What I Wish I Knew in my First Year at Uni!

Having now finished 2 years of uni, here are a few things I wished I took advantage of in my first year!

Making Use of the Open Access Workshop and Inductions:
In my first year, I never knew of the amazing range of workshop facilities within Kingston school of arts. Eg. The darkroom, £2 film processing services, experimenting with cameras from the loans rooms, ceramics and the metal working, possibilities in the 3D workshops! :h:

My advice would be to try and compete your inductions as early as possible in the first year so you have time to take advantage of the facilities and explore using different mediums in the workshop!

Creating a Savings account:
As a first time international student living away from home, I only recently discovered that I was eligible to open up a savings account and fixed deposit to earn interests on my savings. I would recommend opening up a fixed deposit for money you are saving up long term to pay for rent or fees in the future. :colondollar:

Kingston Language Scheme:
Another amazing scheme I wished I made better use of in my first year is the Kingston language scheme. The first year of uni is the best time to be trying out societies and learning new things! The language scheme allows you to take free lessons from languages such as French, Japanese, Chinese, Italian .. etc) The slots for each language class gets taken up really quickly so be sure to check your emails and book your place as early as possible. :wink:

Relax and Have Fun:
In retrospect, I wished I spent more time in my first year exploring London, socialising and taking a moment to enjoy my uni experience (instead of worrying over my assignments!!) As the academic year only gets busier as time progresses, the first year is really the best chance to explore, experiment and enjoy the moment!

What advice would you give to your first year self?
Is there anything you would definitely do again?

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below and I hope this helps :tongue: