5 Things I wish i knew before starting uni
Hi guys! Ive shared this in My AMA thread but i also thought i would share 5 things that i wish i knew before i started uni here as well!.
1) How to cook my fav meals
To be honest learning how to cook full stop. I learnt how to cook meals that i enjoyed and knew were easy to make and could be frozen /meal prepped. For me that was a base sauce that could have items added to it to make it fit lots of different meals, ciabatta pizza, and a soup. I also learnt how to cook various vegetables eg steaming and boiling. This helped me so much not only save money as i could cook at home but also i knew the basics of cooking and if i wanted to try a new recipe i knew how to do most of the things. even just learning the basics of how the cook pasta is a lifesaver, i've heard the stories of people setting fire to pasta as they didnt know it needed water to boil!🤣
2) Consider your note taking setup and set it up
Uni is a lot more information and lecture based learning than at sixth form or college and i needed to actually make notes, especially for exam based modules. I didn't really consider how i was going to keep track of and make my notes at all. Its also a good idea to try and set up they system before lectures start so your not stressing about it.
Most students use laptops or tablets in lectures what app and system they use depends on a lot of things.
Personally i do think one note is the best all-purpose option. you can set it up to do loads of different styles of note taking and can be used on laptops and tablets so major bonus!!
I had tried obsidian as well which is really cool especially if your doing a subject where the topics refer to each other a lot like english as their linking system is really interesting.
Google docs with their new tabs system i imagine would be really helpful in organising notes by lectures in one big doc
3) Start your work when you get it- little and often is better than pulling all nighters.
Too many a time i have not started my coursework or revising until im staying up all night to get it done before the deadline. Little and often if for sure the way to go. i know tis said a lot but it really is important to make sure your not stressing all the time.
4) Create a realistic schedule.
You cant really choose your uni timetable but you can create a schedule around i that works best for you. its important to include household tasks like cleaning laundry cooking food. What i would do is the day i did my laundry i would also do my meal prep as whilst i'm waiting and once a week , onr every other week during exam season i would try and do a bigger clean of my room that way it is easier to keep on top of. choosing a day to go food shopping as well is a good idea!when you add that with meal prepping, you can choose what your going to eat for the week/next 2 weeks and go into the shop with a list which stops you buying unnecessary stuff!
5) Unibuddy community!
Technically this wasn't an option for me but now that it is i wish i did!
The unibuddy community is a uni moderated platform to meet other offer holders that will be in your cohort. Depending on the uni it may be set up differently but it generally has channels to ask questions to staff and students or to meet students with similar hobbies, interest or those on your course!
The University of Brighton's 2025 Unibuddy Community is open!
If you are an offer holder over the next few weeks you should receive an email letting you know you can join our offer holder community and the link to join!
I wish i had this before I joined, I found it quite difficult to meet people before I joined especially people who i was similar to.
I hope this helps anyone! If anybody has any questions, feel free to ask!
Blue - TSR Student Ambassador
1) How to cook my fav meals
To be honest learning how to cook full stop. I learnt how to cook meals that i enjoyed and knew were easy to make and could be frozen /meal prepped. For me that was a base sauce that could have items added to it to make it fit lots of different meals, ciabatta pizza, and a soup. I also learnt how to cook various vegetables eg steaming and boiling. This helped me so much not only save money as i could cook at home but also i knew the basics of cooking and if i wanted to try a new recipe i knew how to do most of the things. even just learning the basics of how the cook pasta is a lifesaver, i've heard the stories of people setting fire to pasta as they didnt know it needed water to boil!🤣
2) Consider your note taking setup and set it up
Uni is a lot more information and lecture based learning than at sixth form or college and i needed to actually make notes, especially for exam based modules. I didn't really consider how i was going to keep track of and make my notes at all. Its also a good idea to try and set up they system before lectures start so your not stressing about it.
Most students use laptops or tablets in lectures what app and system they use depends on a lot of things.
Personally i do think one note is the best all-purpose option. you can set it up to do loads of different styles of note taking and can be used on laptops and tablets so major bonus!!
I had tried obsidian as well which is really cool especially if your doing a subject where the topics refer to each other a lot like english as their linking system is really interesting.
