Any advice for first year of uni?
Starting uni in less than a month and am suddenly starting to get all nervous and rethinking my choices. I’ll b studying Software engineer at Edinburgh uni. Any tips on how to progress well into uni life and making new friends and adjusting to uni life?
Personally speaking, I would strongly recommend to try out your university's counselling and/or mental health service within your first year or as soon as possible. For some people, university is the moment of their lives wherein they could face the issues that used to plague them tenfold. It could be an academic issue, a self-confidence issue, sleeping problems, traumatic flashbacks, procrastination, depression, self-limiting beliefs, or even social anxiety.
I used to refuse external help because I thought that I have to manage it on my own, or that my issues aren't worth it, but I relied on them (at my undergraduate university) early this year during my final year and they have helped my development immensely. Some universities' services of this kind also have workshops tackling these issues on the regular or some even have 1-to-1 talking therapy. I attended a group workshop for more than a month and I wished that I did that within my first year so that I could have started to do much better at my studies and life way earlier. As far as I'm concerned, that's my biggest regret in relation to university.
Likewise, make sure you use mitigating circumstances forms or extension forms when you need to.
Secondly, whenever you can, make full use of opportunities that come. It could be a firm's talk with first years, a socialising event, a competition, or a volunteering opportunity. Don't think that you aren't worth doing any of them at any given moment. You never know until you try. You'd also meet new people at your university this way too.
Lastly, be as proactive as you can in your tutorials or seminars. You can end up with impressive contacts for future references if you do. My referees were what helped me go through an academic disciplinary issue in the first half of the year, you wouldn't know when they would have your back.
I used to refuse external help because I thought that I have to manage it on my own, or that my issues aren't worth it, but I relied on them (at my undergraduate university) early this year during my final year and they have helped my development immensely. Some universities' services of this kind also have workshops tackling these issues on the regular or some even have 1-to-1 talking therapy. I attended a group workshop for more than a month and I wished that I did that within my first year so that I could have started to do much better at my studies and life way earlier. As far as I'm concerned, that's my biggest regret in relation to university.
Likewise, make sure you use mitigating circumstances forms or extension forms when you need to.
Secondly, whenever you can, make full use of opportunities that come. It could be a firm's talk with first years, a socialising event, a competition, or a volunteering opportunity. Don't think that you aren't worth doing any of them at any given moment. You never know until you try. You'd also meet new people at your university this way too.
Lastly, be as proactive as you can in your tutorials or seminars. You can end up with impressive contacts for future references if you do. My referees were what helped me go through an academic disciplinary issue in the first half of the year, you wouldn't know when they would have your back.
(edited 1 year ago)
Original post by Anonymous
Starting uni in less than a month and am suddenly starting to get all nervous and rethinking my choices. I’ll b studying Software engineer at Edinburgh uni. Any tips on how to progress well into uni life and making new friends and adjusting to uni life?
Hiya! What you're feeling is totally fine, people get cold feet all the time but I'm sure you can survive it
Here's some of my advice:
1. It's okay to cry if you miss family or friends. Other people have probably moved away from home too so you can always bond over that. People feel homesick for different periods of time but if you think it's hindering you from spreading your wings or enjoying your time at uni, seek help. Plenty of support is available especially in terms of mental health counselling so do make use of that.
2. Carry a doorstopper with you as it makes initiating convos with your hallmates very easy. Just try to attend as many freshers events as possible, engage with people on your course, and join societies that meet your interest. As long as you put yourself out there, it'll be all good.
3. Formatives (assignments that don't count towards the final grade) are really an opportunity for you to improve your essay writing skills. I got a really bad score on one of them and wrote an overwhelming email to my tutor- obviously it was disappointing but the tutor was very supportive and made me realise that these formatives are just stepping stones towards writing better essays. It's okay to score badly sometimes, just learn from your mistakes and improve
4. Don't ever forget to take time out for yourself. As important as studying is, enjoy your first year as much as you can and do selfcare!
