell the books. Find your way in to your course - find that book or poem or painting that you love for some inexplicable reason - and then find out why you love it. That's by far the nicest way of getting a first. Go to office hours and talk to your lecturers and don't be afraid or intimidated, because however brilliant they are, you have something they don't - a completely fresh perspective untainted by the years of scholarship that can sometimes cloud vision. That perspective helps them just as their brilliance and knowledge helps you.

Find people to love and be loyal to them. Build up networks of trust and compassion. Don't be lonely.

Feel scared but remember it's just a feeling.

good luck 2011 freshers! You'll be great

[jendra9311]

(Original post by cinosia)
oh wow, so many things I wish I knew ... Where to begin?

you're young, you're talented, your mind is just buzzing with ideas you can't quite put your finger on - don't worry about the ones who think they know it all and seem intimidating, because every time you fake yourself to try to intimidate others you burn out a little bit of that vital spark that makes you so powerful and special. Maybe you didn't get quite to the university you wanted, but it's misguided to be sad about that - if you really think about it, and break it down, you can find what you want where you are. You really can. But nothing deadens possibility like despair.

You're going to make mistakes, possibly big ones, possibly heartbreaking ones. There are hard times ahead and they are going to make you stronger, they are going to teach you things about yourself that you can't even imagine yet. Be brave.

Don't get drunk if you don't want to, and don't apologise for it. You'll find others like you, and they'll take your lead if you're confident enough to say what you want and not go along with the crowd. Do get drunk if you do want to, but make sure there are people you can trust around you, and drink lots of water, and possibly drink some vegetable bouillon before you sleep, because it's important to replace your salts as well.

Go to the library. Smell the books. Find your way in to your course - find that book or poem or painting that you love for some inexplicable reason - and then find out why you love it. That's by far the nicest way of getting a first. Go to office hours and talk to your lecturers and don't be afraid or intimidated, because however brilliant they are, you have something they don't - a completely fresh perspective untainted by the years of scholarship that can sometimes cloud vision. That perspective helps them just as their brilliance and knowledge helps you.

Find people to love and be loyal to them. Build up networks of trust and compassion. Don't be lonely.

Feel scared but remember it's just a feeling.

good luck 2011 freshers! You'll be great

mind if i print this one out?

ive discovered im going to my insurance, which i havnt researched at all. because we all assumed we were going to my firm my parents have booked a load of holidays so i dont have much time to pack, panic etc. its also a long way away (i live in essex, im going to wolverhampton) so i cant exactly nip back home at the weekend...

i still have enough time to panic.

i dont think i really knew what i was getting myself into when i signed up to UCAS.

[cinosia]

(Original post by jendra9311)
mind if i print this one out?

ive discovered im going to my insurance, which i havnt researched at all. because we all assumed we were going to my firm my parents have booked a load of holidays so i dont have much time to pack, panic etc. its also a long way away (i live in essex, im going to wolverhampton) so i cant exactly nip back home at the weekend...

i still have enough time to panic.

i dont think i really knew what i was getting myself into when i signed up to UCAS.

oh you poor thing ... don't panic!! Let me tell you, when I was 18, I made quite a mess of the whole thing, and it took a while to get sorted out and on the right track. But it's amazing the strength you can find in yourself when you're faced with a tricky situation. I really mean that!

of course you can print it glad it might be helpful to you. Wishing you all the best (and try to enjoy your holidays!)

[JKGB]

Get to know as many people as you can during Freshers Week and defiantly people on your course.

Don't forget about home, even if the thought of another weekend with your parents fills you with dread just remember that you'll have your meals cooked for you and won't have to wait 2 hours for hot water in the morning.

See uni as a chance to fully mature or re-invent yourself, be prepared to accept any new challenges and tackle them.

Try to stick to a budget, especially with food. Do you really need that jumbo packet of Monster Munch? Do you really?

[XxSophie01xX]

(Original post by cinosia)
oh wow, so many things I wish I knew ... Where to begin?

you're young, you're talented, your mind is just buzzing with ideas you can't quite put your finger on - don't worry about the ones who think they know it all and seem intimidating, because every time you fake yourself to try to intimidate others you burn out a little bit of that vital spark that makes you so powerful and special. Maybe you didn't get quite to the university you wanted, but it's misguided to be sad about that - if you really think about it, and break it down, you can find what you want where you are. You really can. But nothing deadens possibility like despair.

You're going to make mistakes, possibly big ones, possibly heartbreaking ones. There are hard times ahead and they are going to make you stronger, they are going to teach you things about yourself that you can't even imagine yet. Be brave.

Don't get drunk if you don't want to, and don't apologise for it. You'll find others like you, and they'll take your lead if you're confident enough to say what you want and not go along with the crowd. Do get drunk if you do want to, but make sure there are people you can trust around you, and drink lots of water, and possibly drink some vegetable bouillon before you sleep, because it's important to replace your salts as well.

Go to the library. Smell the books. Find your way in to your course - find that book or poem or painting that you love for some inexplicable reason - and then find out why you love it. That's by far the nicest way of getting a first. Go to office hours and talk to your lecturers and don't be afraid or intimidated, because however brilliant they are, you have something they don't - a completely fresh perspective untainted by the years of scholarship that can sometimes cloud vision. That perspective helps them just as their brilliance and knowledge helps you.

Find people to love and be loyal to them. Build up networks of trust and compassion. Don't be lonely.

Feel scared but remember it's just a feeling.

good luck 2011 freshers! You'll be great

You really have a wonderful way with words, and you've instantly made me feel better. May I ask what you studied?