Jumping back into my comfort zone of lifestyle based blog posts, last week I began my first week of classes at university studying a marketing degree. I'm just going to jump straight into it with some things that I learnt.
You get less support and help from your lecturers, but you have a lot more time to figure out how you work best. All of your tutors understand that you are not going to stay locked up 24/7 and never enter a club or bar. They even encourage you to get out!
Take an iPad or laptop to your seminars, quite often you will need to access online material, you don't want to have to do this on your phone.
Take an iPad or laptop to your seminars, quite often you will need to access online material, you don't want to have to do this on your phone.
Everyone is in the same position as you; nobody has done this course before, everyone is suffering from leaving home in some way, one of the thousands of people around you will have had the same admin issues as you! You will always have at least one person to relate with.
When they say "you can't be in the seminar unless you've done the extra reading" you know that they mean it. This may seem a bit scary, but it means that there isn't going to be any double standard and that you get a lot more from your time with them.
If you have an issue with someone, you have to get over it, in 3 of my 4 classes I have been given group discussions or a group presentation. I keep having to go by the whole "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all" situation. Also if you have been given certain positions; sports teams, partnered projects, extra curricular activities... knowing your luck, you will be paired with that one person that you can't help but roll your eyes at.
Mind maps are your saviour! I use them for shopping lists, to-do do lists, planning blog posts, research ideas, essay planning... everything.
Mind maps are your saviour! I use them for shopping lists, to-do do lists, planning blog posts, research ideas, essay planning... everything.
You don't have infinite free time. You may only have 12 hours of classes a week, but you really do use all of the 9 and a half hours of private study per class that they recommend. Personally my course is meant to take 50 hours a week of my time, and I totally believe that once I start my dissertations and summative assessments, it will take at least that amount of time.
When you move in, take a hoover with you! In my house, the hoover is shit, it really is. meaning that I cant hoover my floor and my socks turn black within seconds of wearing them.
If you don't have a diary, get one.
If you don't make an impression as someone that wants to learn, you won't feel engaged at all in the topic, if you make an effort the lecturers will too. So put hour hand up and answer a question, even if it is in front of 250 people in a lecture hall.
'Freshers flu' is no myth, just suck it up and accept it.
This post may be a little random, but all these things are collective points that you might not know about uni.
Don't forget to follow my twitter feed here
Ciao, Lauren
This post may be a little random, but all these things are collective points that you might not know about uni.
Don't forget to follow my twitter feed here
Ciao, Lauren