The Student Room Group

what to expect?

I'm gonna go to uni in September 2023 and I'm already scared because that's just so soon. Every website i look on just tells me I'm going to make friends and try new things and all that stuff, none of them actually tell me what to expect, for example what do you do every day? are flatmates mean or scary? do they expect you to know what to do all the time or do you get support? is it easy paying for all your own food and stuff? do they get mad at you for being late or forgetting things? also I'm autistic so there's that
someone give me answers please and thank you
I'm really sorry for the long post. I have a tendency to talk too much and it's past 3am so my brain is not functioning very well rn.

what do you do every day?
At the beginning of the year you get given your timetable. Then you attend any on campus activities and get any online stuff done the rest of the time (hopefully online things won't be a thing next year though). You can do prep work before lectures and make revision material after if you want/if that works for you/if you need to. Make sure to understand the lecture material- if you don't understand something, ask a friend/lecturer. Also, there's coursework to do so make sure to stay on top of that. It's kinda up to you to figure your way around campus, so if you can, attend a campus tour or figure out where your classes out beforehand.

are flatmates mean or scary?
I wouldn't say they're mean or scary, but it honestly depends. Usually people are nice at the beginning and show their true colours later on. For example, my flatmates were a varied bunch. 1 never left his room (I only saw him 3 times throughout the whole year). 1 I only bumped into in the kitchen at the most random times but not very frequently. 2 I got along with really well but we talked less frequently as the year progressed. 1 I had a "hi" "hello" "how are you" "good, you" "good thanks" conversation with if we bumped into each other but that was it. However, I have two friends who were best friends with their whole flat. So flatmates are hit and miss. I definitely recommend only clearing up your mess though because as soon as you start cleaning up other people's messes they'll expect you to continue doing that.

do they expect you to know what to do all the time or do you get support?
Ngl... Kind of. Lecturers do try to give you the information you need to do stuff, but sometimes things can be a bit vague or confusing. How much support you get depends on the uni. Usually, you do get a personal tutor that you can talk to though, although that's mainly for pastoral support and references. I asked my personal tutor to give me feedback on my study abroad application for example. You can email your professors or go talk to them outside of lecture time too. Remember that you also have your peers. They do expect you to be really independent though so you have to be a bit proactive..

is it easy paying for all your own food and stuff?
Ig it would depend on how much money you have, how much student loan you get if you do get it, if you have a job, how much accommodation/food/etc. costs in the area that you'll be going to uni in, and how well you can budget.

do they get mad at you for being late or forgetting things?
At my uni (KCL) they only took a register for labs. They honestly didn't rly cared- it was up to us to be responsible and attend lectures/tutorials/labs on time. They did warn us that we may not be allowed to take certain labs if we missed the safety talk at the beginning. No one's gonna get mad at you for forgetting something dw. You're there to learn after all. However, they are extremely strict on coursework deadlines. At KCL, if you submit your coursework late, it's capped at the pass mark (40%). If it's more than 24 hours late you get a 0.

Tips:

Force yourself to meet people. I'm an introvert and I was rly shy at the beginning of this year, so I literally had to force myself to attend freshers events. It was worth it in the end because I managed to make some good friends. Do bear in mind that your friends in freshers might be different from your friends at the end of the year. And it does take time to make friends. I only really found my "friendship group" in second semester and I wouldn't be surprised if that changes/evolved throughout the course of my degree.

You don't have to go clubbing to make friends. I didn't drink during freshers week at all and didn't go out/clubbing. I still managed to make friends. In fact, I only went clubbing for the first time after my first year exams were over in mid-May. I recommend only going clubbing with people you're comfortable with. It's way more fun that way.

Stay on top of your uni work. Like, lectures, reading, coursework. If you just do the stuff when it's set/due/scheduled in for you'll make your life so much easier. Also, something I didn't do this year but will be doing next year, make revision materials as you go along. I'm planning on using this app called Anki. All my friends who do medicine use it and it's so good for making quick flashcards. I used it a little bit and it was so helpful but I started it too late in the year.

Try to find a good work-life balance. I am guilty of either relaxing/going out too much or working too much. I still don't know how ro find this balance but it's something that would definitely make life much more easy lol.

Don't do anything that is gonna make you feel uncomfy. Like, don't drink/smoke/vape/go clubbing if you don't want to etc.

Don't share your (course)work with other people- it could lead to plagiarism and collusion issues.

Take mental health breaks so you don't burn out. If you're an introvert like me and need days to yourself, do the activities that will help recharge your social and mental battery. For me it was music stuff, reading, baking, watching netflix/anime... or just sitting in my room taking in the silence lmao. I definitely should've taken more days like these during first semester as I burnt out during Christmas which was far from ideal.

I can't really think of anything else atm but I hope this was useful. If you have any more specific Qs, ask away as I'm happy to help :h: Also, I hope none of that put you off uni because it's acc really fun. Good luck with everything!!
Reply 2
Hi! I'm autistic too so I have some experience.
1. What do you do everyday?

- Depends on your course intensity and what you want to do. Typically last year, I would spend several hours a day in the lecture hall, go have lunch, spend some time with my classmates going over notes, then doing whatever I wanted. Some people have part-time jobs/volunteering roles which take up their time too. I volunteered for a biodiversity thing which meant every month or so, I'd clean up the area and stuff. On my days off, I could do whatever I wanted, so I'd spend time with friends or relaxing.

There are often societies doing events too, I went to a board game and video game society and we'd play games together, it was fun.

2. Are flatmates mean and scary?

Unfortunately this entirely depends on your flatmates. But for the most part, for most people, no. They're just people, like you, and most people don't like being mean and scary. The worst thing you might have is people not washing up quickly enough or being a bit messy. I personally didn't mind since I enjoy cleaning up anyway, just don't let anyone take advantage of you.

If you're in uni halls or private halls, you can usually report people to the housing office/reception, and they'll sort them out by giving them a warning, but you should try to sort out any problems on your own first, even if it feels really scary! ☺️ If you're just polite and reasonable, most people will follow any requests you make.

3. Do they expect you to know what to do all the time?

The uni? Usually your course should give you an idea of what's expected of you within the first few weeks of being at uni. From what I've seen (might not be the same at every uni), lecturers will give learning objectives and information on the topics being covered that week. You're usually expected to make your own notes on the lectures, and do further reading (they'll tell you which books/pages to read). Any other tasks will also be listed, along with tests, collaborative projects, etc.

4. Do you get support?

Yes, although this varies from uni to uni, there should be at least a person in charge of your course overall, in charge of each module you learn, possibly you might have your own private tutor as well (who will give you references and stuff, be your point of communication with the uni, etc). The uni should also have counselling services. If you mean in terms of autism, I'd recommend trying to apply to the DSA on the student finance page, get a note from your doctor stating you have autism and how it affects you (if it affects you significantly), and they might be able to offer you support (such as a private counsellor to talk with you about how you're doing with uni/help you with work/etc.). I was lucky enough to get this and it was a lot of help last year.

5. Is it easy paying for all your own food and stuff?

This depends on your student loan, how much external income you have, and how much you expect to eat. I didn't have much problem buying things to eat, but I don't eat a lot. If you already know how much your maintenance loan will be for the year, I'd recommend making a budget sheet, subtracting your yearly rent from it (if you know the price of it already), adding in any external yearly income, and then seeing how much you have left. Consider any cost of commuting too. Divide that number by 12 to get a figure of how much you'll have left over each month.

If you're really into lists like me, have a look around online for the prices of the kinds of food you like, e.g pizza, chicken breast, mixed salad, whatever, and consider what you might eat in a week. If you don't have these figures yet, don't worry about waiting till closed to being at uni. I wouldn't recommend getting too many takeaways as they can be expensive. Maybe try to be even more frugal in the first few months of being at uni, just to make sure your money will last you the rest of the year. If you're finding you have a lot of money left over after that, that's great! But still try to be frugal. You might need that money for the next year, it's always useful to have an emergency fund saved up just in case.

