In this blog, I will try to alleviate any anxiety you may have about coming to university. Many students feel a range of emotions and it is absolutely fine if you are feeling nervous or unprepared. I know I did!
Leaving Home
A lot of students worry about leaving home for the first time and wonder how they’ll ever adjust to a new city without their family to guide them. This is part of the fun of university as you can discover a new city and try new things you haven’t before. This year especially has shown that if you ever need support from family or friends they are only a Zoom call away!
New Friends
Making friends and fitting in is another major concern students face, however, the benefits of narrowing down your subject will mean that the people on your course will have similar interests to you. Another amazing thing about university is the variety of societies and clubs you can join which can also help you find people with similar interests. Did you know that Durham has its own hummus society? Remember that not everyone finds their ‘people’ in the first month of university, let alone the first term, so you shouldn’t worry, don’t feel rushed to make new friends.
Money, or lack of
The jump from sixth form to university is exaggerated by the fact that you have to manage your finances which can cause a lot of stress if you’ve never had to budget before. As a university student, you can apply for a maintenance loan, grants and bursaries. You could also get a job in the local area but it is well worth looking for a job at your university or in your college, which is great because of the flexibility you have – any job is great to put on your CV too. An underrated way to save money is taking advantage of student discounts; my favourite offers come from my Tesco Clubcard which is definitely a must!
Work
You may also be worried about the workload at university. While it will inevitably be larger and more in-depth, you will learn to understand your limits and you must have confidence in your ability, after all, you got that uni place!. You can always ask for help from your tutors and book office hours with them if you want further advice on how to improve your work or even ask for revision advice, they are there to help you and they have been in the same situation as you. The best way to keep up with your workload is to manage your time properly and know how long each task will take you to do, and DO NOT leave things to the last minute!
University is a great experience in terms of learning to live away from your family, making new friends, and generally becoming an adult. The worries you feel at first are quite normal, everyone is in the same boat as you, you will settle in but it is important to know that if you are struggling there is support available, whether that is through family and friends, university services such as the counselling, or the welfare officers in college.
So, it’s OK to be worried about coming to university but also to feel excited too, just be you, and you will settle in just fine 🙂
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