The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.
Student life is an experience which is likely to stay with you for the rest of your life – and hopefully for the right reasons. Not only will you get chance to learn and expand your mind – which is, after all, the main reason you’re supposed to be there – but you’ll also have the opportunity to meet new people and generally to develop as a person. However, it’s worth remembering that some new students really do struggle to adapt to begin with, and many simply give up on their studies altogether. Here are a few tips you might want to bear in mind if you’re getting ready to go away to university.
Explore your new home
It’s easy to find yourself at a loss when you first start out at university – you’re probably in a strange place where you don’t really know anyone. This is why it’s worth getting out and exploring your new surroundings; after all, you’re probably going to be there for at least a few years. The best place to start is your campus, so take a walk around and see it for yourself. It’s also worth looking for recommendations, so if you know anyone who can help you with your efforts to adjust then don’t be afraid to ask them whether they have any useful tips for places to go or sights to see. Obviously, you’ll also need to work out whether your lecture venues and library are, to start with.
Students aren’t generally renowned for their culinary abilities, but it’s a good idea to brush up on your cookery skills before you head off to university – because they’re likely to come in very useful. There’ll probably be times when you find yourself strapped for cash, and the ability to be creative with a limited variety and small quantity of ingredients could be very handy indeed. Pick up a few cookery books to provide you with some useful ideas. You should find there are plenty of cookery books aimed specifically at students, so these are likely to be particularly invaluable as you start out on your new life as a student.
Add a personal touch your accommodation
Student digs can often be a bit Spartan and dreary to look at, so it’s up to you to add your own personal touch. This should help to brighten things up a little. It shouldn’t take much money, just a bit of imagination – even if you only put a couple of posters up, you should soon start to notice the difference. You might also want to consider bringing your own duvet from home, as the standard-issue bedding is often not terribly comfortable.
Hold a flatwarming party
It might also be worth organising a flatwarming party to kick things off. Not only does this give you an opportunity to meet people from the surrounding area, but it can also help you bond with the rest of your flatmates as well. However, be careful not to antagonise the neighbours – even in student areas, there’ll be a lot of people who have work and family lives of their own to lead, so try to avoid disturbing them in the small hours of the day. Getting off to a bad start with your neighbours can be a real nightmare if you’re living of campus, so try to maintain good relations.
Remember that it’s usually difficult to deal with the transition at first, but you’ll most likely grow to love it if you follow these steps. Making the decision to return to school is huge, and it’s something you should be proud of yourself for going through with. However, a poor living situation may dramatically reduce your ability to perform in classes. You can always go back to school online if the dorms aren’t right for you. You can achieve several degrees, such as a Master of Science in Health Care Administration, from the comfort of your own home if dormitory life isn’t your cup of tea. This can be a perfect fit for individuals who work full time at a health care clinic and only have nights and weekends available. Going back to school will show your employer how much you can be a benefit to them, especially in the medical field.
Contributed by Lauren Jones, a university graduate from Manchester Metropolitan University. Lauren massively misses student life and regularly blogs on the subject. Would’ve been lost when starting university if it wasn’t for Mansion Student.
