Starting university can be equally intimidating and exciting experience, especially for first-year students navigating a demanding workload and new environment. In this blog article, second-year law student Vandy Widyalankara shares ten tips on making the most of your first year at Queen Mary.
I can still remember how nervous I was when I first came to Queen Mary. Sitting in the historic Great Hall, our professors welcomed us to the course and enthusiastically previewed what was to come. They explained how the school received an influx of applications and that it had been a particularly difficult admissions process that year. We were the first cohort of freshers on campus after the pandemic. As we started our first weeks, I encountered many challenges, from adapting to a new country and culture, to making sense of my confusing timetable and navigating my way around a sprawling campus. But before I knew it, I had found my place at Queen Mary and within the School of Law.
While being a fresher can be an intimidating and challenging experience, it is equally lively and exciting. As you start your journey here at Queen Mary, consider this list of ten things I’ve learned in my first year.
Your first year is the best time to learn and grow, explore new opportunities and get a real feel for the degree and life as a university student. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of a big city university, and the workload that comes with studying law, so be sure always take a moment to enjoy the many things our campus and London have to offer. Have faith in yourself, work hard, make the most of opportunities and you’ll succeed. Good luck!
By Vandy Widyalankara, Second-Year English and European Law LLB