Are you ready for the exciting journey ahead of you as a university student?
Are you packed, prepared, and all too keen to wave goodbye to mum and dad as of right now?
If yes, you may be surprised to find out that there are several aspects of university life that you may have not considered yet?
Intrigued?
Of course, you are!
Keep reading to discover four things that every student should know before starting university – number 3 will definitely get you thinking!
What kind of fresher are you?
You may think you know yourself pretty well, but have you ever sat back and thought about what kind of fresher you are going to be?
If not, then now is the time to find out! Take this 2-minute Freshers’ personality quiz and discover exactly what kind of fresher you are going to be, plus, get some great tips on how to enjoy Fresher’s Week 2020.
How will you manage your studies?
Even if you considered yourself to be a fairly well-behaved and conscientious student at school, all of this could change when you start university.
Why? Because you no longer have your parents or your teachers breathing down your neck and pressurising you to study. You will now have to be your own motivator, even on those days when you are suffering with the hangover from hell and you want to bury yourself deep under your duvet and stay there forever.
Managing your own workload and your study time can be a challenge for many students, so try and determine before you go how you are going to keep yourself organised and driven to succeed.
How will you stay safe?
You may be thinking that you go out in your hometown at night all the time and nothing has ever happened to you, but that doesn’t mean that it couldn’t.
When you’re at university, you are arguably more vulnerable than when you are at home. For one, you are in a new area that you don’t know as well as your home town. Plus, you may be drinking more than usual. Therefore, it’s crucial that you take adequate steps to protect yourself when out and about.
Always try and get a taxi or Uber with friends you can trust and keep an eye on your belongings and drinks at all times.
How will you cope mentally?
Whether you suffer with an existing mental health condition or not, university life can be extremely stressful. Therefore, it’s really important that you ensure that you care for your mental health while studying, as well as looking out for signs that you are struggling with a mental health illness such as anxiety or depression.
Ways in which you can look after your mental health at university include:
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- Keeping active
- Eating a balanced diet
- Using your university’s student mental health and counselling service
- Talking regularly to your friends and family
- Avoiding bad habits such as drug use or heavy drinking
- Not putting too much pressure on yourself
