What I wish I’d known for my first year of uni
Starting a university degree can be quite a daunting task for most. With many worries and questions left unanswered, students often enter the first year feeling anxious and stressed. To ease those feelings for those starting their degree, here are some tips that I wish I knew in my first year of uni.
Making friends
Making friends can often be a big worry for many first-year university students. So how do you make friends at uni? Make sure you attend orientation week! This is the first place you will make contact with fellow students, and is the perfect time to get to know each other. It’s also best to remember that your peers are in the same boat as you – everyone is looking to make friends just as much as you are! Don’t be shy, reach out and make things happen!
Getting involved
Griffith University offers many different clubs, societies, sports teams and many other services that are great to get involved in. Another thing I wish I had known was how much getting involved in any of these can greatly improve your uni experience! I highly recommend getting involved in these activities early on in your degree. Not only are clubs and societies another great way to meet people and expand your social networks, but they seem to create an overall better university experience as it adds more excitement and joy beyond coming to campus for classes.
Endless support is on offer
In high school it is often stereotyped that once you make it to uni, you’re all alone and everything is on you. While it is our responsibility to make sure we study and complete our assignments on time, there is an endless amount services offered to support students in any way they need including medical, counselling, and wellbeing and financial. If you need help, whether it is involving assessments, personal issues or general enquires there is always someone who is there to help you, all you need to do is ask!
Creating good habits early
Stress and procrastination are challenges that often come with being a university student. Something important to consider being a first-year student is finding out what works best for you when it comes to studying and sticking to them. In my first year, I wish I made more of an effort in creating productive study habits that I used persistently throughout my degree as it would have decreased stress and built the foundations for a better study experience overall.
The best thing to do throughout your first year is to keep in mind that everyone is going through or has been through the same fears and feelings that you are going through right now. All you need to do is be open minded and make the most of what there is on offer to ensure that your uni experience is great!
By Shania Wood