-Himieka
Original post by Anonymous
Starting uni in less than a month and am suddenly starting to get all nervous and rethinking my choices. I’ll b studying Software engineer at Edinburgh uni. Any tips on how to progress well into uni life and making new friends and adjusting to uni life?
Say yes to all the social opportunities
Take advantage of all the funding sports teams & societies get.
Try some new activities/hobbies you’ve never done before.
Dont stop hangovers prevent you from getting out.
Step out of your comfort zone.
Use the careers service & whatever career & academic support exists.
You have all the time in the world year 1, use it, your free time gets less & less as you go on.
Original post by Anonymous
Starting uni in less than a month and am suddenly starting to get all nervous and rethinking my choices. I’ll b studying Software engineer at Edinburgh uni. Any tips on how to progress well into uni life and making new friends and adjusting to uni life?
Congratulations on your offer!
Starting university is a huge step, so there's no shame in being nervous or having doubts, whether that's now in the lead up or even once you get there. Having said that, it's also a very exciting time in which you will be faced with loads of exciting opportunities.
There have been quite a few suggestions here on things you can do once to arrive to help settle in, so I thought I share a couple of ideas of things you can do now to help ease some of your worries and channel them into excitement
Look at freshers week timetables- most universities won't have published these yet, but it might help to have a look at what sorts of events your uni have offered in previous years and think about which you might like to go to. Despite popular belief, freshers week isn't all about drinking and partying! Events such as freshers fairs are a great chance to have a look at what societies are on offer (and to pick up some freebies!) and there are often more chill events such as board games nights and society taster sessions to mingle with other students.
Familiarise yourself with the city- this could be as simple as having a look on google maps (or even better google street view) to familiarise yourself with the areas around your accommodation, shops and university buildings, and the routes between them. If your uni has any videos tours, these are also great to watch. It may seem a little silly, but for me one of the biggest fears about uni was getting lost by self in a new city, so knowing roughly where everything was going in really helped!
Join facebook pages/ group chats- You'll be able to find any groups for incoming students on your course or in your accommodation on any freshers facebook pages, which can be a great way to chat to some other people in the same situation as you. I found these really comforting as it meant I had a few names/ faces I recognised when I turned up to my first lectures and I didn't feel too alone.
Just remember with these group chats and any events you attend in freshers week- these are not the be all and end all! Lots of people put pressure on themselves to make best friends in the first week of uni, which for most people just isn't the case. There will be plenty of opportunities throughout your degree to make valuable friendships, so try to focus on having fun and looking after yourself in the first instance
While I would recommend trying not to visit home too soon once you get to uni, don't forget that friends and family are only a phone call away, and there will always be staff at uni (whether that's through your accommodation or your course) who will be there to support you. Don't be afraid to reach out for help!
Yasmin (Lancaster University student ambassador)
Original post by Anonymous
Starting uni in less than a month and am suddenly starting to get all nervous and rethinking my choices. I’ll b studying Software engineer at Edinburgh uni. Any tips on how to progress well into uni life and making new friends and adjusting to uni life?
Hey!
So I first want to say it's ok to be feeling nervous, everyone else will be feeling the same. Uni is a huge step so it's valid to be feeling overwhelmed, especially if you're moving out of home for the first time. Even in my own experience I felt the same, and I live around the corner from Chichester's Bognor campus (where my degree was based) so I still lived at home. But I was 24 and out of education a while, so I was worried about being older than everyone and adjusting again to studying and doing the work; everyone has their own worries and anxieties.
But the good news is universities have so many avenues to support you if you struggle. If you find it's too much during those first weeks there will be different Student Support groups you can talk to, they'll be on hand during your entire time at uni, but that settling in stage is when they'll be particularly helpful.
In terms of making friends, there are also many ways to meet new people at uni. If you're in accommodation usually the first people you get to know are who you're living with. So on your moving day it's always a nice thing to make sure you introduce yourself to your flatmates, maybe ask what course they're on. During the first week (freshers) there will be lots of social events, so you can go to those together and there you can start meeting other people too. But it's good to remember those events are optional, so if you fancy having a quiet evening to chill and watch some netflix, make sure you take that time too. University is all about finding what works for you so it's important from an early stage to try keeping a good balance between going out and having time for yourself.
