I was in this position 1 year ago. I was so excited to go to University but so scared at the same time as I did not know anybody going to the same University or on the same course as me so this was extremely daunting. I did not know what to expect, whether I would like it, the work load.. anything! I have googled the top 5 fears of University and I am going to try to help you overcome those fears and what you can do in order to not feel this way!
Will I make any friends? Yes, yes you will! Before I even started University I had found people on my course through Facebook groups (I started with the Freshers page asking if anyone was studying my course and people commented in which I was then invited to the official Facebook page for my course). In Freshers, you normally have a scheduled timetable of events to go to. An example is that my friend Robyn (who I made firm friends with on Facebook and offered to drive her home during Freshers) also made friends with other people on the internet and we were all able to come together and I made firm friends with all of them! You can also use The Student Room to find people in your flat or course. As you change classes and see knew people, there will mostly be a time when you're still with someone you know so just ask if you can sit with them in the seminar, they are probably hoping the same thing! Then the people you sit next to will become your friends, even the people in your presentation groups who are all now really good friends of mine! Another idea is also join societies you are interested in. I did not actually join any as there wasn't a society for me but if there is one for you, join up and even get a friend to join you too (even if they're on another course) as you will make more and more friends as the weeks progress. If you are living away from home, leave your bedroom door open when moving in. Most people will come in and say hi and introduce themselves but even if nobody does, don't fret.. everyone will more than likely be in their communal living space or common room meeting other people so join in when you're ready! If people are greeting you then make sure that other people are okay too, if you see someone stressed or worried, offer them a smile and a cup of tea.. it's something they wont forget.
Missing Home? Don't worry about it just yet if it hasn't happened, you never know how you will feel when you get there. Just think of how exciting the prospect of university is! If you move away from home, this does usually happen at some stage though. Just make sure to keep in regular contact with people from home and bring things with you to remind you of your parents/friends/boyfriend/pets. Also take home comforts such as pictures, a throw, towels, chest of drawers.. anything that reminds you of home (as long as it fits of course!). Try not to miss it to much, try and concentrate on other things are you that are going on and if you do start to miss home and are able to, buy a train ticket home for a few weeks in advance to give you something to look forward too. If there is an upsetting day for you when you'd rather be home, be home for it, don't let yourself get too worked up or stressed as it can really drain and tire you out and will not only affect your work but your own being too.
Will I be able to afford everything? Thanks to student loans, most people are able to live off what they are given by the Government but unfortunately, the amount you're entitled to is based on the area in which you live and your parent's income. First off, work out a budget a week (a good indicator on this can be calculated online) and make sure you can afford everything, if not there will need to be some cut backs or you will need to get a part time job. If you already have a part time job before going to University but have your exams coming up, don't quit your job! Ask your bosses politely whether or not it would be okay to cut your hours all together or reduce them for 3 weeks leading up to your exams and during them and have your normal hours back afterwards. If this is not an option for you, ask for all of your hours to be fit into a couple of days of the week or ask people to swap shifts to cater to your revision. If you are moving away, make sure everything is working so you will not need to replace anything and make sure you take all of the necessities and not to forget anything. Take full advantage to student discounts though, they can make so much difference in the long run!
Can I handle the workload? For my course, I only attend university for 9 hours out of a week and I am asked to read 2 hours worth of reading a night which I do not do (woops) but honestly, you are not thrown in at the deep end and are eased into university work and the differences between college and university. The truth is, you're not going to be spoon fed at university like college. If you do not have a pen or paper, they are not going to give it to you.. be it an exam or a lecture, it is your responsibility. If you are juggling a lot of different things, make yourself a timetable. My course, thankfully, is not very weighty on the workload and most of the time we do not need to do anything for seminars but what is slightly stressful is the revision or other assignments. Exams at University can also be a bit more formal than at college, just depends on what your lecturer is like! If you're reading this now and are planning on applying for University, research the University exam time table for your chosen course. My assignments were thankfully spread out over the year and I only had 2 exams. I also only had 2 presentations, 1 NVivo assessment and 7 essays. My friend at a different university has 6 exams in the space of 10 days though!
Is this course/university the right thing for me? I can not tell you that I am afraid but for me, I do not think it was the right decision for myself. The course is not what I expected but I love my University. If you are having second thoughts, contact UCAS as they will be able to help you by putting you through Clearing for a different course or you may be able to contact the University direct and get things changed that way. If you have started the course and dislike it, you can also easily change. During the first year, your assessment marks do not count to your degree so you are able to move course and university after your first year and you also may not have to do your first year again.. there are always different paths you can take so don't fear!
