Fuzzable
As exam season is beginning to loom, and UCAS applications are flying left, right and centre, it can only mean one thing: university is fast approaching.
While schools, colleges and family try to prepare you for the next big step in your life, so many things go unsaid about what life is university truly is like. So Fuzzable has compiled a list of some things that upcoming freshers should know and prepare for when going to university.
You won’t get along with everyone (well, not straight away)
This may seem obvious as, come on, getting along with everyone? It’s just not realistic. But when being thrown into a flat (or roommate if you are American) with a bunch of new people is difficult, and draining. No matter how much the university tries to match you up with like minded people, there’s only so much you can have in common with a person who enjoys a few drinks and studies the same degree as you. You have to allow time to settle into a new environment before truly getting along with those you live with. But it is also normal to not gel with anyone, and while this may be rough, you always have course friends.
You will debate why you even chose your degree/major
No matter how much passion and enthusiasm you have for your subject of choice, oh boy will you wonder what possessed you to send off that application. University is a step up from high school and the lecturers understand that, hell they have the same talk with each new applicant every year. If you are studying in the UK, 99% of the time your first year does NOT count towards your final degree mark because they understand that this is a big step. So whether you just scrape a pass or get a 1st in your assignment, it is all a learning curve.
Feeling lonely is completely normal
This is more of a tough pill to swallow, but you will feel incredibly lonely. This is not intended to put anyone off of going to university, but so many students wish that someone would have pre-warned them about this. You’ve been thrown into a new city, with new people, studying with new teachers, with new information, it’s a lot to take in in one go! There will be nights where no matter how well you get on with your flatmates/roommate, or who you are surrounded with, loneliness will creep up on you. But it won’t last long, as sooner or later you will fell yourself again.
You don’t need to drink to fit in
When thinking of university, you think of wild ranging young adults throwing back vodka like there’s no tomorrow, but not everyone is like this. Many fear not fitting in at university because of the drinking culture, however this isn’t always the case. 99% of the time people genuinely do not care about what you do, as long as you are having a good time. So don’t sweat if you can’t drink your friends under the table, you can be the one to embarrass them the next day.
Nobody knows what they are doing
One of students biggest fears when going to university is being the only person to not understand the work set, or forgetting a deadline. Believe us when we say..everyone is in the same boat. More often than not have students bonded over not having a clue what the lecturer is talking about. Nothing is more comforting than hearing the whole class say “don’t worry, I haven’t started that essay yet either”. It’s such a big step up from school that no matter whether you went to university straight out of highschool, or embarked on a 2 year long gap year, everyone feels the same way.
If you want more information on what to know before university, YouTuber Luke Birch created a video on his personal thoughts on what you should know, and included a few that we missed out!