If you haven't already, then I'd recommend having a look to see if your uni have freshers groups to join on facebook. We have these at Chichester and they're always a great way to find who's on your course or even in your accommodation. From there you can start to connect and make your own group chats, so they're very helpful in getting to know people even before you start and in that way can make it seem less daunting.
Once you start, there will also be clubs and societies you can join to keep meeting new people. You can join as many as you like, some students might sign up to loads because they want to experience a lot. But to help keep a nice study/social balance I'd recommend sign to a maximum of 2 or 3 during first semester, and even as early as second semester start thinking of narrowing it down. But ultimately it comes down to what you'd like to do
I hope this helps, if you have any other questions please do let me know!
Tom
University of Chichester Student Rep and Alumni
@Blue_Cow might have some specific suggestions about that course at Edibnburgh?
Otherwise as above, just make the most of the opportunities available generally and avoid burning yourself out
Otherwise as above, just make the most of the opportunities available generally and avoid burning yourself out
Original post by Anonymous
Starting uni in less than a month and am suddenly starting to get all nervous and rethinking my choices. I’ll b studying Software engineer at Edinburgh uni. Any tips on how to progress well into uni life and making new friends and adjusting to uni life?
Join CompSoc - especially as you are studying Software Engineering. I shouldn't be encouraging off-site communications but search up CompSoc Edinburgh and look at what is available.
Original post by artful_lounger
@Blue_Cow might have some specific suggestions about that course at Edibnburgh?
Otherwise as above, just make the most of the opportunities available generally and avoid burning yourself out
Otherwise as above, just make the most of the opportunities available generally and avoid burning yourself out
PRSOM
Original post by Anonymous
Starting uni in less than a month and am suddenly starting to get all nervous and rethinking my choices. I’ll b studying Software engineer at Edinburgh uni. Any tips on how to progress well into uni life and making new friends and adjusting to uni life?
Hi,
Its perfectly normal to feel nervous starting university. Just know everyone is in the same boat as you and will also feel the same.
Here are a few tips from the University of Birmingham:
1: Get thinking about budgeting and how much student finance you have coming in. Then you can decide how much you can afford to spend weekly or monthly.
2: Searching for the Fresher’s groups on Facebook, such as ones for your halls of residence or your course, will allow you to meet people in a similar position to you, or maybe even your flatmates; you can share your worries and excitements with others in the same boat.
3: If you don’t seem to get on with your flatmates, fear not! There will be lots of people to befriend around your halls, on your course or at societies.
4: Use Facebook and other social networks to find groups of people to walk down to your introductory lectures with.
5: As well as academic events, there will be societies fairs and sports fairs to attend in the first two weeks. Don’t miss out – sign up for anything that appeals to you! You don’t have to commit at this stage, you can decide later what you want to stick with. There will be lots of other new students like you, so don’t feel intimidated!
-Moosa
Original post by Anonymous
Starting uni in less than a month and am suddenly starting to get all nervous and rethinking my choices. I’ll b studying Software engineer at Edinburgh uni. Any tips on how to progress well into uni life and making new friends and adjusting to uni life?
Hey!
I've just finished my first year and getting all nervous before you go is perfectly normal!
Make friends with everyone you can, introduce yourself to everyone you meet. I'd recommend joining at least one society, but it's fine if you don't, I only went to one meeting and met two of my friends there (never went back oops). Take opportunities as they come up, whether it's social events, work experience, or part-time jobs, if you're interested you should go for it.
Don't worry about trying to perfect your learning style week one, spend first year learning from your mistakes and adjusting how you take notes etc. until you get to a point you are happy with. I used to write notes after my lectures but by the end of the year I trained myself to complete my summary notes in my lecture (so no extra work on notes outside of them).
If you're self-catering, meals don't always have to be meals - they can just be random items of food you like on a plate!
Good luck with university! You've got this!
Rebecca
Original post by Anonymous
Starting uni in less than a month and am suddenly starting to get all nervous and rethinking my choices. I’ll b studying Software engineer at Edinburgh uni. Any tips on how to progress well into uni life and making new friends and adjusting to uni life?
