Any advice for starting uni

•

Learn how to write academically, if you haven't already; the writing style can mean the difference between a Third and a First Class. If necessary, ready How to Write Great Essays by Peter Levin

•

Learn critical thinking, as this is usually where the high grades (1st class+) are

•

Learn how to use Microsoft Office proficiently, since you would be using it a lot for essays, assignments, and general seminar work. If you want to get a qualification in this, do one of the Microsoft MOS certifications (they're better than the ICDL)

•

Learn to speed read; it's one of the life skills that can save you years of your life

•

Learn to touch type; it's one of the life skills that can also save you years of your life

•

Learn to communicate and socialise, if you're poor in these areas; networking is crucial for job hunting later in life, and the contacts you have through uni will help you get a lot further along than you think

•

Learn financial management; it will save you a lot of headache later on. At the very least, learn about cash flow forecast; it's probably the simplest and easiest tool to use that's also the most effective

•

Academic reading is not like reading a regular book - read only the relevant sections of the chapters and papers you're asked to read. Also, look at introductions and conclusions before reading the rest of the chapter/paper for evidence

•

Socialise with your flatmates when you move in e.g. night out, curry night, venture and explore the local city/town

•

University is probably the last place that's half decent to find dates and socialise; after that it will be drastically more difficult. Take advantage of this where possible.

•

If you don't study near a city centre, bring your car and bike with you; if you don't have a licence, get one

•

Weekly groceries bought in bulk from the supermarket is better value for money than the occasional purchase from the local shops

•

Look for internships within the first 3 months at university; the deadlines are crazy early. An internship will carry you a lot further than a degree for work

•

Whenever you get your assignments back, always go back to the person who marked your assignment (be it your lecturer or not) for further feedback, irrespective of whether you got a first class or not

•

Remember to stay humble; you won't be the only one who achieved a first class, and just because you got a first class it doesn't necessarily mean that you will get an equally high grade

•

First class is the top grade, but there are grading that could be even higher e.g. 80%+ These are legendary, but people have achieved them before

•

Irrespective of where you are staying, always try to be within a 30 minute commute from the uni (ideally 30 minute walk as opposed a 30 minute bike). This will make your life a lot less stressful

•

If you are not spending the majority of the 40 hour week in libraries and labs, you're not likely studying right. A full time course is designed to stretch you; if you find that you're not putting the hours, expect a lot of stress further down the line

•

You should have thought about your career options before picking your degree. If you didn't, you should really think and research about it before you go into your first year. This will affect whether you want/need to do postgrad and what else you need to secure the job you want

•

As far as I know, bachelor's degrees in Robotics and AI aren't degrees offered by top end universities, so you should be fine doing part time jobs (some of the top end universities have issues with students doing part time work). If you do work, I wouldn't do anything more than 20 hours per week on top of your studies (including commute). If at all, I would recommend something in the 5-10 hour range. Any more, and you can see it drastically affecting your grades.

•

Robotics and AI is not a particularly easy degree, so I would expect you to spend a lot of time working on the material. If you're not, it's a red flag on how high your grades will turn out

•

The second year is generally easier than the third. If you want to max your grades, then you would want to bank as high grades as you can in your second year so you won't need to stress as much in your third. This is irrespective of what your mark allocations would be

•

I am not entirely sure what the contents are for your specific degree, but as far as I know Robotics and AI is a degree that should contain quantiative material. Getting a first class in essays modules is more usually difficult (ask any law student) than some quantiative modules; although the content in quantitative modules is generally considered more difficult, you can theoretically get marks as high as 90-100%, whereas essays usually max out at 80%. I would max out the scores you can get in quantitative modules to make up for any shortfalls in your essays.

•

If you need more help on specific programming issues, it's usually better to go on online forums than just asking coursemates significantly smarter than you (there will always be those smarter than you irrespective of which uni you go to). MDN and general googling is usually helpful (as unis have issues with ChatGPT).

•

Make friends with people on your course; they're most likely people who you will stay in contact with in the long term.

•

Particularly useful is your network with people who are smarter than you on your course; don't admire them from a distance and don't think you have to do everything yourself. Study in groups where necessary/possible.

