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Your first year at University

Your first year at University is an exciting time but you probably also have a million questions and even some concerns. BSc Mathematics student Anna Veldman, going into her second year of study at Queen Mary, shares her tips to get the best out of your first year. 

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What you need to know about accommodation

Luckily, London and Queen Mary offer many different housing options. If you are new to London, live far away or simply want to experience life in student halls, living on campus is a great way to do so. I’m an international student so I actually lived on campus during my first year and loved it. Being surrounded by other students and close to the city centre was so much fun. I was also able to walk to class and be at the University's bar, Drapers, and social events in less than five minutes, which is definitely a perk. In my second year, I am planning to rent an apartment with two friends of mine, which is also really exciting. However, if you have the option to live at home, this is a great way to save on London rent. My tips for settling into your student accommodation are the following:

  • Make your room your own so that you have a place that feels like home at university;
  • Join Facebook/WhatsApp groups of your accommodation so that you can see when meetings are being organised in the first few weeks; make sure you join these meetings especially at the beginning.

What you need to know about university workload

While maths is not an easy subject, you will still have a lot less time in class than when you were at school. In your first year, you will have around 16 hours a week, (four modules per semester with three hours of lecture each and one hour of tutorial). Plus, there are no readings, only problem sheets and online practice questions. These can take anywhere between 30 minutes and a few hours - it really depends on the module. Overall, I would say I studied around two to three hours a day in addition to contact hours during my first year and I was able to achieve good grades. Of course, the number of study hours will vary greatly from person to person, but I wouldn’t worry too much about the workload. As long as you put in some effort, it’s very manageable and you should have enough time to join societies, socialise and settle into university life.

What you need to know about London and managing finances

Studying and living at Queen Mary means that you will spend a lot of time in central London. While living in such a big city is fun, it can also be really expensive. My top tips are the following:

  • Look into student loans and apply early for part-time jobs;
  • Do not underestimate all the little ways you can save some money while still enjoying yourself. For example, if you live on campus, going to ASDA is worth it. There are Co-op and Sainsbury’s directly next to campus, which is very practical, but taking a 10-minute walk down the road to ASDA will save you so much money…
  • If you like going to bars, get the DUSK app! It is free and you can use it to get free cocktails (up to one a day) all around London with no strings attached;
  • If you are not in a rush, take the bus! For £1.50 you can tap into as many buses as you want for an hour. It often takes a bit longer than the tube but if you use the bus frequently, you can save quite a bit of money;
  • Keep an eye out for free events on Facebook, as there is so much happening around London, and, if it’s free, you should definitely take advantage of that.

We hope this blog has helped you make up your mind about London life and studying maths at Queen Mary. We are looking forward to seeing you soon!

Anna Veldman, BSc Mathematics

 

 

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