Hello,
There is already some brilliant advice on here.
I absolutely second that you need to get stuck in as much as possible. Go to Freshers fair and chat to the societies there. By joining one, you gain a whole new pool of people who have the university and chosen society in common with you. You'll be able to engage in activities related to the society, as well as drinking and sober socials.
Little things can make a big difference too, here are some that really helped me:
> Bring extension leads! Halls can often have awkwardly placed or minimal plugs and students need a lot of outlets.
> If you pop the kettle on in your flat, ask if anyone wants a drink. It opens up a little conversation and shows making effort on your part.
> If you need to go home for a weekend, do it. You won't miss out and lots of people do that. It is such a big lifestyle change and sometimes you just need a home cooked meal.
Try to stay organised and keep healthy as much as possible. Again it only has to be small!
You could mark out your assessment dates at the start of the year so they don't creep up on you.
Buy fruit each week with your food shop as the vitamins can really bring up your mood. Especially when it is cold in September and you are battling Fresher's Flu!
University is so new but so worthwhile! I hope you enjoy!
Lydia
Hi, it's understandable to be nervous, moving out of your home can be scary at first. Adjusting to living away from home just takes time, so it's common to feel homesick when you first move away. You should just throw yourself into the uni experience, try anything that seems interesting to you, be it: societies; 'give it a go' one off events; events run by the students union; volunteering opportunities; if it appeals to you you could be a course or departmental rep; make use of the universities facilities; you can hold study sessions with peers on your course in the library and lots more.
You can also bring along photos and items that remind you of your family and put these in your room, so they can comfort you if you feel down and miss them. Decorate your room of all your favourite things and get new things - have fun shopping for these! Have your parents visit you in your new place and make time to go see them as well, and meet up with other friends from back home.
Some good tips are to get your parents or friends (if they are good are cooking!) to write down recipes of food you like to eat, and use this to put together a simple recipe book for when you go to uni and have to start cooking for yourself. You can also use the BBC Good Food Website for simple and delicious recipes. In order to budget, and make cheap meals, plan these out in advance by finding these recipes online, then make a meal plan for the week, and shop week by week to get what you need. You can also cook big meals and then freeze them for a later day.
In terms of adjusting to uni life, get involved as soon as you get to uni, starting with freshers week! Freshers week consists of a lot of freebie fairs (my favourite thing!), free dominos pizza at the freebie fairs, there will be society fairs, sports fairs, the students union will hold a lot of events, in person or online, games you can participate in, with prizes usually being some university merch! These are a lot of fun, definitely get involved in them. A good thing to do is to invite/go with flat mates to these events, to the freebie fairs etc. It's a good way to get to know each other and have fun in a non-alcoholic environment without any potential awkwardness.
When freshers week is approaching, look online for your universities freshers week, they should have a list of events lined up, so you can see in advance which ones you want to go to and plan accordingly! Societies will also be hosting taster sessions, these are a lot of fun to get involved in, meet new people, and find societies you want to join long term.
Also, on your course, join or make a group chat, this is a great way to get to know people, to talk to them pressure free, and is a way to help and support one another. Also, sit with different people for lectures/seminars/lunch so you get to know everyone, and can find out who you get along with most.
I hope you find this helpful and that it alleviates some of your worries.
- Rosie
You can also bring along photos and items that remind you of your family and put these in your room, so they can comfort you if you feel down and miss them. Decorate your room of all your favourite things and get new things - have fun shopping for these! Have your parents visit you in your new place and make time to go see them as well, and meet up with other friends from back home.
Some good tips are to get your parents or friends (if they are good are cooking!) to write down recipes of food you like to eat, and use this to put together a simple recipe book for when you go to uni and have to start cooking for yourself. You can also use the BBC Good Food Website for simple and delicious recipes. In order to budget, and make cheap meals, plan these out in advance by finding these recipes online, then make a meal plan for the week, and shop week by week to get what you need. You can also cook big meals and then freeze them for a later day.
