Entering university as a first year student can be one of the most exciting, but terrifying experiences. Emotions are at a high and the nerves of being away from home in a new place can feel overwhelming. Taking care of your body and mind is important for reducing these nerves and helping you adjust to a new environment. It’s never going to be 100% easy, but these 10 tips can come in handy for incoming first years needing a little mental boost.
Talk To Your Flatmates
Some of the first people you will meet are the people you’ll be living with. Even if you don’t end up getting on very well, talking to and getting to know them can help you create some of your first connections and potential friendships for the year. Establishing ground rules and what you are or are not comfortable with can make the rest of the year go smoothly and help avoid later issues. Forming connections, as well as boundaries early in the year can help create a positive living environment early on.
Make Your Room Your Own
Having a comfortable room is key in creating a safe haven for particularly stressful or anxious days. Personal touches to your room can make it feel cosy and comforting after a long day. Just a few small posters, a plant, or pictures of friends can transform the room into your own for the year, and create an individual, private space to destress and recharge.
Make A First Week Meal
Learning to cook for yourself if you’ve never done so can be challenging, so building the skills to cook comfort meals is important. Making a meal in the first week can help ease the adjustment to living independently. Starting with the basics, such as pasta, rice, or soup, can help create a basic knowledge of cooking to build more dishes off of. Whether you are cooking just for yourself or to share with flatmates and friends, it can be a fun activity that helps build new skills.
Don’t Feel Pressured To Go Out
Although easier said than done amidst the rush of freshers week, going out isn’t the only way of enjoying yourself. Going out with new friends can be fun, but multiple nights in a row can be overwhelming. The experiences can be fun, but forcing yourself to go out if you’re feeling exhausted will just make them far less enjoyable. As things settle down after Freshers week, finding other things to do with friends can make other memories outside of the club.
Attend Tours and Freshers Week Events
Most universities hold freshers week events and tours throughout the first week, all of which can provide some valuable knowledge about the school and introduce first years. Freshers fayre, Q&A sessions, and campus tours allow for lots of mingling and have a lot of valuable information for incoming first years. Social events are important to take part in during the first week and provide various opportunities for meeting new people.
Join Societies
Events held during freshers week typically include opportunities to learn about the societies on campus, and in some cases a chance to try them out. Sports teams often hold sessions to introduce potential members to the sport and provide a chance to see if it peaks an interest. Joining any societies that seem interesting or exciting can introduce you to tons of new people with the same hobbies and interests. Even if the society ends up being something you’re not totally interested in putting time into, it can still be a great opportunity to socialise and meet new people.
Become Familiar With Campus And Your Classes
Whether through tours or independent wandering, learning where important buildings are on campus can help ease anxiety during the first week of classes. Checking where your first semester classes will be held makes it easier to navigate intimidating buildings on the first days of class. Becoming familiar with building layouts, how to access specific rooms, and the best routes to classes can make the first few weeks of class much less daunting, and make campus a familiar place.
Take Time To Yourself
Making time to be alone and relax during the first few busy months of university is important to maintaining a healthy balance of school, socialising, and recharging. Being able to be alone is an important skill, as it allows you to get to know your mind and what makes you comfortable. Picking up a hobby you can do alone, or even just finding a show you enjoy watching alone can help remove the pressure of constantly being surrounded by other people. A break from the busy life of a student can help increase motivation once you start work again, and recharge your mind for a new day.
Talk To Family And Friends
On particularly stressful days, talking to old friends and people who may know you best can be comforting and a reminder of home. Homesickness can kick in after the first few weeks, so having a connection to back home can help ease some of the sadness. New friends can be great for comforting, but keeping up with parents, grandparents, siblings, or old friends can help retain some of the comforts of home.
Remember Everyone is Dealing With First Year Nerves
The experience of being a first year student is never completely smooth. Despite the front people may put up on social media showing constant partying and gatherings, the vast majority of other students are dealing with first year nerves and difficulty adjusting. The transition can be difficult and there are times you’ll feel alone and anxious, but taking care of your mind and allowing yourself to make adjustments that bring more comfort than stress can make the experience better. No one has their life together in their first year, so allow yourself to do things for you, rather than following everyone else.