Unfortunately, as my time in Nottingham comes to an end, I thought I’d share my top tips from freshers to final year, that I have learned across the last 4 years.Â
- Make a playlist of songs that make you instantly happyÂ
For the inevitable moments of sadness, homesickness, stress etc that happen at Uni (particularly in the first few weeks,) my top piece of advice is to make a playlist that will instantly lift your mood. Whether it’s something you listen to lift nerves as you get ready for your first night out or to get you through navigating those first few weeks, I found that a collection of songs that instantly cheer me up was a pretty fool-proof way of doing this. Alternatively, having a comfortable TV show or movie is also a good shout if you’re more of a visual person.Â
- Don’t believe everything you see on social mediaÂ
Just because someone looks like they’re having ‘the best time ever,’ it’s not always true. I found this particularly to be the case in the first year when everyone wants to prove that they’ve made 1000 new friends and are having the most fun of their whole life. Don’t let this fool you into thinking that you are failing if you do not have the time of your life. Uni is hard for everyone at different points and people always choose to share their best moments online. Don’t compare your experience to other peoples’ because most of the time, what you are comparing yourself to isn’t always the full picture.Â
- Join societies and try out new skillsÂ
Whilst this is hardly a particularly original piece of advice, I can’t stress enough how important it is to have interests and hobbies outside of studying to allow yourself to have fun at Uni as well as doing work. Not to mention it is a great way to meet like-minded people and try out a new skill. Whilst the freshers’ fairs can feel overwhelming at times, I would strongly encourage you to go, even if you aren’t in your first year and sign up for anything that you are even remotely interested in. Worst case scenario, you get a load of free stuff!Â
- Enjoy your first year, but also be carefulÂ
Whilst I would encourage people to not always let Uni work take precedence over socialising and having fun in the first year, it is also important to not make your life harder further down the line by completely neglecting your degree. First year is a tricky time and settling in and ensuring that you are comfortable and forming new friendships should be a top priority, don’t take this too far. Often key concepts that are introduced in first year are useful later in your degree when the grades count towards your classification so catching up on fundamentals can be annoying and time-consuming if they are ignored in first year. Basically, have fun and enjoy all that your first year at Uni has to offer and don’t stress too much about work, but be smart about striking the right balance to avoid making your 2nd and 3rd years harder than they need to be.Â
- Look at the module catalogue before choosing optional modules
Make sure that you look at the online module extract on the UON website before choosing your modules. The catalogue gives a much more detailed explanation of each module, including exactly how it is assessed, allowing you to be smart about picking modules based on interests as well as those that test you in ways that suit your learning style. Whilst optional modules are a great opportunity to learn more about our own interests, it’s also important to remember that you’ll be assessed on it, so checking if the assessment style suits you is a good way to ensure that this is as easy for you as possible.Â