In terms of adjusting to uni life, get involved as soon as you get to uni, starting with freshers week! Freshers week consists of a lot of freebie fairs (my favourite thing!), free dominos pizza at the freebie fairs, there will be society fairs, sports fairs, the students union will hold a lot of events, in person or online, games you can participate in, with prizes usually being some university merch! These are a lot of fun, definitely get involved in them. A good thing to do is to invite/go with flat mates to these events, to the freebie fairs etc. It's a good way to get to know each other and have fun in a non-alcoholic environment without any potential awkwardness.
When freshers week is approaching, look online for your universities freshers week, they should have a list of events lined up, so you can see in advance which ones you want to go to and plan accordingly! Societies will also be hosting taster sessions, these are a lot of fun to get involved in, meet new people, and find societies you want to join long term.
Also, on your course, join or make a group chat, this is a great way to get to know people, to talk to them pressure free, and is a way to help and support one another. Also, sit with different people for lectures/seminars/lunch so you get to know everyone, and can find out who you get along with most.
I hope you find this helpful and that it alleviates some of your worries.
- Rosie
(edited 1 year ago)
sorry i should have made it clear that i’ll b staying at home with my family since it takes about 20 mins to go to the university by bus. But thank you so much for the advice evryone!!! I feel a lot better and positive about university since I would get to meet a lot of people from all over the world.
Original post by Anonymous
Starting uni in less than a month and am suddenly starting to get all nervous and rethinking my choices. I’ll b studying Software engineer at Edinburgh uni. Any tips on how to progress well into uni life and making new friends and adjusting to uni life?
This is so exciting congratulations!! Everyone has already shared some really great advice so I just wanted to say that one really important thing to remember is that you're never alone. If you're struggling be sure to reach out to whoever you feel most comfortable, whether that be your friends and family, academic tutor or uni wellbeing service.
We have a load of tips and resources around preparing for university life including making friends and facing uncertainty so it could be worth checking those out! https://studentspace.org.uk/wellbeing/preparing-for-university
Good luck!
-Abi
Original post by Anonymous
Starting uni in less than a month and am suddenly starting to get all nervous and rethinking my choices. I’ll b studying Software engineer at Edinburgh uni. Any tips on how to progress well into uni life and making new friends and adjusting to uni life?
Hi, congratulations for getting into university! It is normal to feel nervous, I know I was before starting at the University of Chester!
What I found was to get involved with as many groups as possible and personally found you need to set your net wide before becoming more exclusive with your time. Joining societies are a great way to find people who have similar passions as yourself and makes it easier to find things in common and become friends.
I found university life is about getting a healthy balance. Making sure you are balancing your time with things you enjoy, connecting with others and having the university experience that you want.
Have a great time at university!
Hi,
The best advice I can give you for starting Uni and for going into your first year is to try as much as you can and enjoy everything.
There will be lots of new experiences to try both social as well as academic and it's worth trying as much as you can. Socially to meet friends I would suggest looking at the societies that you would like to join as well as wellbeing events, as these are the easiest ways to meet new people with similar interests as yourself. There may also be opportunities such as being a course rep and getting feedback from students which can also be a great way to meet new people on your course.
Academically I found it really helpful to link with the careers service which has helped with my CV and volunteering, as well as the academic skills team that has helped with my essays and coursework.
I would recommend, if you feel able to, try lots of different experiences and get involved with activities in your department but above all do what makes you happy and have a great time.
Luke – Portsmouth Student Rep
The best advice I can give you for starting Uni and for going into your first year is to try as much as you can and enjoy everything.
There will be lots of new experiences to try both social as well as academic and it's worth trying as much as you can. Socially to meet friends I would suggest looking at the societies that you would like to join as well as wellbeing events, as these are the easiest ways to meet new people with similar interests as yourself. There may also be opportunities such as being a course rep and getting feedback from students which can also be a great way to meet new people on your course.
Academically I found it really helpful to link with the careers service which has helped with my CV and volunteering, as well as the academic skills team that has helped with my essays and coursework.
I would recommend, if you feel able to, try lots of different experiences and get involved with activities in your department but above all do what makes you happy and have a great time.
