Calling all uni students

Anonymous #1

What's one thing you wish you knew before starting university that you know now?

Reply 1

UnwantedKid

Most of the friends you make, especially in first year, aren't your friends.

Reply 2

Anonymous #1

Original post by gigaberry

Most of the friends you make, especially in first year, aren't your friends.

Really?

Reply 3

username3477548

Original post by gigaberry

Most of the friends you make, especially in first year, aren't your friends.

Reply 4

Mesopotamian…

To be prepared to fight entire battles everyday to get onto the tube during rush hour.

Reply 5

pineapple201

Original post by Mesopotamian.

To be prepared to fight entire battles everyday to get onto the tube during rush hour.

wow

Reply 6

Mesopotamian…

Original post by pineapple201

wow

Ikr

Reply 7

UnwantedKid

Original post by Anonymous

Really?

Original post by vix.xvi

Think about when you were at school. All the people you're only friends with because you go to the same school, are studying the same things and are together with for a lot of your time for many years. Then school finishes and you never speak to many of those people again.

First year is no different but has the addition of people who will make friends with everybody because, well, it's the thing you do. Especially in a new environment. And especially if you live together or are on the same course. Then over the course of first year people start making their actual friends. Most people have a lot of acquaintances from this. If you don't live with your flatmates in second year, more effort and common ground is needed to maintain the friendship. Soon your bestie from freshers is just a polite nod in the corridor.

Then you graduate and your friendship group gets even smaller once everyone moves back home/elsewhere, has their own lives, and more effort is also needed to maintain the friendship. By now you hopefully have the few wonderful friends you'll know for the rest of your life though.

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 8

Uni of Hull Students

Official Rep

Original post by Anonymous

What's one thing you wish you knew before starting university that you know now?

That it's actually possible to burn pasta!

In all seriousness- I really wish that I had learnt how to cook a good selection of meals before I went to university as it would have stopped me from living on beans on toast in my first year :smile:

Batch cooking healthy meals in my final year was definitely progress for me and was still really cheap. I would possibly recommend learning how to do a good Chilli, Curry, Pasta Bake which you can portion up and freeze :smile:

Also please don't worry about friends- perhaps the prior poster had this experience but I am still very close to lots of the friends I made in First year so each persons experience does differ!

Best of luck,
Millie
Student Rep

Reply 9

Anonymous #2

Don't freak out if you are not having the time of your life in first semester. Transitioning to university will probably be one of the most bizarre things you will have ever experienced, with you being thrown into a whole new environment with new people, and for some it can be a bit overwhelming. I didn't find my close friends until second term, so I'm glad I hung on even though I wasn't enjoying myself too much. Saying that, if you are absolutely hating every minute of it and you definitely know you are not happy at your particular uni ,don't feel obliged to stay and there is no shame in leaving.
Another thing I'd say is take advantage of all the facilities and opportunities on offer, you will make loads of friends and have the best time :smile:

Reply 10

Anonymous #3

How lucky I was that I didn’t go during a global pandemic

Reply 11

Anonymous #1

Original post by Anonymous

How lucky I was that I didn’t go during a global pandemic

Lucky, I will be starting in September in the midst of this pandemic!

Did anyone have a job alongside studying and how did you cope with juggling the work and uni? (Did anyone have a job through their uni's student union?)