6. Do they get mad at you for being late or forgetting things?

It depends on the uni, but I don't think any uni really gets "mad" at you. If you don't show up, or show up late, or forget something, they don't really get angry at you because it's your responsibility to be in charge of that, they're still getting paid at the end of the day. It's not like college or school where they need to sign you in every day. If you have to do lab work or group projects at a certain time though, and you're late, you might find yourself locked out, or have disgruntled partners. If you're late and you enter the lecture area quietly and respectfully, the lecturer will likely just continue. Some uni's also offer online lectures too, so if you find you're like 15 minutes late and feel too scared to go in, you might be able to listen to it online instead. This depends on the uni and the course.

As for forgetting things, again, they won't get mad at you, but it is your responsibility and if you forget to submit an essay or do an exam, you likely won't be let off. You will probably be able to apply for extenuating circumstances, but this usually doesn't cover forgetting the time. You can check with your uni's disability office to see if you can get any special considerations though, if your forgetfulness is caused by autism (like mine).

Forgetfulness is a big problem for me too. What I find helps me is to use Google Tasks (not sponsored lol!). I set an alarm on my phone everyday in the morning, afternoon, and evening when I know it won't interrupt a lecture, reminding me to check my Google Tasks. In here, I'll have any important events for the week, exams/essays/meetings/etc. I'll also use the evening alarm to remind myself to put a sticky note on the back of the door for the next days tasks, that way I can look at it in the morning while I'm rushing around, and take it with me so I can keep checking it through the day. Might sound overkill but the forgetfulness is a big pain. I also use Google Tasks to help me organise my modules and figure out what to put in my notes.

7. You didn't ask about this, but if you have difficulty concentrating like me, or rather, difficulty not getting completely hyperfixated on the wrong things while trying to write notes, I'd recommend doing SMART goals before writing notes and stuff. Often I find I should be writing an essay on cancer cells or something, but then I'll get really hyperfixated on a certain type and forget to write anything. I remind myself to look at the SMART goal and remember what I'm actually supposed to be doing, and how long I wanted to be doing it for. Then I get back on track. This stops me overworking myself too.
thank you so much, this is so helpful
Original post by Randomofo
I'm gonna go to uni in September 2023 and I'm already scared because that's just so soon. Every website i look on just tells me I'm going to make friends and try new things and all that stuff, none of them actually tell me what to expect, for example what do you do every day? are flatmates mean or scary? do they expect you to know what to do all the time or do you get support? is it easy paying for all your own food and stuff? do they get mad at you for being late or forgetting things? also I'm autistic so there's that
someone give me answers please and thank you


Hi there,

I hope you're well :smile:

I just wanted to pop a message in this forum, to highlight that feeling like this is completely normal - I was exactly the same! I was worried about everything and anything. But, what really helped me was affirmations, or saying things to myself to calm me down like 'Im where I'm meant to be' or 'I wouldnt be put in this situation if I couldn't handle it'. Notes to myself like these really helped me, and it could help you too? As well, I kept reminding myself to go with the flow and taking it one step at a time. This made everything feel a lot easier, because I was only focusing on things soon like 'what do I need for my first week' rather than thinking 'how am I going to make friends over my experience'. Again, I hope that's helpful when putting things into perspective.

Alternatively, it might be worth messaging people who are going to the University you are going to and asking them questions. This might answer a lot of your questions, as well as getting more precise answers. :biggrin: UoL has this option available to all prospective students, so have a look if your university offers the same - we're on a platform called UniBuddy!

I hope that's helpful, best of luck to you.
Ana - UoL Ambassador.
Original post by Randomofo
I'm gonna go to uni in September 2023 and I'm already scared because that's just so soon. Every website i look on just tells me I'm going to make friends and try new things and all that stuff, none of them actually tell me what to expect, for example what do you do every day? are flatmates mean or scary? do they expect you to know what to do all the time or do you get support? is it easy paying for all your own food and stuff? do they get mad at you for being late or forgetting things? also I'm autistic so there's that
someone give me answers please and thank you


