What YOU Need To Get Through University

As a student, university was like heading into the unknown. What should I expect, feel and do were all thoughts racing through my mind pre-university. Do not feel uneasy if you don’t know what to expect and that worries you. Unless you have a few friends a year or two older, it’s completely normal to experience a flurry of thoughts and feelings at different moments leading up to your first day, as you naturally don’t know what to expect.

Trust me, it is unfortunately much more nerve-wracking if none of your friends are going to the same university. You want to be heading into a new experience with people you know around you.

Having just finished my first year, I can honestly say my experience was unexpected - in a good way! I managed to make new friends easier than anticipated, the coursework was less challenging than expected (doesn’t mean it is easy!!), and the overall year was much more enjoyable than my mind was telling me it would be… maybe that’s partly due to the year being cut short as a result of covid-19 😅. Jokes aside, I thoroughly enjoyed first year - surprisingly.

Without going on a tangent into my experience so far, here are a few important things that can help you get through university - or the first year at least!


1) Have a balanced work-life balance. This is crucial, and honestly, it made a huge difference for me. Balancing life equally with professional work, university work, and a social life is a huge stress reliever. You won’t regret the importance of finding a nice balance. Don’t overwork yourself and don’t avoid putting in the work either!

2) Have the determination to get your degree. You are here now, so don’t waste this opportunity! You will have a greater sense of achievement and overall mood if you are working hard, and more importantly, reaping the rewards. Never lose focus to the reason why you are at university. Linking to the above point, find a manageable work-life balance, but don’t forget why you are there!

3) You need a strong support group. This is important in any situation in life. It is helpful to have people around you anytime you are feeling overly stressed, need any advice, or are struggling with any work. A strong support group in and out of university is ideal, but as long as you have people around you… that is the main thing! Particularly building up a strong set of acquaintance relationships is important and cannot be underestimated. Have people around you to help one another throughout university!

Do you feel more at ease now? These tips are just my opinion based on my first year at uni, but I honestly think these are key factors which can contribute to a successful experience at university. Go to university with an open mind and a willingness to improve yourself - be that relationships and knowledge.

My advice: Enjoy yourself AND work hard!