•

Do go to clubs and societies, but limit yourself to at most 2 clubs/societies - you won't have the time otherwise. Do go on socials and network with more people

•

If you can't find people to rent out houses with in your 2nd and 3rd year, and you want to live off campus, go on spareroom.com as a last resort. If you do look for private landlords, keep your wits about you and check to see if they are doing things according to the law (some don't).

•

I don't know what the specific requirements of your degree is (I'm not exactly intending on doing a robotics and AI degree, so I don't know), but you would be looking to at least get the following computer equipment: laptop, laptop bag, mouse (because I don't like touchpads), earphones, USB stick, laser pointer, printer (all-in-ones please and make it a half decent one). If you want to be really fancy, get a sizeable monitor for your laptop as a second screen. Should it be necessary, bring a half decent desktop that doesn't take up a lot of space.

•

The rooms you generally get aren't usually that big, so don't bring unnecessary stuff with you (it's not a camping trip or your first house). Rule of thumb, if you can't fit everything in 2 bags (e.g. suitcase and laptop bag), don't bring it. It's not fun lugging things in your car/van back and forth over long distances.

•

Key clothes are usually clothes you wear 80% of the time (usually some versatile like jeans and trainers), smart shoes and clothes for the night out, and a suit for a job interview or something important. Keep things to a minimum and stay practical.

•

When buying stuff to decorate your room, consider getting a poster or something small at most. If you're moving often or only staying for a year, you don't need lots of stuff to be in the room.

•

If you don't want to pay for gym membership, get at least a set of dumb bells and a yoga mat (the mat is to cushion the weights and your back/needs when you're on the floor). Quality resistance bands are also good, but should be additions not replacement for the above.

•

Get a student railcard if you intend to travel. The discount is generally 1/3 off, so if the cumulative discount for the 12 months is more than the £30 cost, you "earned" your money back

•

Get an annual bus pass where possible; it will save you a load on bus fares if you do use the bus often (e.g. commute from uni, although not ideal; groceries shopping; trips to the city/town centre)

•

You usually get finance for the first set of degrees that you do e.g. first bachelor's, first master's, first doctorate. If you need to get a second or subsequent set of degrees then under the ELQ policy, you will need to fund it yourself (and possibly at more than £9k a year, depending on the uni). If the degree you are doing isn't the one you want to have by the end of Year 3, think very carefully about what you want to do next (unless you're saying you have lots of time and money, and most of us don't have either).

•

Master's degrees can sometimes be more expensive than the bachelor's (unis can usually charge any sum for degrees above bachelor's level), so if you want to do a master's think carefully about how you do this e.g. integrated master's (MEng, MSci) vs stand alone master's (MSc). Integrated master's can be cheaper.

•

Master's degrees are usually half of a bachelor's + master's dissertation. Not all master's degrees are worth the money or effort, so investigate this carefully. For most jobs you won't need a master's. The only possible benefit for the degree you're doing is likely to get a chartered engineering status if your undergrad is an engineering degree e.g. BEng/MEng, not BSc

•

Plagarism is like a death sentence at university. Break this rule, and expect to be expelled, banned, and blacklisted.

•

There are extra qualifications that I kind of wished I did during or before uni so I would have more options on the sort of jobs that I can apply for. I am not sure what your budget or intentions are, but consider stuff like: personal training certificates (with REPS), CELTA/CertTESOL (to teach English as a foreign language), work passes for construction work, personal licence (bar manager), hygiene certificate (kitchen work), level 3 certificates in child minding (nursery work). Whether these are worth the money is up to you. Personally if I had programming skills, I would consider freelancing with programming work or consider working part time at a local computer workshop. Some consider tutoring.

•

If your course have sufficient material to cover LLM, API, and data science, then it can make life significant easier if you use the skills and knowledge for your personal life.

•

Buy textbooks second hand where possible, especially if it's a popular book as they can be cheap. I wouldn't just rely on Amazon as you can get them cheaper on other websites, especially if they specialise in second hand books. Even then I would only buy textbooks if the book is decent and I have spent more than enough time in the short loan section of the uni.

