Things i wish i'd known before and during university!

It's that time of year again where those that have secured their places at university will be getting ready to pack up their lives and move onto an exciting new chapter, leaving behind everything they've ever known. The thought of that might be daunting and uncertain, but as someone who has experienced it first hand, trust me, it's going to be a blast!

If you are going to uni, the first thing to mention is, there will ups and downs to everything, especially when it comes to moving away from home, your friends and your comfort zone. You're basically starting an entire new life, in a different city, living with people you've never met, so i've compiled a few things that i wish I'd known before and during being at uni.

1. Almost everyone is in the same boat you

The majority of the people that you meet when you move in are likely to be in the exact same situation as you. They have probably never lived away from home, been away from friends for an extended period of time and they definitely haven't cooked for themselves every night for longer than a week! So don't panic. Everyone else will be asking each other how long you're supposed to cook a jacket potato for, because lets be honest...no one really knows.

2. Don't force yourself to go out when you'd rather chill out in bed

One thing that I learnt very early on during my first year of uni, was that going out every night of the week becomes dull, very quickly. Not because you aren't enjoying the company of your friends anymore (they're still fab af) but when you're in a cycle of being drunk every night and hungover every day, you end up being a miserable little bitch with an attitude problem like no other. And trust me on this, taking a night off watching Netflix with a pizza feels like absolute heaven.

3. Money runs out FAST, be sensible with your $$$

If you're receiving student loans or grants then you'll likely have a huge sum of money thrown at you to do what you like with. Sounds amazing right, all that free money? But remain calm pls because you're going to have to pay the majority of it back. Not only that, but it's what you'll be living on for the next three months until you're given your next instalment. I learnt the hard way. I partied too hard and spent too much, and before I knew it I'd been at uni for a month and was already struggling to afford essentials. On another note, if you want to blow all the cash then go for it, just make sure you find yourself a part-time job (I ended up doing this later on in the year and it was the best thing I ever did).

4. Working hard in your first year DOES matter

You'll hear tons of stories about how your first year is purely for making friends, getting to know the city you've moved to and being a social butterfly. & yes, for the most part it is. But, you do still need to work hard for a lot of reasons...

a) You'll be more prepared for your 2nd year which will have a major impact on your overall grade

b) You do actually need to pass all the units in your 1st year to be offered a place the following year

c) You're paying £9,000 for this year alone. Surely you'll want to at least learn a few things for that
price?

Personally, the 9k tuition fee was enough for me to get my arse in gear and make the most of what my lecturers were teaching me- I wasn't perfect though. I did miss classes and go on nights out the day before deadlines, but you're a uni student, you're supposed to be a disappointment!

So there we go! Those few tips are there for you to do what you want with. I guarantee you'll have forgotten them during all the excitement of freshers, but who cares..YOU'RE A FREE ADULT. Be safe, enjoy uni and absolutely smash it!!!!