Olivia has just finished her second year on the BEng Materials Science and Engineering programme. Here are her top tips for starting university.
When I first started at university I had no idea what to expect. Nobody in my immediate family had gone to uni and so I had nobody to turn to for advice. So, in case you are also that person, below is a list of things I wish I knew before starting!
When I first started I had it in my head that uni was going to be really hard and so I would have absolutely no time for societies. I limited myself to one sporting society when there were actually many that I thought were interesting.
If I was to go back I’d join as many as I wanted and I would make the most out of my first year. While first year wasn’t easy I definitely had more free time than I thought I was going to and now that I’m going into my final year where free time is scarce, I feel like I’ve missed my shot. Even if you never actually go to the meetings, having the option to go hang out with some new people and talk about something you like will be a big relief if you start missing home.
So my advice is to go wild at the freshers fair – because why not!
When you first start a module it’s always a mad dash to get the right textbooks, if everyone on the course wants one. Some textbooks are available online and so this doesn’t apply, but if not, make sure you get the books quickly. My advice is to get the books as soon as the lecturers tell you which to get!
This one might seem obvious as you’ve all been told this in school for years – but it is way more important in university. I wish I’d realised this earlier but the past papers are invaluable. I don’t think I’ve sat a single exam in the past two years that hasn’t contained content from past papers. I have found them more than helpful.