That is a very good question and there are a lot of things I wish I knew too before going to university back then too . I am afraid there is not a real simple answer as a lot of it can depend on different experiences. Personally, I am a first year student myself and have had my natural highs and lows with university so far, but it still has been a lot of fun. However, I think you can still have a lot of fun If you are going into halls, then there is no easy way of saying it is a luck of the draw. Some people are lucky enough to get on right away with their flat mates, others might have spats or not get on with everyone, but it is pretty normal. Commuting can be a mixed experience too but it is still possible to make friends. Making friends at Uni can be a little hard at first but the big thing is being open to talking to a lot of different people. A lot of people think they will make friends straight away during fresher's week and while some people are lucky enough to do so, it is important to remember it is okay if you do not gel with someone or do not feel comfortable around them too. You will likely see people gathering in big groups at first, but just remember not many of them will likely stick together by the ending of the first semester and it is natural to feel a bit lonely at times too. My big heads up ( even as someone who is naturally introverted) is make an effort to go along and talk to people at societies and in lectures too. I have met a lot of my friends just by approaching them, asking their name and then realizing we have a lot in common when we begin talking
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A routine can depend a lot on your course, your contact hours and demands etc. The big thing to say pretty universally is that your course will likely detail if first year will affect your grade. In most cases, it will only be five or ten percent, or, will not count at all, meaning that first year is often a good opportunity to have some fun, begin understanding what your course is about, revision techniques before the work starts ramping up. Your day will likely vary a lot depending on what you are taking from people taking other courses, which can often mean you have a lot of free time in between. I know a fair few people who do work in between this hours, or alternatively, have taken a year out to gather money to live off for their first year and will do more work during the summer. Getting lonely is not weird either even if you have big friend groups and it can be hard initially to shake it off. My big tip is try and keep yourself occupied during these times; study, clean, try cooking something healthy for dinner, take some time out, do something like or just go for a run or walk. It depends a lot on how you can balance it. It is good to try and get into good habits in first year though, and, trying to get a good balance between work, uni and social life can be really difficult at first. The one thing I will say is do not get too hung up in first year over marks. You will do well on some essays, and not so well on others. It is normal but the big thing is learning from your mistakes, talking to your personal tutor and lecturers too. On this note, I would say even in first year, try to keep a good relationship with your lecturers and tutor as it can make a world of difference on trying to understand things.
I hope that helps
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