Hi there,
Going to uni is such a daunting time, especially the summer leading up to it. You're right, there's a lot of info and help out there about making friends and being organised but sometimes real experiences can be more helpful. The truth is that everyone's experience is completely different. I'm not going to tell you that you will be put with your best friends as housemates because that may not be the case. I personally didn't get on very well with my first year housemates, but it didn't stop me from finding friends. It just means you have to put yourself out there a bit more. Which, is probably a good thing! Its better to explore every horizon than to be too comfortable with who you live with. The best advice I can give is take every offer you can get (within reason, don't put yourself into uncomfortable situations). Sometimes, even if you don't think you'll enjoy it, these are the occasions that can give you the best memories and lasting friends.
In terms of filling the days, I'll be honest and say that a lot of the time at uni can be quite boring. If you've done all the work you need to do and still have a lot of free time, dedicate this to exploring your new location (if it is new for you), attending social events or even get a part time job if you feel like you can manage that. Don't worry if you're days aren't filled with constant socialising because that's not a realistic standard, be grateful for the alone time and use it to focus on your self care.
I hope that you're not feeling too daunted and try to enjoy your first year as much as possible!
-Grace
Original post by Randomofo
I'm gonna go to uni in September 2023 and I'm already scared because that's just so soon. Every website i look on just tells me I'm going to make friends and try new things and all that stuff, none of them actually tell me what to expect, for example what do you do every day? are flatmates mean or scary? do they expect you to know what to do all the time or do you get support? is it easy paying for all your own food and stuff? do they get mad at you for being late or forgetting things? also I'm autistic so there's that
someone give me answers please and thank you


Hey!

I have just finished my first year at uni and honestly I felt the exact same way before I started uni! I was so confused about what uni life is actually like and what do I do. Hopefully, I can help explain my from my experience which might you give you a bit of a better idea!

What do you do everyday? This is normally dependent on your timetable which you should be given a couple of weeks before you start your lectures! This will hopefully provide some sort of structure. Most days you will have independent work to complete outside of the seminar/lecture time. Therefore, depending on what works for you you might spend some time in the library or in your room, wherever you work best! Some people decide to get a part time job and work some weekends. Others just catch up on sleep/work or do something nice with friends! Some evenings people will socialise and go out to near by events or some people go to the library as they work better at night!

I think its natural to worry about flatmates because they have an impact on your uni experience obviously! The majority of people feel the exact same way and therefore make an effort to be friendly and get along with their flatmates. Unfortunately, this is not always the case however, its likely you will get along with at least one of your flatmates so try not to panic too much!

From my experience, lecturers are understanding that you are in first year and don't really have a clue what you're doing or meant to be doing! They've been there once and remember what it is like so I would try not to stress too much about it!

I think budgeting and money management is a big part of uni and definitely can take a while to get used to. But once you are in a good routine it will become like second nature as you just become so used to it! I would suggest try and plan out in advance so you have a rough estimate of how much you might spend weekly on food!

No, they do not get mad at you for being late! Uni is very different from school and they are a lot more chilled. They realise you are adults now and the lecturers are there to help teach and support you, not tell you off!

I hope this helps,
Abby, University of Chichester, First Year Student Ambassador
Original post by Randomofo
I'm gonna go to uni in September 2023 and I'm already scared because that's just so soon. Every website i look on just tells me I'm going to make friends and try new things and all that stuff, none of them actually tell me what to expect, for example what do you do every day? are flatmates mean or scary? do they expect you to know what to do all the time or do you get support? is it easy paying for all your own food and stuff? do they get mad at you for being late or forgetting things? also I'm autistic so there's that
someone give me answers please and thank you

Hi there

These are all very valid and intelligent questions. From my experience:

1. I don't have classes/lectures all day every day. As a law student in my first year, I had about 10 contact hours per week which is pretty easy to manage as long as you don't have 9 am lectures. The rest of the time I distribute doing other stuff- be it my part-time job, finishing up an assignment or going out for fun. Sometimes I attend events like those organised in college or by societies or in the city generally which is quite interesting since you can keep busy and meet new people. I'm from a self-catered college so a part of my day also goes towards cooking and self-care like working out and taking walks.

2. Flatmates can vary tbvh. Fortunately, I have gotten along with mine up until now which is good. Unis generally ask you questions about your interests and try to pair you up with people sharing those interests. You could always ask to be shifted if your flatmates are too difficult though but it's best to put effort into making things work first.

