Transitioning to University: A Brief Guide
January 15, 2024
Starting university is a major transition – a new environment, new people, and new experiences to look forward to. This new stage in your life is an exciting chapter, but all the change can be overwhelming and the challenges you are bound to face can seem quite daunting and can lead to negatively impacting your mental health. That’s why knowing how to handle these situations when you’re starting university is so essential. This article outlines some of the common struggles that you may encounter when transitioning to university and how to navigate around them so that you can make the most of your experience without compromising on your well-being.
Making new friends
Taking the first step to say hi to someone might seem like the simplest task but can be extremely nerve-wracking. When starting university, especially within the first few weeks, just introducing yourself to your peers can go a long way. Here are some common worries when it comes to making new friends at university, and how you can overcome them.
Fear of rejection
To overcome this, it's important to remember that many students are in the same boat and also feel scared that their attempts to form new friendships will fall flat and lead to social embarrassment. Take the initiative to join societies and go to social events that align with your interests because chances are, the people there also share those interests, which makes them more likely to want to hold the conversation and be friends with like-minded people like you.
Superficial friendships
Not all friendships you make at university (or in life for that matter) will be deep and meaningful. The key is to focus on quality over quantity. To deepen your friendships with the right people, invest time getting to know them on a more personal level and invite them to places, activities or events that you both enjoy. This is a great way to bond with your friends by creating new memories together and showing to them that you are genuinely interested in their lives and want to spend time with them.
Being isolated from your flatmates
If you are living in a student accommodation with shared spaces with your flatmates, it is a perfect opportunity to make some new friends. To encourage conversations to flow with your flatmates, try to leave your door open as much as possible or hang up a friendly sign on your door to welcome people passing by to stop and say hi. Or likewise, you can knock on your flatmates’ rooms and introduce yourself as their neighbour. If making that first move seems too daunting, try hanging out or studying in the communal areas – someone is bound to walk in there sooner or later! Also, chances are your flatmates are the first people you interact with at university, so asking your flatmates if they would like to explore the campus/ town with you or go to freshers' events together can help you feel less isolated when integrating into the university with no solid friendships built yet.
Attending lectures/ seminars alone
Not all of the friends you make will be your all-rounded friends; you may have different friends you go with to nightclubs, society events etc., that may not be on your course. This might mean that you end up going to your course lectures and seminars alone – which is perfectly fine! To make course-mates, try to sit next to people in your classes and ask them how they’re finding a specific assignment or module you both do; this can give you a great way to suggest studying and attending lectures together.
Work-life balance
Between attending lectures and seminars, completing assignments, partying, making new friends, and joining societies, time management is a skill you will naturally need to develop. With so much going on at university, especially in the first few weeks, maintaining a healthy work-life balance is crucial to avoid burnout and enhance overall well-being. Here are some tips to help achieve this balance.
Make a timetable
Scheduling
Establish a schedule that includes dedicated time for studying, attending classes, and completing assignments, while also allocating time for self-care and leisure activities. There are various timetable apps you can download or templates online you can use. An efficient way to construct your timetable is by scheduling study periods during times when you will be most productive. For example, some students study best in the morning as soon as they wake up, whereas others study best straight after lectures once they’ve gotten ‘in the zone’. It’s also important that when your timetable gets busy you don’t disregard the time you’ve set for self-care; giving yourself a break and prioritising yourself is a necessity to doing well and keeping up your efficiency!
Prioritise your health
Proactively looking after your physical and mental health is key to maximising an effective work-life balance. By incorporating exercise, proper nutrition, and sufficient sleep into your routine, you will feel more energetic, reduce the likelihood of illness (though freshers' flu is notoriously inescapable), and improve your mental well-being, meaning you won’t fall behind academically or miss out on any fun with friends!
Utilise university support
Remember: the university is there to help you! Take advantage of campus resources such as study groups, academic and well-being support services, and time-management workshops. These can aid you in balancing your studies and personal life by helping you set manageable and achievable goals and provide you with the skills to get into good organisational habits and avoid procrastination.
Manage your part-time job
Many students starting university may have or feel the need to get a part-time job or volunteering experience whilst they are studying. Whilst this can be beneficial in many ways, it adds extra strain when you are trying to maintain a healthy work-life balance and could lead to you compromising on the more important aspects of your university life. To avoid this, consider cutting down the hours you work so that your job is manageable and doesn’t interfere with your studies. You may also want to consider getting a more flexible or self-employed job that isn’t as taxing on your schedule.
Independent living
Living away from your family and being self-sufficient is a major step into adulthood. This is why moving away from university is a great opportunity to learn how to live independently and work out this essential life skill in a supportive environment where everyone else is in the same boat as you.
Establishing a routine
Most students would have lived with family before transitioning to university, meaning they would have had to adjust their routines to fit with their house members. Living independently at university typically involves a change in routine from the one you are used to. Having a routine whilst living independently at university will help you maintain a structure and maximise your productivity. Start by setting a consistent wake-up time and bedtime to regulate your sleep schedule. Plan your day by allocating specific time slots for classes, studying, meals, and self-care activities. A tip when establishing a routine is to use a to-do list to help you plan what tasks need to do during the day.
Housework
It is important to recognise and incorporate chores and ‘housework’ into your routine. This includes meal planning, buying groceries, tidying/ cleaning, and washing. Building a habit of keeping on top of housework early on when you move to university will help make it feel less like a chore and more part of your routine.
Utilising your freedom
Having your own space also comes with the ability to use it freely. A useful tip is to assign certain spaces for specific purposes. For example, using your bedroom as a place for self-care, sleep, and relaxation, and using communal areas for socialising or studying. This will help you create mental boundaries of what space is associated with what type of activity you want to engage in, giving you a structured utilisation of your living space.
Managing finances
Leaving home inherently requires you to learn how to handle your money and spend it wisely - this is crucial to your health, well-being, and lifestyle as a whole. Managing your finances for the first time can be incredibly intimidating, whether you’re receiving it through your student loans, parents, job etc., it’s ultimately your responsibility to make that work and last. The university community is one of the best places to make mistakes and learn from them as the student support network is built to guide you through these new challenges effectively, while also being surrounded by other students who potentially have experience with the same struggles and worries. Here are some main points regarding finances whilst you are at university.
Source of finance
First and foremost, everyone’s sources of finance at university will differ. Whether your money is coming from student finance, your parents, your income/ savings, grants, or a combination of these, it’s important to recognise that you are still accountable for this money, regardless of whether you are receiving it from a third party or whether you fund yourself. Starting to build a habit of financial responsibility is a key life skill you can start practising at university.
Awareness of your economic position
At university, you meet and interact with a wide range of people, generally from a similar age group, from across the UK and internationally. In turn, you will be exposed to students from different socioeconomic backgrounds than yourself. It is crucial to be aware of these differences, and not allow them to change your perspective on your peers or yourself and your financial situation, as comparison isn’t healthy, nor is discrimination acceptable. This will help you embody an empathetic, understanding, and inclusive mindset by recognising the diversity of economic backgrounds among students. It helps to break down barriers and challenges stereotypes or assumptions about financial situations. Awareness of your economic position can help you make informed decisions about budgeting, financial aid, and resource utilisation. It also enables you to be sensitive to the needs and limitations of others, avoiding judgment or exclusion based on economic disparities.
Budgeting
Spending smartly by having a budgeting guide or plan you follow can help you spend mindfully, ensuring that your money lasts until your next payment. Being conscious of where you spend your money weekly as well as being clear on your priorities can prevent you from financial stress and/or going into your overdraft. A popular concept is the ‘50/30/20’ rule, meaning 50% of your allowance goes towards the essentials (e.g., rent, groceries, utilities etc.), 30% goes towards things you want but don’t need (e.g., social events, hobbies, treats etc.), and lastly, 20% is stored away in savings. Various methods can be utilised to track your spending such as calculating your weekly budget using apps or budget spreadsheets online. Remember to be realistic in your limits! Saving is not essential, but it’s always good to have a stash of money available for emergencies. Some ways you can think about saving money or having money to save is by opening a savings account, using student discounts (available on apps such as UniDays and StudentBeans), or setting up a credit card and taking advantage of the benefits they have to offer (like discounts and cashback).
Transitioning to university can be quite a demoralising and scary experience, from making new friends, getting to grips with your work-life balance, settling into independent living, and figuring out how to manage your finances. It can be intimidating to suddenly have so much responsibility – over money, your social life, your health, wellbeing etc. which is exactly why university is the perfect environment for exposure to adulthood.
It’s exciting to have copious amounts of freedom; it can be liberating and empowering to be able to explore your identity freely and to create your routine personally tailored to your desired lifestyle and ways of productivity. This will undoubtedly come with a level of challenges as it can generate a lack of structure and stability, which is where it becomes your responsibility to keep yourself stimulated and busy. Similarly, where there is the freedom to spend how you want, there are in turn the consequences of spending irresponsibly. However, making mistakes is part of the learning curve as you find your way through this new milestone.
Take advantage of the various student support systems both online, like this article, and on your university campus – university staff understand that it isn’t an easy nor straightforward process and will equip you with advice, guidance and expertise from people who have experience with the same struggles. Transitioning to university is a critical time in your life with many highs and lows but with the support systems in place, information at your fingertips and the knowledge that everyone in some way or another is in the same boat as you can be comforting, and it's best to experience this for the first time now rather than later.
For support on transitioning to University visit Mindsum.