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Enjoy! It's the year when there is less stress on you as your grades normally don't tend to count towards your final degree. You have the chance to explore a new town or city, to meet new people and to study a subject you love or want to build a career from. It's also the best time to get plugged into societies. It's a year to get used to living away from home, cooking, shopping, doing laundry and being independent. There are a lot of changes, but it's a year of growth : )
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It's takes time to build a routine, so don't be too frustrated if by week 4, you are still trying to figure out the best time to go grocery shopping, to do laundry, to cook in a shared kitchen etc...
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Call home at least once a week, so you can stay up-to-date with life but also to reassure your family that all is well. It's also good to have a chance to subconsciously reflect on how things are going so that if things are bothering you, you can begin to think about what can be done e.g. struggling to get up early enough for lectures and so buying an alarm clock!
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Try and budget. It's easy to get carried away with being away from home and to buy lots of junk food, only to find that you have no proper food to eat and that you have already spent so much on food. Avoid eating lots of takeaways! Buy rice, pasta, potatoes, frozen chips...food that will help to make a substantial meal and provide leftovers. Invest in decent coffee, so that you are not buying coffee every day. Think carefully about how you'll manage to get enough protein and mix it up: eggs, nuts, beans, tinned fish, cheese, plant-based products and poultry (red meat tends to be more expensive). Buy frozen fruit and veg or better yet find your local fruit and veg market.
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Speak out if you are feeling overwhelmed, struggling with loneliness/making friends, with your overall wellbeing or studies. It's normal to feel out of your comfort zone when you start uni, but if those feelings persist and you feel like you are being emotionally swamped then do reach out to someone. It may be talking to family, your personal tutor, friends from home or friends you've made at uni or making use of the university's support services. The most important thing is that you share with someone so you no longer feel alone facing a problem and so that people can be a support to you. It's okay to reach out to others!
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Stay as organised as possible. Use a planner to keep track of assignments, socials, exams and appointments. Also, create to-do lists to prioritise tasks.
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Connect with academics. Attend office hours to ask questions or email them to make sure you understand the material.
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Take care of your well-being. Try to get enough sleep, eat well and exercise regularly. Seek support if you need it.
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Explore career opportunities. Attend career fairs and networking events. Also use the university to seek internships and part-time jobs with relation to your field of study.
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Be organised - have a diary whether physical or digital and keep track of all your personal and uni commitments
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For deadlines do not leave it until the last minute. When you get a deadline date, set your own deadline a bit before to give room and allow you to be less stressed and more time to proof your work
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Take feedback and build from it. Not everything is going to go amazing but you are on an ongoing learning process
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Be open to new opportunities and try not to be afraid of trying new things and possibly stepping out your comfort zones.
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Turn up to classes. It may seem obvious but whilst that 9am may seem too early it matters! Do the required prep work, show up and participate. Get the most out of your uni experience.