3. Support is definitely offered especially to freshers. I always had my academic advisor to talk to whenever I felt lost or needed advice related to academics or personal life. Tutors and professors are available via email and office hours so you can ask any doubts. The uni's counselling service has professionals on hand to support you if you're going through something on an emotional level. College welfare teams exist to give you a safe space where you can rant or share your feelings because burden shared is burden halved!

4. For the living costs, it's best to take up a part-time job. I feel the jobs offered within university departments are the best since they pay higher than minimum wage, you gain multiple skills and are often less competitive than the local jobs so you have a higher chance of securing one. The careers service usually has an online portal where these jobs are posted so you can search through them. At the same time, it's important that you keep some spare time for yourself and not get lost in studies and work only.

4. They don't usually take attendance for a lecture but definitely for a seminar or tutorial. Of course it's best if you come on time but if you get late, you could perhaps email the tutor in advance. If not, they are usually very understanding and won't get mad or anything if you have a legit reason for being late. This of course is only valid when being late is not a frequent occurrence.

5. Many unis now offer specialist autistic support for students who need it- this includes accommodation for the whole degree in college, counselling services, disability support and much more.

Hope this gives some idea!

-Himieka (Official DU Rep)
Original post by Randomofo
I'm gonna go to uni in September 2023 and I'm already scared because that's just so soon. Every website i look on just tells me I'm going to make friends and try new things and all that stuff, none of them actually tell me what to expect, for example what do you do every day? are flatmates mean or scary? do they expect you to know what to do all the time or do you get support? is it easy paying for all your own food and stuff? do they get mad at you for being late or forgetting things? also I'm autistic so there's that
someone give me answers please and thank you


Hi @Randomofo!

Firstly, congratulations on your acceptance! Going to uni can be a big step so it's understandable that you're nervous about it. I just want to tell you don't worry, how you feel is completely normal and a lot of people feel the same way you do. Websites can give some generic answers, so I'll try to give some more realistic responses to your questions.

1. What do you do everyday?

This is dependent on your course and your timetable. Most programmes have about 12-15 contact hours per week, and this can increase or decrease depending on what you study. If you have a science based programme, you may have labs and a humanities programme may have seminars. But at the beginning of the semester you get your timetable and see what your week looks like; it may be spread out and you have one or two lectures everyday, or you may have majority of lectures on one day and nothing on some days. When not attending lectures, regarding academics you will probably be doing what's required for the next class (a reading or lab prep for example), working on any assignments you have due, fixing up your notes or just studying and reviewing what's already been taught.

2. Are flatmates mean or scary?

It honestly depends! There's no way to know what your flatmates will be like. But often, in the beginning, they can either be quite friendly and ready to make new friends or may be rather shy and introverted. As the year goes by, they can either come out of their shell or slowly settle down once they've overcome the initial excitement of moving to uni. But in my experience and friends of mine as well, there's not usually someone who is mean or scary. It might happen you get a flatmate who keeps to themselves, doesn't speak to you, or may be a stickler for rules (telling people to keep the noise down or clean up after themselves) but it's pretty unlikely you end up with someone who is mean to you. Keep in mind you are going to be living with other people as well, so if you do end up with someone who is mean even if you are too shy to say anything, it's very likely that the others won't stand for any mistreatment. In my experience, my first year was a very quiet flat and everyone kept to themselves, we didn't really interact apart from the 'hi' if we saw each other in the kitchen. In my 2nd year, we all got along really well, had flat nights every weekend and hung out during the week a lot as well. What I've heard being the common experience is you either all get along well or you are all just acquainted with each other, but I've never heard of someone having all mean flatmates.

3. Do they expect you to know what to do all the time or do you get support?

This again depends on your course, I'd say check your module handbook or guide within the first week of the semester. If there are set readings or preparation work for your classes (and there usually is) then your lecturers will expect you to have some understanding of what's going on. But many make allowances for the first week and may let it slide, but it is best to be prepared regardless. Uni is much more independent work so your lecturers often won't say to do x,y,z, it rests on you to figure out what is required and do the extra work. You also usually get a personal tutor of some sort who is there to support any academic, financial or wellbeing concerns you have. Your lectures also usually provide their emails and office hours in your introductory lectures, so if you have concerns or questions they would be available to listen.

