So you’ve just joined university and however nerve-racking or exciting things may be, thoughts will inevitably turn to the mountain of work you will be faced with during the next few years. So not wanting to put a downer on things just yet, how do you get through your first year at uni whilst still experiencing the fun of being a fresher? Hopefully, these five tips will help.
Know your deadlines
Being aware of what you need to do and when is massively important. No matter how geeky it sounds, putting assignment/essay deadlines in your diary or calendar make it easier to see when you need to start revising or writing up essays.
Start early
Don’t write essays the night before. We’ve all done it and it’s not much fun. Especially if friends are going out that night, you don’t really want to be sitting at home knowing you’ve got an essay to write. Starting early means you’ll have more time to write it without pressure and so are more likely to do a better job. This means you won’t need to say ‘no’ to a party if you can plan your work around your social events.
Get to know people on your course
Whatever course you’re on, you will undoubtedly need to do some group work during your time at uni. However, if you don’t make the effort to get to know people, working in groups won’t be much fun. Plus, you never know when you might need help from friends on assignments.
Make sure you get a flexible job
As uni will be a busy time, fitting in everything will be a challenge. However, getting a part-time job is a good way to earn some money. Make sure your employer is aware of your university commitments and they should be flexible with you – as long as you’re still putting the effort in for them. Don’t forget your timetable will change so you might have to decrease/increase hours at certain times.
Get to know your surroundings
First year is an opportunity to not only get to know new people, but to get to know new surroundings. Make sure you’re aware of opening and closing times for the LRC, the canteen and the loans room. Beware these will change during holiday periods and for bank holidays. Print off a timetable for the university bus and getting an Oyster card will save you money on the Kingston buses as well. Little savings make the difference.
So with freshers week now out of the way, the university years ahead begin. Getting organised early will benefit in the long run so start sooner rather than later and enjoy the first of what should be a good few years ahead at Kingston.