•

When doing assignments, look at the recommended reading section of your module outlines; these would contain hints of which articles you should look into when doing your assignments and possibly mention in your exams

•

Before starting your assignment, you should look through the notes of relevant lecture, and go through everything with a fine toothcomb. The answer for the assignment is generally obscure and very subtle.

•

Don't quote wikipedia for anything, but use the relevant references at the bottom of the page to further your reading (could include relevant material)

•

If you have problems with the maths in the course, I would refer to the basic maths textbooks that they mention in the unit outlines. If those books aren't helpful (some won't be), refer to the specific material in the Schaum's Outline series books, but look through the contents of the specific books before buying (a lot of the material overlap in multiple books and some might not contain the material you will need - the series is for Canadian/American higher education system, which can be very different to that of the UK's).

•

Try to avoid getting anything below a 2:1; life is usually significantly harder if it is. The grade of your bachelor's would generally be used for shortlisting more than any other degrees that you end up doing.

•

Try to have things going on outside of studies for your job applications. Your grades and qualifications usually don't amount more than a tick in the box for work in industry (the degree content matters more in academia). The rest would usually be things like relevant work experience, skills, personality, etc. I would also look into gettting relevant professional certifications for the specific area you intend to work in should you decide to work in industry.

•

Either get one of Netflix, Disney+, or whatever other subscription service you want. If you're studying properly, you usually won't have time to be constantly on there; you would only occasionally watch something.

•

It's not recommended to bring a game console, unless you're so disciplined that you would only play once in a blue moon.

•

Go home for the holidays, but if you go home more than once a month then you might affect your grades (unless you're studying at a local uni).

•

If you don't have a good source of reference for study (especially for qualitative content where you have lots to memorise), consider looking up Ali Abdaal and Thomas Frank for their study tips on YouTube.

•

The exam topics are usually everything that you find in your lecture notes. Keep the notes pristine and very organised.

•

Effective notetaking does not necessarily mean pages and pages of notes; it's about concise and effective notes - that takes skill and thinking.

•

Learn how to write academically, if you haven't already; the writing style can mean the difference between a Third and a First Class. If necessary, ready How to Write Great Essays by Peter Levin

•

Learn critical thinking, as this is usually where the high grades (1st class+) are

•

Learn how to use Microsoft Office proficiently, since you would be using it a lot for essays, assignments, and general seminar work. If you want to get a qualification in this, do one of the Microsoft MOS certifications (they're better than the ICDL)

•

Learn to speed read; it's one of the life skills that can save you years of your life

•

Learn to touch type; it's one of the life skills that can also save you years of your life

•

Learn to communicate and socialise, if you're poor in these areas; networking is crucial for job hunting later in life, and the contacts you have through uni will help you get a lot further along than you think

•

Learn financial management; it will save you a lot of headache later on. At the very least, learn about cash flow forecast; it's probably the simplest and easiest tool to use that's also the most effective

•

Academic reading is not like reading a regular book - read only the relevant sections of the chapters and papers you're asked to read. Also, look at introductions and conclusions before reading the rest of the chapter/paper for evidence

•

Socialise with your flatmates when you move in e.g. night out, curry night, venture and explore the local city/town

•

University is probably the last place that's half decent to find dates and socialise; after that it will be drastically more difficult. Take advantage of this where possible.

•

If you don't study near a city centre, bring your car and bike with you; if you don't have a licence, get one

•

Weekly groceries bought in bulk from the supermarket is better value for money than the occasional purchase from the local shops

•

Look for internships within the first 3 months at university; the deadlines are crazy early. An internship will carry you a lot further than a degree for work

•

Whenever you get your assignments back, always go back to the person who marked your assignment (be it your lecturer or not) for further feedback, irrespective of whether you got a first class or not

•

Remember to stay humble; you won't be the only one who achieved a first class, and just because you got a first class it doesn't necessarily mean that you will get an equally high grade

•

First class is the top grade, but there are grading that could be even higher e.g. 80%+ These are legendary, but people have achieved them before

•

Irrespective of where you are staying, always try to be within a 30 minute commute from the uni (ideally 30 minute walk as opposed a 30 minute bike). This will make your life a lot less stressful

•

If you are not spending the majority of the 40 hour week in libraries and labs, you're not likely studying right. A full time course is designed to stretch you; if you find that you're not putting the hours, expect a lot of stress further down the line

•

You should have thought about your career options before picking your degree. If you didn't, you should really think and research about it before you go into your first year. This will affect whether you want/need to do postgrad and what else you need to secure the job you want

•

As far as I know, bachelor's degrees in Robotics and AI aren't degrees offered by top end universities, so you should be fine doing part time jobs (some of the top end universities have issues with students doing part time work). If you do work, I wouldn't do anything more than 20 hours per week on top of your studies (including commute). If at all, I would recommend something in the 5-10 hour range. Any more, and you can see it drastically affecting your grades.

•

Robotics and AI is not a particularly easy degree, so I would expect you to spend a lot of time working on the material. If you're not, it's a red flag on how high your grades will turn out

•

The second year is generally easier than the third. If you want to max your grades, then you would want to bank as high grades as you can in your second year so you won't need to stress as much in your third. This is irrespective of what your mark allocations would be

•

I am not entirely sure what the contents are for your specific degree, but as far as I know Robotics and AI is a degree that should contain quantiative material. Getting a first class in essays modules is more usually difficult (ask any law student) than some quantiative modules; although the content in quantitative modules is generally considered more difficult, you can theoretically get marks as high as 90-100%, whereas essays usually max out at 80%. I would max out the scores you can get in quantitative modules to make up for any shortfalls in your essays.

•

If you need more help on specific programming issues, it's usually better to go on online forums than just asking coursemates significantly smarter than you (there will always be those smarter than you irrespective of which uni you go to). MDN and general googling is usually helpful (as unis have issues with ChatGPT).

•

Make friends with people on your course; they're most likely people who you will stay in contact with in the long term.

•

Particularly useful is your network with people who are smarter than you on your course; don't admire them from a distance and don't think you have to do everything yourself. Study in groups where necessary/possible.

•

Do go to clubs and societies, but limit yourself to at most 2 clubs/societies - you won't have the time otherwise. Do go on socials and network with more people

•

If you can't find people to rent out houses with in your 2nd and 3rd year, and you want to live off campus, go on spareroom.com as a last resort. If you do look for private landlords, keep your wits about you and check to see if they are doing things according to the law (some don't).

•

I don't know what the specific requirements of your degree is (I'm not exactly intending on doing a robotics and AI degree, so I don't know), but you would be looking to at least get the following computer equipment: laptop, laptop bag, mouse (because I don't like touchpads), earphones, USB stick, laser pointer, printer (all-in-ones please and make it a half decent one). If you want to be really fancy, get a sizeable monitor for your laptop as a second screen. Should it be necessary, bring a half decent desktop that doesn't take up a lot of space.

•

The rooms you generally get aren't usually that big, so don't bring unnecessary stuff with you (it's not a camping trip or your first house). Rule of thumb, if you can't fit everything in 2 bags (e.g. suitcase and laptop bag), don't bring it. It's not fun lugging things in your car/van back and forth over long distances.

•

Key clothes are usually clothes you wear 80% of the time (usually some versatile like jeans and trainers), smart shoes and clothes for the night out, and a suit for a job interview or something important. Keep things to a minimum and stay practical.

•

When buying stuff to decorate your room, consider getting a poster or something small at most. If you're moving often or only staying for a year, you don't need lots of stuff to be in the room.

•

If you don't want to pay for gym membership, get at least a set of dumb bells and a yoga mat (the mat is to cushion the weights and your back/needs when you're on the floor). Quality resistance bands are also good, but should be additions not replacement for the above.