Google docs with their new tabs system i imagine would be really helpful in organising notes by lectures in one big doc
3) Start your work when you get it- little and often is better than pulling all nighters.
Too many a time i have not started my coursework or revising until im staying up all night to get it done before the deadline. Little and often if for sure the way to go. i know tis said a lot but it really is important to make sure your not stressing all the time.
4) Create a realistic schedule.
You cant really choose your uni timetable but you can create a schedule around i that works best for you. its important to include household tasks like cleaning laundry cooking food. What i would do is the day i did my laundry i would also do my meal prep as whilst i'm waiting and once a week , onr every other week during exam season i would try and do a bigger clean of my room that way it is easier to keep on top of. choosing a day to go food shopping as well is a good idea!when you add that with meal prepping, you can choose what your going to eat for the week/next 2 weeks and go into the shop with a list which stops you buying unnecessary stuff!
5) Unibuddy community!
Technically this wasn't an option for me but now that it is i wish i did!
The unibuddy community is a uni moderated platform to meet other offer holders that will be in your cohort. Depending on the uni it may be set up differently but it generally has channels to ask questions to staff and students or to meet students with similar hobbies, interest or those on your course!
The University of Brighton's 2025 Unibuddy Community is open!
If you are an offer holder over the next few weeks you should receive an email letting you know you can join our offer holder community and the link to join!
I wish i had this before I joined, I found it quite difficult to meet people before I joined especially people who i was similar to.
I hope this helps anyone! If anybody has any questions, feel free to ask!
Blue - TSR Student Ambassador
Reply 1
Hi there,
What a great idea! Being a recent graduate, I can share some of the things I wish I knew before coming to university.
1- Joining community groups- These may vary from uni to uni but here at the University of Central Lancashire, we have Facebook course and accommodation groups. These are great to make friends with people from your course or subject area. Share resources and ideas on course assignments and projects. Ask questions about your course and University life. Keep up-to-date with important information posted in them. Meeting people online definitely takes some pressure off around moving out to university and making new friends.
2- Budget!- This is something I wish I started to do sooner. Budgeting is so important right now and will prepare you for life after university. A lot of universities have support or budgeting tips and workshops in place, so keep an eye out on those.
3- Stay organised- Have patience with this and explore what ways of studying that work for you. It may take a few tries to find the best way to stay organised and plan your studies but it'll be worth it.
4- Check socials- Following your university and/or students union on social media, is something I didn't do straight away and wish I did sooner. We are constantly on our phones so having updates, information about events etc from the university so accessible is an easy way to stay updated.
5- Say yes to as much as you can- This is something I got told by my lecturer and it has stuck in my head since. Say yes and get yourself out there as much as you can. Make connections from the start as you never know! It may seem scary but being a shy individual who has grown a lot, I couldn't recommend it more. You've got this! 🙂
Hope this helps,
^Zac
What a great idea! Being a recent graduate, I can share some of the things I wish I knew before coming to university.
1- Joining community groups- These may vary from uni to uni but here at the University of Central Lancashire, we have Facebook course and accommodation groups. These are great to make friends with people from your course or subject area. Share resources and ideas on course assignments and projects. Ask questions about your course and University life. Keep up-to-date with important information posted in them. Meeting people online definitely takes some pressure off around moving out to university and making new friends.
2- Budget!- This is something I wish I started to do sooner. Budgeting is so important right now and will prepare you for life after university. A lot of universities have support or budgeting tips and workshops in place, so keep an eye out on those.
3- Stay organised- Have patience with this and explore what ways of studying that work for you. It may take a few tries to find the best way to stay organised and plan your studies but it'll be worth it.
4- Check socials- Following your university and/or students union on social media, is something I didn't do straight away and wish I did sooner. We are constantly on our phones so having updates, information about events etc from the university so accessible is an easy way to stay updated.
5- Say yes to as much as you can- This is something I got told by my lecturer and it has stuck in my head since. Say yes and get yourself out there as much as you can. Make connections from the start as you never know! It may seem scary but being a shy individual who has grown a lot, I couldn't recommend it more. You've got this! 🙂
Hope this helps,
^Zac
(edited 10 months ago)
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