When starting university, what do you need to know? Our advice covers student finance, leaving home, studies and socialising. Good luck!
If you’re due to start university soon, you might feel a wide range of different things. You might feel nervous, excited, anxious, raring to go, or any combination of these feelings and more. But a few simple strategies and a bit of knowledge can help ensure you have the best time possible.
Here are nine of our top tips for starting off on the right foot when you start at university.
Learn the skills for independent living
For many people, university is the first time they’ve ever lived away from home. Aside from the emotions this can bring up, from sadness at leaving your family to excitement at having more independence, it can also create anxieties around the things you’ll need to do for yourself for the first time.
If you haven’t already, make the time to brush up on important life skills before you go to uni. Ask a family member or someone else you trust to show you how to cook basic meals, do your own laundry, keep a space clean and hygienic, and pay bills. And speaking of bills…
Money matters
Money is tight for many students, but financial woes can derail your entire university experience. Before you go, make sure you have an understanding of managing money, budgeting, ensuring bills are paid, and watching your spending.
We recommend making a monthly budget. Here’s a basic outline to get you started – just fill in the numbers and add any additional income or expenditure you may have.
| Income | Expenditure |
| Student finance (loans/grants): £ | Rent: £ |
| Parental support: £ | Bills/utilities: £ |
| Part-time job: £ | Food: £ |
| Bursaries/scholarships: £ | Transport: £ |
| Books and uni supplies: £ | |
| Entertainment/going out: £ |
You might not know exactly what these numbers will be yet, but you can at least make an educated guess. Update your budget as you learn more about your actual expenses and income.
Wherever possible, keep some cash aside for emergencies. You never know when your laptop might pack up or when you might have to get a last-minute train ticket home.
Find your people
You can make friends for life at university. But don’t assume that the first people you meet will necessarily be the people you click with. If you’re living in halls of residence, your housemates might turn out to be your new best friends… or you might have little in common with them. Either way is okay and normal.
You can find the people you have the most in common with by joining clubs or societies, getting to know your classmates who are doing the same course, and just remaining open to chance meetings with interesting people. We know people who met their closest friends by striking up a conversation with the person next to them at the bar or browsing the same section of the library.
You can even meet people before you arrive at uni thanks to social media. Check out relevant hashtags, Facebook groups, or forums for people starting at your university. If you click with someone online, you can meet up when you get to campus.
Work hard straight away
You might hear that the first year of university doesn’t really “count.” While that can be technically true – many courses don’t count first year results towards your final grade – it’s a bad way to approach university. Instead of seeing your first year as an excuse to slack off, view it as an opportunity. If you get into good habits in your first year, they’ll carry you through your entire degree, especially when those results do start counting.
So work hard right from the start. Attend all the lectures and classes on your timetable, take notes, keep up with your reading, and do your homework. It will pay off.
Expect it to be hard
University is an amazing experience and is supposed to be fun, rewarding, and enjoyable. But it is also challenging, especially when you first start. Don’t panic if you feel homesick, struggle to connect with people, or find your academic work harder than you imagined. All of this is normal.
Encountering these difficulties, or any others, doesn’t mean university isn’t for you. It just means you’re going through a normal adjustment period. Give yourself permission to feel however you feel, and don’t be afraid to reach out to others for support. You might find many of your classmates or flatmates are feeling the same way.
Going in with realistic expectations about university life will set you up for success. Expecting it to be easy will leave you disappointed and disillusioned.
Explore the campus and area
University campuses can be huge and sprawling. During the first few weeks, take the time to explore yours. Not only will this ensure you can always find the right classroom or the library when you need it, it will also help you to learn about what amenities and facilities are available to you. We know many students who didn’t know that their campus had a particular facility for weeks or months!
Explore the town, city, or local area, too. Ensure you know where essential amenities, such as the nearest supermarket, GP surgery, and public transport links, are located. You might also want to look out for interesting cafes or restaurants, nightlife, museums, arts and cultural spots, and outdoor spaces. Ask a friend, classmate, or flatmate to join you and turn it into a fun bonding activity.
Join clubs and societies
Many universities have a Freshers’ Fair, where you can learn more about and sign up for student clubs and societies. You will likely find sports clubs, arts activities (such as music and theatre), networks for people who share a particular identity (such as international students or LGBTQ+ people), niche hobby or interest clubs, and more.
At this stage, go along to anything that looks interesting. Many people join lots of clubs during Freshers’ Week and eventually find two or three that they stick with. Many will offer taster sessions, where you can go and try out the activity before you decide if you want to join or not.
Look after your physical health
The “Freshers’ Flu” is a cliche for a reason. Many people really do get sick in their first term at university. You can minimise your chances of getting ill by looking after your physical wellbeing.
This means eating a balanced diet (no, beans on toast for every meal doesn’t count), consuming alcohol in moderation if you drink, getting some exercise, and making sure you get enough sleep. This might not seem fun, but your immune system will thank you.
Most importantly, enjoy it
Your university years will go by in a flash. Enjoy it as much as you can, work hard, and believe in yourself. Good luck!