4. Is it easy paying for all your own food and stuff?

This would be dependent on your financial situation, if you have a lot to spend then budgeting will probably be very easy as you won't have to worry about how much you spend as much. But buying your own groceries is easy enough, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda are a typical medium priced option, Aldi and Lidl is pretty popular with uni students as they're the cheapest and Waitrose or M&S are the expensive options so provided you steer clear of anywhere pricey, figure out some simple meal plans, get some basic stuff (rice, pasta, bread, butter) and approximate how much you can spend on food per week based on your financial situation, it's not bad at all.

5. Do they get mad at you for being late or forgetting things?

Uni is quite different from high school where they won't rag on you for being late or not knowing the answer, so you won't really encounter them being mad at you. Attendance isn't usually taken unless it's labs where you have to sign in or your module has a participation grade, but for the most part you won't get in trouble for being late. Best not to make it a habit though, you don't want the lecturer recognizing you because you're always walking past them 5 minutes after they've started teaching. As for forgetting things, if you forget to turn in your assignment or something, your marks will definitely suffer (you may be marked down a percentage for every day that it's late, or get 0 if you forget to turn in anything at all), but if you forget the answer to a question your lecturer casually asks you in class it won't be that big a deal, your lecturer will likely just move on to someone else or answer the question themselves.

And just some advice for you: being nervous right now is very normal! I felt the same way you did, but as you get closer to the day you start to feel less nervy. You still have quite a bit of time before uni starts and after a year has passed you would have grown and matured on your own, and your view on going to uni will be different from what it is now. Especially when you move into halls, start meeting your coursemates and having orientations, you realise everyone is in the same boat as you: no one has ever done this before, no one knows what to expect, and you're all figuring it out as you go along!

So don't worry, you will be fine! Everyone feels like this, some more than others, but things all work out and you will become adjusted to your new environment once you're in it, it's just the anticipation right now that is worrying. But trust me, you will be just fine.

Best of luck with everything!

Jade :smile:
Official University of Southampton Rep
Original post by Randomofo
I'm gonna go to uni in September 2023 and I'm already scared because that's just so soon. Every website i look on just tells me I'm going to make friends and try new things and all that stuff, none of them actually tell me what to expect, for example what do you do every day? are flatmates mean or scary? do they expect you to know what to do all the time or do you get support? is it easy paying for all your own food and stuff? do they get mad at you for being late or forgetting things? also I'm autistic so there's that
someone give me answers please and thank you


@Randomofo

All good questions you have asked! It can take a few months to adapt to the new way of university living. But you would do what you would expect you will have your lectures/seminars during the day you might meet up with friends for lunch/coffee, head to the library for some study time, go out for the evening or go to a societies events!

In the first few weeks of course you don't know what to do all the time and you might feel a bit lost but everyone will be in the same positon as you wondering what to do!

At first everyone can struggle with budgeting and paying for your own food but its best to try and be as organised as possible and you can plan and budget to get yourself on your feet. You can use UCAS's budget calculator to get an idea of your spending here: https://www.ucas.com/finance/managing-money/budget-calculator and you can find some tips here: https://accommodation.ucas.com/article/food-shop-student

H
ope this helps!
Carly :smile:
Hi, all the replies are spot on. I feel like you worry about so much when coming to uni, but try not to stress and overthink all these things. Everything will come naturally, you get used to the lifestyle and the people round you. You'll figure out what you like and what you don't like. Keep in touch with lectures and any other kind of support they offer you, flatmates are not scary. Although if you don't get along then thats completely fine, just try and make friends where you can to have other people to support you. It's nothing like school so being late and forgetting things is not an issue, food wise you just need to work out which food shop is the best option and easiest for you. Hope this puts your mind at ease:smile:
Original post by Randomofo
I'm gonna go to uni in September 2023 and I'm already scared because that's just so soon. Every website i look on just tells me I'm going to make friends and try new things and all that stuff, none of them actually tell me what to expect, for example what do you do every day? are flatmates mean or scary? do they expect you to know what to do all the time or do you get support? is it easy paying for all your own food and stuff? do they get mad at you for being late or forgetting things? also I'm autistic so there's that
someone give me answers please and thank you
Original post by Randomofo
I'm gonna go to uni in September 2023 and I'm already scared because that's just so soon. Every website i look on just tells me I'm going to make friends and try new things and all that stuff, none of them actually tell me what to expect, for example what do you do every day? are flatmates mean or scary? do they expect you to know what to do all the time or do you get support? is it easy paying for all your own food and stuff? do they get mad at you for being late or forgetting things? also I'm autistic so there's that
someone give me answers please and thank you

