The golden rules
1. Don’t be scared
It's perfectly natural to feel apprehensive about starting university, but everyone's in the same boat. Nobody knows anyone, nearly everyone feels homesick and everyone gets worried about starting their course and finding out they are really quite thick (you wouldn’t be there if that were actually the case).
Take advantage of such a unique situation to meet and bond with new people – support each other and at the end, you'll have become firm friends. University has become a modern rite of passage, but believe me, it's not half as scary as starting work.
2. Don’t spend it all at once
It can feel like Christmas when a large amount of dosh is dumped into your account at the beginning of term, but your student loan needs to last a good few weeks, so don’t go mad with it. There’s nothing more soul-destroying than having to struggle through end of term exams and essays, unable to afford so much as a can of Red Bull having spent all your money on designer jeans in the first week.
After suffering the agony of tussling with the application forms for the Student Loans Company, don't waste your precious loan, but rather plan how much you're going to have to spend each week, bearing in mind living costs such as rent and food. You should be able to feed and clothe yourself adequately: you won’t be able to manage gourmet meals, but you don’t have to live off beans on toast either. Fees may seem extravagant, but if your parents can’t support you financially you may be entitled to a lot more aid than you might realise. Make sure you research all the options.
3. Don’t expect creature comforts
For the majority of students before university, a magic fairy (aka their mum) tends to their every need. They led a charmed existence, never short of clean underpants, milk in the fridge or nutritiously balanced food. The wise will no doubt choose a university near home so they can continue to live in the manner to which they've become accustomed. This has considerable financial benefit, but they miss out on things too. The more adventurous will move away from home and face the prospect of fending for themselves.
First years are usually entitled to a place in the halls of residence, which is generally the cheapest and safest option. After the comforts of home, these places feel clinical, but there are ways to make yourself more comfy. Brighten up your room. Add posters, soothing music, drapes, a drinks fridge. Traffic cones are not obligatory.
4. Join in
Your studies are important, but so is your sanity and you need to get out. You need to strike the correct balance: you don’t have to barricade yourself in your room with your books in order to get a first, but on the other hand, don’t go crazy, becoming a social butterfly and neglecting your studies.
Branch out from the limited range of people living on your corridor. Talk to people on your course. Get involved in clubs and societies. Check out the freshers' fair; try to join things you're genuinely interested in and will stick to throughout the year rather than signing up for everything at once. Even if they are giving away free lollipops. Do things for pure enjoyment, not because you think it'll look good on your CV in a few years time. Be motivated.
Ultimately, university is like everything in life: you get out what you put in. You worked hard to get here, so make the most of it. If you work and play hard you'll pass your exams and have a blast. If you mooch about your room watching daytime TV you will waste a golden opportunity.
Last updated on: 19 March 2008