First year | Page 8 | UCAS

My first week at uni

Wed 4 October 2017 - 10:48

By Robyn in First year

I've successfully survived my first week at uni, and I'm absolutely exhausted from it. The first day was lovely and calm, when the people on my course and the tutors just sat in the main teaching room. We got free reign of the biscuits and the tea and coffee making facilities and we got to chat to everyone, figure out where we were all at and who specialised in what kind of photography. (Also we kind of figured out who our competitions were - which isn't a healthy business relationship). We got a long lunch, got lost a lot around the uni and found where we were meant to...

Student Hall Survival Guide

Wed 4 October 2017 - 10:42

By Lowri in First year

Hi! I’m Lowri, I am in my first year of University and have just moved into student halls. Now everyone has told you that when you first become a student and live in halls it’s going to be so much fun, and that you’ll meet loads of people and go out socialising all the time. BUT they never really tell you the things you’ll face and experiences you’ll have when you move in. So, I’ve made a small list of things you’ll come across while living in accommodation.

1. Noise

Obviously when you first move into your new accommodation you also come face to face with fresher’s week. This means lots of fresher’s events and parties. Now, if like me you have moved in right next to the student union, there WILL be noise....

On Studying History

Wed 20 September 2017 - 19:02

By Charlotte Stevenson in First year

When deciding on my modules for study abroad, there was a lot more freedom in choosing a variety of different topics. This is largely due to a cultural difference, because in the UK where students do one set degree pathway here in the Netherlands there are a variety of modules. It's kind of like pick n' mix - you have to get approval for the ones you choose from your teachers back in your home university, but you also get the opportunity to pick out some of your old favourites which you might not have come across for awhile so long, of course, as they remain fairly relevant and you can back up your choice.

For me, this meant choosing a lot of historical modules. I studied history up to A level, and part of the reason I decided to study literature at university is because it encompasses so much of history (with the addition of many other topics, from music to art). Yet I've always been curious about what it would have been like to...

September Favourites

Wed 20 September 2017 - 17:26

By Charlotte Stevenson in First year

It's that time again where I tell you my favourites of the month, everything from the books that have really stood out for me, to unique experiences or fun new songs. September has passed by so quickly up until this point, and I think this is largely because I am experiencing so much all at once, what with the whole study abroad situation as well as all of my own individual projects. It is an odd combination to have but one that continues on nevertheless.

In terms of new experiences, and re-discovering old ones, September has been packed full of them. I've seen so many new places, picked up new skills and learnt such a lot - particularly about writing. This past month, I've been working on more written projects than ever in order to develop and shape my voice further academically as well as beyond the classroom. The results so far have already started to pay off which I hope goes to show that hard work really does end up being your most...

Five Reasons To Study Abroad

Tue 12 September 2017 - 17:30

By Charlotte Stevenson in First year

Since I've moved away from the UK for a semester, there are lots of things which I both did and didn't expect in my new home. Living in the Netherlands is quite different from life at uni as I know it back in England, but this is an incredibly positive thing for many reasons.

So far on my journey I have learnt everything from how the Dutch swear in illnesses to the fact that I am always going to need to keep up on my reading with the standard 100 pages assigned every day. I've learnt that this is a city which stays afloat literally (with the help of specialised foundations buried deep in the earth) as well as metaphorically. This is a place of hard work, of determination and of freedom. The atmosphere is charged with something which makes me want to remain motivated enough to become the best version of myself there is. And it provides me with just enough joie de vivre that I don't spend all of my time in doors with my books.

For those of you considering a study...

University: Semester 1, Week 1

Sat 9 September 2017 - 14:42

By Charlotte Stevenson in First year

You know when they say that time goes fast? Well, I don't know exactly who they are, but they aren't wrong. Time is still something I am settling into here, but it is already starting to go too quickly in ways. I think this is because the work pace in the Netherlands is so different to what I am used to back home. Instead of having a lot of work here all at once, it is very much about pacing things across the weeks into smaller assignments with some bigger assignments which are a product of those at the end. But more on that in a second.

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Home, Packing + Saying Goodbye

Mon 21 August 2017 - 00:08

By Charlotte Stevenson in First year

Saying goodbye is always hard. It isn't my forte and yet in the past few weeks, I have found myself saying more goodbyes than I've been able to keep up with. Whether it be to those people I became friends with through Halle or the family I have always been so lucky to have, with each day and each goodbye comes a little bit more heart break. It's one of the only things I dislike about new opportunities and the need to move on because it means letting go of all the good things which have already been.

Today was my last day in England for another 4 months and I'm not quite sure how I feel about that yet. Leaving home, whilst not the most ceremonious of things now that I have done it a few times, makes me miss my childhood and the times when home was just one place that stood stock still. I miss when time ran into time which ran into time, and I was able to chase years whilst staying in the...

Two things that help smash through social anxiety at uni

Tue 15 August 2017 - 11:01

By Campus Society in First year

Not everyone is born confident. Moving away from home is a part of life that most people will encounter. Some university students may find the move an exciting and fresh start, whereasothers may see the experience as a terrifying proposition. If you find yourself in the latter camp, I'm here to tell you that this overwhelming feeling is perfectly normal.

It's difficult moving to a new environment, with new faces and a new daily routine, especially if you’re the only one out of your friends attending the university. I'm currently in this situation, and it does not help knowing I will have to adjust myself to whatever situation I will find myself in when I move to Lincoln.

Living with social anxiety can exacerbate the nerves already surrounding starting uni. In my case, I find it difficult being left in a shopping aisle alone when my mother ‘ditches’ me to get some veg from an aisle on the other side of the store. Other days, I find it difficult to make phone calls to...

How to manage life in a student house

Tue 15 August 2017 - 11:00

By Campus Society in First year

Viewing, packing, moving in, and decorating sounds like the most exhilarating thing, right? You're either prepared to start a new chapter of your life, or all hyped up for your second or third freshers, and hanging out with your mates all over again. It's such an exciting time of the year, but it's worth taking a minute to consider how you're going to manage your independence over the next year.

Those bills don't solve themselves
Unfortunate but true – the money involved in the rent isn't the only money you'll need to fork out. By keeping track of what you each owe per week or per month, it'll be so much easier when it comes to paying your letting agents. Keep emergency numbers, previous payments, and any necessary details together, somewhere all housemates can access. If someone has to file through every bit of discarded paper on top of the fridge to find out who to contact, or can't find necessary numbers because they're locked in Jonny's room, it can be a...

Ten essentials you don't realise you need to bring to uni

Mon 14 August 2017 - 11:13

By Campus Society in First year

There are some things you obviously need to take to uni – like clothes, shoes, and bedding – but here are ten things that might not seem so important, but, from experience, are essential.

Posters, pictures, and wall hangings
It might not seem like much of an 'essential', but trust me, it is. When you move into your room and look at the stacks of boxes and blank white walls, it's easy to get homesick. You don't want to feel like you're living in a hotel room for a year. Take posters and things to put on your walls. It's also a very good idea to take pictures of you with your friends and family, as most halls will have a corkboard where you can pin them up.

Wok
Take a good wok with you. This is a durable piece of kit that's great for a multitude of one-pot meals, perfect for cooking for one person, batch cooking, and all those endless stir fry meals you'll be making.

Dressing gown
The humble dressing gown. Hidden in its soft,...

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