Luke – Portsmouth Student Rep
Hi, I'm a computer science student and I've finished my first year of university. Here are some tips for the more academic side of things:
- Attend the lectures, tutorials and labs. This sounds obvious, but on my course, the attendance can be pretty poor. In my opinion, it's best to attend all sessions to make the most out of the course. You can get help on coursework face-to-face and the questions in tutorials are similar to the ones you will see in the exam.
- Keep the end goal in mind for each module and tailor your work accordingly. If the module is assessed by exam, focus on making notes and doing practice questions. However, if a module is assessed by coursework, reduce time spent on notes and spend more time on labs.
- Think early on about extracurricular activities. In 2nd year you will be applying for internships/placements to secure a graduate role later. Have a think about some activities to demonstrate to employers that you are proactive and hardworking. These don't have to be related to software engineering. Possible ideas: a part-time job, volunteering, learning a language, mentoring students, involvement in societies etc.
Congratulations on getting into university, work hard and play hard
- Attend the lectures, tutorials and labs. This sounds obvious, but on my course, the attendance can be pretty poor. In my opinion, it's best to attend all sessions to make the most out of the course. You can get help on coursework face-to-face and the questions in tutorials are similar to the ones you will see in the exam.
- Keep the end goal in mind for each module and tailor your work accordingly. If the module is assessed by exam, focus on making notes and doing practice questions. However, if a module is assessed by coursework, reduce time spent on notes and spend more time on labs.
- Think early on about extracurricular activities. In 2nd year you will be applying for internships/placements to secure a graduate role later. Have a think about some activities to demonstrate to employers that you are proactive and hardworking. These don't have to be related to software engineering. Possible ideas: a part-time job, volunteering, learning a language, mentoring students, involvement in societies etc.
Congratulations on getting into university, work hard and play hard
Original post by Miranda1000
Hi, I'm a computer science student and I've finished my first year of university. Here are some tips for the more academic side of things:
- Attend the lectures, tutorials and labs. This sounds obvious, but on my course, the attendance can be pretty poor. In my opinion, it's best to attend all sessions to make the most out of the course. You can get help on coursework face-to-face and the questions in tutorials are similar to the ones you will see in the exam.
- Keep the end goal in mind for each module and tailor your work accordingly. If the module is assessed by exam, focus on making notes and doing practice questions. However, if a module is assessed by coursework, reduce time spent on notes and spend more time on labs.
- Think early on about extracurricular activities. In 2nd year you will be applying for internships/placements to secure a graduate role later. Have a think about some activities to demonstrate to employers that you are proactive and hardworking. These don't have to be related to software engineering. Possible ideas: a part-time job, volunteering, learning a language, mentoring students, involvement in societies etc.
Congratulations on getting into university, work hard and play hard
- Attend the lectures, tutorials and labs. This sounds obvious, but on my course, the attendance can be pretty poor. In my opinion, it's best to attend all sessions to make the most out of the course. You can get help on coursework face-to-face and the questions in tutorials are similar to the ones you will see in the exam.
- Keep the end goal in mind for each module and tailor your work accordingly. If the module is assessed by exam, focus on making notes and doing practice questions. However, if a module is assessed by coursework, reduce time spent on notes and spend more time on labs.
- Think early on about extracurricular activities. In 2nd year you will be applying for internships/placements to secure a graduate role later. Have a think about some activities to demonstrate to employers that you are proactive and hardworking. These don't have to be related to software engineering. Possible ideas: a part-time job, volunteering, learning a language, mentoring students, involvement in societies etc.
Congratulations on getting into university, work hard and play hard
What are labs?
Original post by Anonymous
What are labs?
A lab is a session where you work on programming assignments.
At my university, a lab session is normally 2 hours. You go in and the lecturer talks for about 5 minutes about the work you will be doing. Then you find the lab sheet and work through the programming assignments. We also have helpers from the years above who can answer any questions / debug your code. You can take a break / leave early at any point.
Labs are also the best time to get help/feedback on your coursework, as they can see your code and talk with you 1 to 1.
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