Hi there,

My name is Eleanor and I have just finished my University degree at Coventry University. Like you, I was terrified and anxious about going University and thought I would tell you how my experience of Uni went. I have ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia and anxiety.

About roommates, it's very 50/50, sometimes you will have wonderful people to live and sometimes some will not match you... This just happens, it's life and we never know what peoples personalities are. But that being said, everyone in first year is genuinely nice as everyone is in the same boat as you! Everyone is scared, young and new, and so everyone is looking for that one person to cling onto during your first couple days! Just keep saying that to yourself: everyone is just as new and as frightened as you, so just smile and be polite.
After a couple weeks, you may all settle into your own friendship groups or all get into different routines, it's up to you then who stays as your friend and who you move on from.

I would heavily suggest trying to get in touch with your room mates on FB. You can usually find them or ask around if your university has a uni page for accommodations or freshers. This can be super helpful with finding people on your courses or in the same student housing as you!

I will also say maybe look into your student health and wellbeing department at your University to see what they have to offer help wise. This is where you can get student support for mental health, struggles studying or overall just need some guidance or help. At Coventry University, we offer a 3 day stay at one of our campuses for people with nerves, mental health struggles and disabilities. This helps calms everyone's nerves and worries about the Uni, allows you to make friends who are similar to you, experience living in accommodations alone with others, and also explore the city! This was truly an amazing experience for me and really helped me get excited for Uni; all my worries faded after those 3 days, so I would heavily suggest seeing if your Uni offers this too.

If not, maybe a Mental Health Mentor may work for you? It's simply someone who you talk to weekly about your mental health, keep a maintenance on your work schedule and overall just have someone to talk to when things get rough! I also had one of these and she helped me so much and I couldn't of done Uni without her.

A lot of your days at Coventry will mostly be, work and have fun! University is such a mixture of working very hard and then suddenly going out clubbing with your friends. Life is very hectic but in a positive way! You can do whatever you want whenever you want and this allows you to relax into your new life style. After that, it's up to you what you do! If you get a job, if you relax and play games or go out for a walk, do what you want! It's your uni experience and your independence.

I hope this helps.
El
Original post by Randomofo
I'm gonna go to uni in September 2023 and I'm already scared because that's just so soon. Every website i look on just tells me I'm going to make friends and try new things and all that stuff, none of them actually tell me what to expect, for example what do you do every day? are flatmates mean or scary? do they expect you to know what to do all the time or do you get support? is it easy paying for all your own food and stuff? do they get mad at you for being late or forgetting things? also I'm autistic so there's that
someone give me answers please and thank you


Hi @Randomofo [br] It's definitely normal to be anxious or scared about going to uni. It can definitely be a big change. In terms of what I do day to day during term time it can vary.

I will attend any lectures or workshops I have that day and then find time to study around this and do the workshop prep and consolidate any material. I also work a part time job so spend a bit of time working too. I try to keep work and uni separate so if I am at uni one day I'll try not to work that day so I can have some time to relax after studying.

I found it quite easy to make friends at uni. You just get talking to people on your course who have similar interests to you. You can also join any of the clubs or societies your uni will have on offer.

You aren't expected to know everything and there is definitely support available. However, the main difference between college and high school and university is that it is a lot more independent and you are in charge of your own learning as you have chosen to be there.

In terms of finances student loans are available and part time jobs can be helpful to gain extra funds. For example you could get a part time job at a shop or cafe or even work as a student ambassador for your university.

All the best
Kasey - University of Law Student Ambassador

Quick Reply