University: Top Tips & Essentials

Deciding to make the transition from high school to university is inevitably a daunting prospect so when you finally decide to make such progression in higher education, the overwhelming feeling with the added excitement is a natural reaction. So to ease such an anxious and thrilling feeling, I thought a blog post on university essentials and the top tips in getting through the year smoothly (well as smooth as possible) was definitely in order. Let us start with the basics, the essentials of university and all that it brings. Of course, it will be a bit of a blur but you'll soon transition into your daily routine and your flatmates will no longer tease you that you can't cook. (My flatmates loved to tease me for my inability to cook but it was all in good fun and I ended up getting help from a lot of them, so bonus points for the best flatmates, ever! Plus I got a toy kitchen from my secret Santa and my cooking skills have substantially improved. Not because of the present I have to add.)

I always enjoyed exploring a little past my campus whenever I needed a break from work. Maybe you like to do the same?

Here are my top ten tips once you're all moved in:

1. Even if you're the most introverted person out there, it's always a good idea to make the effort to go out and chat to your fellow freshers. They are on the same boat as you, so if you're the one to start the conversation first, you've broken the ice for at least one person.
2. Remember that you're going to university to get a great degree, so that's what you should priortise. Obviously know that a good university life is being able to balance socialising and studying, so just try your best to do both. It's never a good idea to do too much of one, that will never end well.
3. Try to get involved in a sport/social club, it's a great way to make friends who have similar interests as you and it can be your escape when university gets a little too much.
4. Budgeting wisely: it's best to be realistic and know that you're weekly spend shouldn't be blown on the first day of freshers. Be sensible when considering delving into your overdraft. You should discuss with a parent or guardian what can be an emergency amount for you when going into your overdraft. The less you rely on the overdraft, the better. 
5. Buy textbooks second hand or borrow from the library. Textbooks are priced extortionately and being set on uni mode, saving the extra pennies is always a good idea.
6. Keep in contact with friends and family back home. It's more than okay to call your Mum/Dad/sibling/friend as often as you'd like, if you're feeling blue or just want a chat with a familiar voice. Don't forget, there's always skype too. 
7. You can say no to things you don't want to do or feel comfortable doing. There will be sober nights if you just don't feel like going out that night. You can always stay in on your own, with flatmates, or new friends and have a mini slumber party. It's okay to do your own thing once in a while. Don't be afraid to stand your ground.
8. Go to your lectures! There's no point paying an incredibly high fee just to sit in your room and be on your laptop, you may as well be at home! Going to lectures really does help, lecturers tend to say a lot more than the basic slides they put on screen, so it's really beneficial to go and really understand what you're learning about.
9. Freshers flu is not a myth or a poor excuse for a week long hangover. It's inevitable that you will get ill at the beginning of university, maybe more during the year, so be sure to bring your cough syrup and sweets. A hot water bottle never hurt anyone either. 
10. Most importantly you have to remember that it's perfectly okay to feel homesick and to feel nervous but at the same time it's okay to have the time of your life straight away. You are allowed to feel what you feel, but in the end, as long as you utilise everything that university is about, you'll be sure to have the best 3 or 4 years of your life. If not, that's okay too but voice your opinion and worries to someone, whether it be a family member, friend or a professor at uni. That way they know you're struggling a little and can help you decide what is best for you and how it will help you come to the best decision.

Good luck ladies and gentlemen, I'm sure you'll all be amazing. Work hard, play hard!

*Written on my previous blog but due to technical problems I couldn't transfer them all over so I've got as many as I can.