•

Get a student railcard if you intend to travel. The discount is generally 1/3 off, so if the cumulative discount for the 12 months is more than the £30 cost, you "earned" your money back

•

Get an annual bus pass where possible; it will save you a load on bus fares if you do use the bus often (e.g. commute from uni, although not ideal; groceries shopping; trips to the city/town centre)

•

You usually get finance for the first set of degrees that you do e.g. first bachelor's, first master's, first doctorate. If you need to get a second or subsequent set of degrees then under the ELQ policy, you will need to fund it yourself (and possibly at more than £9k a year, depending on the uni). If the degree you are doing isn't the one you want to have by the end of Year 3, think very carefully about what you want to do next (unless you're saying you have lots of time and money, and most of us don't have either).

•

Master's degrees can sometimes be more expensive than the bachelor's (unis can usually charge any sum for degrees above bachelor's level), so if you want to do a master's think carefully about how you do this e.g. integrated master's (MEng, MSci) vs stand alone master's (MSc). Integrated master's can be cheaper.

•

Master's degrees are usually half of a bachelor's + master's dissertation. Not all master's degrees are worth the money or effort, so investigate this carefully. For most jobs you won't need a master's. The only possible benefit for the degree you're doing is likely to get a chartered engineering status if your undergrad is an engineering degree e.g. BEng/MEng, not BSc

•

Plagarism is like a death sentence at university. Break this rule, and expect to be expelled, banned, and blacklisted.

•

There are extra qualifications that I kind of wished I did during or before uni so I would have more options on the sort of jobs that I can apply for. I am not sure what your budget or intentions are, but consider stuff like: personal training certificates (with REPS), CELTA/CertTESOL (to teach English as a foreign language), work passes for construction work, personal licence (bar manager), hygiene certificate (kitchen work), level 3 certificates in child minding (nursery work). Whether these are worth the money is up to you. Personally if I had programming skills, I would consider freelancing with programming work or consider working part time at a local computer workshop. Some consider tutoring.

•

If your course have sufficient material to cover LLM, API, and data science, then it can make life significant easier if you use the skills and knowledge for your personal life.

•

Buy textbooks second hand where possible, especially if it's a popular book as they can be cheap. I wouldn't just rely on Amazon as you can get them cheaper on other websites, especially if they specialise in second hand books. Even then I would only buy textbooks if the book is decent and I have spent more than enough time in the short loan section of the uni.

•

When doing assignments, look at the recommended reading section of your module outlines; these would contain hints of which articles you should look into when doing your assignments and possibly mention in your exams

•

Before starting your assignment, you should look through the notes of relevant lecture, and go through everything with a fine toothcomb. The answer for the assignment is generally obscure and very subtle.

•

Don't quote wikipedia for anything, but use the relevant references at the bottom of the page to further your reading (could include relevant material)

•

If you have problems with the maths in the course, I would refer to the basic maths textbooks that they mention in the unit outlines. If those books aren't helpful (some won't be), refer to the specific material in the Schaum's Outline series books, but look through the contents of the specific books before buying (a lot of the material overlap in multiple books and some might not contain the material you will need - the series is for Canadian/American higher education system, which can be very different to that of the UK's).

•

Try to avoid getting anything below a 2:1; life is usually significantly harder if it is. The grade of your bachelor's would generally be used for shortlisting more than any other degrees that you end up doing.

•

Try to have things going on outside of studies for your job applications. Your grades and qualifications usually don't amount more than a tick in the box for work in industry (the degree content matters more in academia). The rest would usually be things like relevant work experience, skills, personality, etc. I would also look into gettting relevant professional certifications for the specific area you intend to work in should you decide to work in industry.

•

Either get one of Netflix, Disney+, or whatever other subscription service you want. If you're studying properly, you usually won't have time to be constantly on there; you would only occasionally watch something.

•

It's not recommended to bring a game console, unless you're so disciplined that you would only play once in a blue moon.

•

Go home for the holidays, but if you go home more than once a month then you might affect your grades (unless you're studying at a local uni).

•

If you don't have a good source of reference for study (especially for qualitative content where you have lots to memorise), consider looking up Ali Abdaal and Thomas Frank for their study tips on YouTube.

•

The exam topics are usually everything that you find in your lecture notes. Keep the notes pristine and very organised.

•

Effective notetaking does not necessarily mean pages and pages of notes; it's about concise and effective notes - that takes skill and thinking.