As I enter my final year, I’ve become very nostalgic about my time at university. It seems like yesterday I was en-route to Hillhead, totally unaware of what the next 5 years would hold. It’s fair to say I’ve experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to university life, so I thought now that my student status is soon to expire, I would offer some retrospective advice to young, naïve fresher me.
- Club photos are NOT a good idea
Coming from a small town with one nightclub that hasn’t changed since the 90s, nightclub photos were something I’d never experienced. I made it my mission every night to get snapped because in my mind my Facebook friends would think I was having the time of my life at university. In reality, all they saw was a sweaty, greasy-haired Katherine with a VK stained tongue. It seems fun at the time but when you’re sat in bed nursing the worst hangover, you do not need a Facebook notification saying you’ve been tagged in this:
- Do your tutorial work
You’ll learn that sitting in a classroom, where you have no clue what is going on feels like the longest hour of your life. It’s not cool and it’s certainly not clever. Doing the work will make life so much easier and you might end up – maybe – enjoying the course more when you understand what’s going on.
- Do not do all your food shopping in Hillhead
It may be convenient, but trust me, your bank account will suffer dearly. The 5-minute walk does not justify paying 5 pounds for a Pot Noodle and a Lucozade. The same goes for buying booze. Echo Falls doesn’t leave a nice taste at pre-drinks when your pals paid half the price in ASDA.
- Don’t walk back to Hillhead from the club
This is just the biggest no-no. A 10-pound taxi fare is worth every penny when you think of all the horrible things that could possibly happen on that 45-minute walk at 2am.
- Join the cheerleading squad
Signing up to a society and sports team is scary stuff, especially when you’re going it alone, but it is always worth it. I’m so proud that pushed through my initial anxiety because I ended up making friends in the process. Being a fresher, it was a great opportunity to mix with girls from other years, who soon became my university mentors!
- Learn how to use the library
This will save 3rd year me a lot of embarrassment. Just learn how to print and loan books because it’ll save a lot of hassle when you sheepishly walk up to the librarian asking how to work everything.
- Don’t stress about the workload
When all you need to do is pass, it’s simply not worth worrying about. You have PLENTY of time to worry about getting those As and Bs in a few years. Just enjoy aiming for the 40% pass mark while it lasts.
- Don’t think the people you meet in Freshers will be your mates forever
It’s probably the most nerve wrecking thing about coming to university; making new friends. I was sold that I’d meet my friends for life at university and that is true, but none were made in the tedious small talk of Freshers Week. You’re not going to click with the first person you meet. I mean this year you’ve ended up living with someone you didn’t speak to until the end of the second year!
- Do make an effort with your flatmates
Yes, you didn’t choose these girls and now you are forced to get along for the next academic year, but everyone’s in the same boat (or flat). You may not be best friends with them all, but it’s a good bonding experience – especially when you lose your bag on a night out and they bail you out for the next week.
- Enjoy every minute
You’ll have your ups and downs, but at the end of the day, all these experiences will give you great stories in the future. You’ll be overwhelmed and cry (a lot), but just remember in 4-years that you’d do it all again in a heartbeat!
photos all Katherine’s own