Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before I Started University:

Hello lovely people!! Long time no see!!

Man, these past 4 months have been crazy!!

So as you probably don’t know, I started University!! WHAAAT?? I know, crazy right, last year I was a shy high school student, and now I’m going to University!! To be honest, I can’t really get over it myself either.

You know, I should have written this post 3 weeks ago, when I was on mid semester break, but as you know, it’s a break, and what was I doing?? Hibernating that’s what. Storing up on sleep for the second half of this semester, although two days in, I began to remember that that’s not quite how it works. hahaha

Anyways, I suppose I should take this post to talk about my first impressions of university and things I wish people had told me before I started. But first let me establish that I am currently studying a Bachelor’s of Education specialising in Primary school Education!! Woooo!!

Things I wish someone had told me before I started University:

In orientation week, talk to as many new people as possible. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people, rather than waiting till classes start and having to make awkward conversation. I wish I had gotten over my shyness for just that week and talked to as many people as possible. Now it’s extremely awkward to talk to people for no apparent reason, although I wish it wasn’t.

Take the first few weeks to establish yourself. Don’t feel too overwhelmed by what’s going on and everything, thousands of other people are going to be in the same boat as you, so don’t be scared, just take your time and have fun. This is really big for me, because even as it’s nearing the end of semester one already, I’m still a bit all over the place especially when it comes to assignments and stuff. Don’t worry too much, everything will be fine!! The lecturers totally understand that you’re a first year and that you’re still trying to get yourself orientated. Just relax a bit!!

Find the student services people and talk to your lecturers if you need help. I am quite a shy person and I wish that I had taken time to talk to the lecturers more about the work. I should have emailed them and asked if I could meet them outside of class time!!

Join at least one club. Have a social life where you hang out with people who like the same stuff you do!! Step out of your shell and do something new like join the cosplay club or the bonsai growing club. Yes, that exists.

So many people told me that university is so different from high school but they never actually specified in what way. I wish that they had told me that you have to be far more independent, because the shock was a lot for me. It’s not that I can’t be independent, it’s so different from high school in that, you have to sort out a lot of your work yourself rather than the lecturers telling you. In highschool they’d say, “read chapter 5 of the textbook by Monday” but in university, in the first lecture, they’re like “look in your semester course book (HEH HEH HEH)” and they don’t tell you anything else.

Ah well, I’ve nearly made it to the end of my first semester of university and it’s been insane!!! All I’ve got left is exams!! To be honest I am quite scared, just because it’s my first ever set of university exams and I have no idea what to expect from it!!! But I’m just going to give it my best and not set my expectations of myself too high because after all, I’m just trying to get through this first semester doing the best I can and getting used to university life. I’ll let you all know how it goes!!!

Have a great week guys!!