Going into university?
Diving headfirst into higher education can be a daunting task. Between picking your school and figuring out the financials, it can be easy to forget the basic preparation you need before your first class. I’m here to help you out! I’m writing this during the final week of my first year at university to share helpful tips for incoming freshmen preparing to start their own journey. Some of these recommendations will be obvious, however it can always be helpful to have some reminders in the midst of all of the registration chaos!
Digital vs. traditional note taking
Choosing how you’re going to be taking down notes through your course is essential before you even start orientation. Digital notes for revision can be taken through your laptop’s pre-installed notes app, separated into individual folders for each class or topic. Beyond the basic apps, you can also take advantage of other softwares. If you need a non-subscription based recommendation, I would suggest Google Keep or Notion as wonderful and free options, both with individual organisational features. The advantage of digital study material is that you can transfer it between devices (helpful for studying on the go!) and add photos or direct quotes easily to aid your comprehension of certain topics.
On the other hand, some will find that you simply cannot beat the original, tried-and-true method of note taking: pen and paper. As somebody who naturally gravitates towards this approach, I direly wish I could have gone back in time to stop myself from just buying a few notebooks for this. If I could redo my back-to-school shopping, I would have invested in 1-2 good quality binders with lots of notebook paper and dividers with folder pockets. With notebooks, I found myself eventually mixing class notes in with each other, making revision difficult as the information was scattered across several books. The option of folders also helps keep any paper handouts safe and easily accessible. If you prefer a notebook instead of a bulky binder, I would advise you to pick one that still is divided into multiple sections for ease of locating subjects.
The power of a to-do list
Never underestimate a simple to-do list to help you along with completing both daily tasks and schoolwork you’re prone to procrastinating on. Using a list as a student is so helpful because it keeps everything you need to do in one place. If you add to it as you’re assigned new tasks you won’t have to worry about accidentally forgetting something until the night before it’s due. Along with that, you can split your lists into sections, planning your study sessions helps you use your time better. You know exactly when and what you’re studying, which makes it way easier to stay on track and avoid that last-minute cramming. It feels great to check things off too! You can even set up a reward system for each completed task.
A helpful trick I’ve learned recently is to make a list of all your tasks if you tend to put things off until the last minute. Then, when you catch yourself procrastinating on one task, switch to something else that’s less demanding but still important. That way, you stay productive even when you’re avoiding the harder stuff. Procrastinate efficiently!
meal prepping
If you’re like my friends and me, you’ll find that in your first year of school you end up getting takeout or fast food much more than you were expecting to. This not only can throw a wrench in your daily schedule or physical health but also your bank account. It’s easy to resort to that method of eating when you’re still adjusting to your new lifestyle and independence, but you’ll find that if you carve out at least 30 minutes a week to plan out your groceries and cooking, both your wallet and body will be thanking you in the future.
Start by deciding what your goals and preferences are regarding your food intake- are you going to try any new diets or styles of cooking? Write out a list of your usual groceries, easy snacks for long days of schoolwork and quick meals you can make after those long days. Whether you cook all your meals for the week at once to grab on your way out the door or just plan your groceries to make meals easily, you will save time and reduce stress later. Don’t forget to take your accommodation into consideration! Some may have a full kitchen or just a kitchenette, either way there are plenty of options to get you through the school year with a full stomach.
utilising student discounts
Depending on where your university is located, there will almost assuredly be at least a few local things you can get at a discount with your newfound title as a student. For those living in London, the most important thing I could stress is making sure your Oyster and Railcard for TFL (Travel for London) are set up as soon as possible. This will save you immense amounts of money throughout your time in your course when using the trains. Additionally, there are multiple places that offer student discounts on food, drinks, and theatre tickets if you do some digging on your area. Many grocery stores such as Morrisons offer discounts for students when presented with a valid ID at select locations as well, which can come in handy when doing that meal prep shopping ;).
Join that club!
Joining clubs as a new student is an awesome way to feel more at home in a new school. It gives you a chance to meet people who like the same things you do, whether it’s art, baking, gaming, or something else. Plus, it helps you feel like you’re part of something, rather than sinking into solitude while you’re still deciding who to surround yourself with in your new environment. Clubs can also make school more fun and give you a break from just thinking about coursework all the time.
Making friends in general is such a big part of enjoying school. Having people to talk to, laugh with, or even just sit with in between classes makes a huge difference. Friends can be an amazing support system, especially when things get stressful or when you’re still figuring things out. The cool part is, you don’t need a huge group to get through your first year, even only a few close friends can make school feel a lot less overwhelming or lonely.