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Completed my first year, what to do next?

I have finished my first year of univesity, what do I do now? Regarding the university, student finance and home life.
(edited 10 months ago)

Reply 1

summer job, work experience, internships (my uni offer paid undergrad internships), short courses

Reply 2

University -- go over the content a bit if there's anything that carries over to next year (better than getting there and being told 'you learnt this last year' and not remembering it 😅), look into online courses or internships/work experience if that's something open to you as it's always good to have more stuff for your CV etc, maybe do some additional reading around your subject since in my experience that becomes more useful in second year, reflect on how this year went and if there's anything you would change so you can prep for next year!

Student finance -- make sure your application for next year is sorted but otherwise there shouldn't be anything you need to do, though a summer job/part-time work could always be an option to earn a bit extra

Home life -- take a break! first year is a lot of adjusting, and I'm assuming you'll have just come out of exam season, so definitely important to take some time to relax 🙂 maybe there's a hobby you really like working on, or some shows you need to catch up with watching. Depending on what your home situation is, I'd really recommend setting up a routine for the summer because the break is so long it sometimes feels a bit void-like haha, so setting up a structure of work, exercise and relaxation really helps.

Hope this helps! :smile:

Reply 3

Original post by Jenson602
I have finished my first year of univesity, what do I do now? Regarding the university, student finance and home life.

Hi there,

It can be a weird feeling knowing what to do with yourself after uni finishes for the summer, especially in first year!

I would say that a good start would be to get a summer job! This will give you something to do and also allow you to save some money for uni next year and so you can do things you want to do over the summer. It can just be a part time job, or a full time job, depending how much money you want/need.

You could also look into getting an internship or placement if you can find one as this way you will be getting experience in the field you want to go into after uni. They may be hard to find now though and might be unpaid so it is up to you whether you think this is worth it for you.

Also, finding a hobby is a great idea too. It will give you something to do as you won't have uni work to be doing so it's good to have something else to do. Maybe a sport, or something that you can do in the house if there isn't anything specific you want to do. You could do something creative, learn a new skill, learn a language etc.

Make sure you make time to see your friends and family too. Especially if your friends are also at uni in different cities, it's nice over the summer to see each other often as you are all back in your hometown. Just enjoy this time that you have with no uni work to do!

Make sure you reapply for student finance for next year. As far as I know, the deadline for getting your student loan guaranteed by September has passed so make sure you do this as soon as possible so that you have the best chance of getting your loan by the time you start in September.

I hope some of this helps and enjoy your summer :smile:

Lucy -SHU student ambassador.

Reply 4

Rest. Find part time job, catch up with old friends, holiday? 2nd year is a massive step up so just go easy on yourself
Original post by Jenson602
I have finished my first year of univesity, what do I do now? Regarding the university, student finance and home life.

Hi there!

Great to hear you finished your first year. As for what next, i would recommend a number of things to help you get a good footing in building up your skillset and CV.

For one, i would definetly recommend getting a summer job, whether you are staying close to your uni or going back home fo rthe breack, a summer job not only allows you to save up money to spend the following school year, but it also allows you to develop skills and experience you can put on a CV. In my summer of my first year, I worked as a student ambassador for my university and also had a small marketing internship I did for a local charity organisation.

They were both paid roles but if you are able to find shorter week roles for an area you are interested in and maybe relates to your degree, i woud recommend doing some shadowing as well. This helps give you experience and insight into the area you are studying or looking to work in.

I would also recommend travelling around the country with soem friends if you're able to, as after all it is your summer break and you should try to enjoy it as much as you can while trying to improve yourself.

It is also a good idea to attend open days for any companies and firms you are interested in working at or just to also have it in your CV as something that you have done.

Best wishes,
Lancaster University Student Ambassador,
Glory.

Reply 6

Original post by Jenson602
I have finished my first year of univesity, what do I do now? Regarding the university, student finance and home life.

Hi!
My personal suggestions would be:

Make sure you take a break, university and especially exam season can be very stressful, so make sure you take the time to have a proper break from the uni workload before your next year begins.

If you have any summer readings or homework, don't leave it till the last minute.

With regards to student finance I would say make sure your application for the next year is complete; maybe try to find a summer job to up your funds a little ahead of the next year, if that is something you're worried about.

Spend time with home friends and family! Make the most of being at home and see people you don't get to see often.

Hope this helps! Faye 🙂
Original post by Jenson602
I have finished my first year of univesity, what do I do now? Regarding the university, student finance and home life.

@Jenson602

Congrats on finishing your first year of university!

Assuming that you are studying away from home, you need to find out how long you can stay in university accommodation for, whether you are able to leave any of your things there over the summer, and if not, whether you are able to store them locally or whether you will bring all your stuff back home with you.

You might want to reflect on how things have gone with finances this year, and whether it would be helpful to get a summer job. Your university may be looking to recruit students or you might be able to find work at summer camps, in retail, or in a cafe, or restaurant. If there is any information concerning your application for the next academic year that has changed or needs to be updated, then do inform Student Finance ahead of time.

It will feel strange to be back at home but also great. Make the most of some good food, not having to set an alarm, and catching up with everyone and the latest things going on in your area. Enjoy the summer! Try not to stress about second year but if there are things you want to read up on, then do, but try not to spend all your summer working there will be plenty of that to do when you get back to uni!

All the best,

Oluwatosin 3rd year student University of Huddersfield
Original post by Jenson602
I have finished my first year of univesity, what do I do now? Regarding the university, student finance and home life.
Hi there,

Congratulations on finishing your first year of uni! It can be a really tough year so really well done! I would say try and enjoy your time off, before you know it you will be back at uni and you will wish you did more in your summer. Whether you choose to go travelling, get a summer job, spend time with family and friends or you choose to just do nothing and relax, make sure that you enjoy yourself and cultivate some hobbies and interests which might have been put on the back burner in exam season!

I really hope this helps,

Ellen
Y4 Medical Student
Uni of Sunderland
Original post by Jenson602
I have finished my first year of univesity, what do I do now? Regarding the university, student finance and home life.

Hello!

If you’re living in accommodation, you definitely want to check if you need to get a new place for second year and if you need to find roommates etc. You’ll also want to look on the university website for your course to have a look at what you’ll be studying next year to see if there’s maybe anything you could get a rough grasp on now to prepare you for next year. In terms of student finance, I would definitely have a look at if you need to change anything about your application or if everything is fine for next year.

To do these things, you can look up the related contact numbers and websites and either call or search online.

I hope this helps!

Estelle
Third Year Psychology
University of Huddersfield

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