Uni Update and Q&A!
So I've been at uni for a term now... I've actually managed to survive a term (well just about survive). If you didn't know already, when I first started uni back in the end of September, I wasn't the biggest fan of it; shall we say. I still don't know why I hated it so much... I think it was because I felt soooo out of my comfort zone and I didn't feel ready at all! I felt like someone had literally got my life in their hands and just chucked it up in the air.
All I kept seeing was people from my old school uploading Freshers pictures with their new flat mates on Facebook, looking like they were having the best time... whereas with me, it felt like I was living a nightmare! I had made some really good friends, but I guess because I don't live in halls, I'm not going to be as close to them as I would have if I lived with them 24/7; which is a natural feeling I guess?!
Whenever I expressed my feelings about Uni so far on social media, most people were really understanding and so supportive, except a handful (who don't realise that I actually saw what they were saying) who basically said that I wasn't 'allowed' to feel overwhelmed with uni, because I was still living in the comfort of my own home. However, this definitely is NOT the case! People experience things in different ways; some find it harder then others and that's ok. You shouldn't have to justify why you feel a certain way! I think this is what made me so overwhelmed and upset at the beginning of the term, because I had people telling me that I shouldn't be feeling this overwhelmed by it... so I just felt stupid!
After hours of 'arguing' with my family, crying down the phone to my friends, I finally decided that I was just going to 'stick it out' and see what happens!
A term in, I am finally feeling better about uni. Considering I was looking for jobs etc back in October, I'm pretty proud of myself that I made it through a term! I have completed my first presentation (in which I got a 1st in) and I've completed around 6-8 essays and reports (in which the ones I have been given back so far, I have achieved also a 1st); and I have finally made a nice group of friends that I can't wait to get to know more! I don't regret not moving away for uni AT ALL, if anything I'm glad I stayed at home! I needed the support from my family and friends, and I don't think I would've achieved such high grades if I had the distractions from living in halls.
So, I thought this would be a good time to do a little Uni Q&A for some of you who were maybe thinking about uni, are in the process of their UCAS applications (rather you than me ahha) or if you have already started uni and you'd just like to see what other people's experiences have been like!
Whenever I expressed my feelings about Uni so far on social media, most people were really understanding and so supportive, except a handful (who don't realise that I actually saw what they were saying) who basically said that I wasn't 'allowed' to feel overwhelmed with uni, because I was still living in the comfort of my own home. However, this definitely is NOT the case! People experience things in different ways; some find it harder then others and that's ok. You shouldn't have to justify why you feel a certain way! I think this is what made me so overwhelmed and upset at the beginning of the term, because I had people telling me that I shouldn't be feeling this overwhelmed by it... so I just felt stupid!
After hours of 'arguing' with my family, crying down the phone to my friends, I finally decided that I was just going to 'stick it out' and see what happens!
A term in, I am finally feeling better about uni. Considering I was looking for jobs etc back in October, I'm pretty proud of myself that I made it through a term! I have completed my first presentation (in which I got a 1st in) and I've completed around 6-8 essays and reports (in which the ones I have been given back so far, I have achieved also a 1st); and I have finally made a nice group of friends that I can't wait to get to know more! I don't regret not moving away for uni AT ALL, if anything I'm glad I stayed at home! I needed the support from my family and friends, and I don't think I would've achieved such high grades if I had the distractions from living in halls.
So, I thought this would be a good time to do a little Uni Q&A for some of you who were maybe thinking about uni, are in the process of their UCAS applications (rather you than me ahha) or if you have already started uni and you'd just like to see what other people's experiences have been like!
I met all of my friends in my tutor group... which is the group you have your tutorials in about the lectures you've just had. It's quite hard to meet people in lectures... 1: because barely anyone turns up 2: because you are in there for 50 mins in silence 'listening' to the lecturer, so you don't really get a time to talk to people.
Well, I don't know if I'm the right person to answer that question because I didn't really experience the freshers aspects of the uni social life. Most of the events were in parts of London that were not exactly the nicest of places to go by yourself... I would've had to travel by myself (because I didn't know anyone that well enough to go with them) and I just didn't really fancy it. Believe me, I love to go out and have a drink with my friends, but I guess because I had never met these people before, I didn't really feel comfortable going out and getting drunk with them ahha! It's different if you live in halls, because you've already met everyone in your flat and you can go back and forwards to the freshers events with them.
However, the social life at uni in general, so in tutorials, lectures etc etc I would say, just be yourself and the people who want to speak to you and get to know you will come up to you, vice versa. You have to make the effort to! Sit next to people who you wouldn't usually sit next to... say hi to literally anyone! One thing I love about uni is that everyone is friends with each other... there's no bitchiness (well to some extent) it's like one big family. I also love the fact that you're meeting new people ALL the time! One thing I would recommend to freshers is that you find some people on Facebook who are on your course and message them just saying hi, and that way it's easier to approach them face to face because you've already had that initial contact.
Freshers advice: Be prepared for your life to feel like it's been chucked up in the air for the first couple of weeks. You will be told millions of dates, deadlines etc... but just don't worry about them for now! It's not only you who is getting used to the whole aspect of uni, but the uni themselves are also getting used to a new crowd of people and they're constantly changing the way in which they work, in order to give you the best outcome! That's what the first year is for... none of the marks you get go towards your final degree (which is slightly annoying when you do a good bit of work haha)... the first year is just about building your confidence and getting you used to the way in which uni works.
I don't think there is anything I wish I had known before starting uni... I don't think anything can really prepare you for uni, as much as your previous school tries. Everyone feels different about uni and settles in at their own pace and in their own way.
I chose to go to Greenwich and to do Advertising and Marketing Communications BA Hons, because its close to home, easy to travel to by public transport and Greenwich is my favourite place... it has been since I was a toddler! Also, my sister has just graduated from there this year, on the same course with a 1st class degree, so I knew it was a good uni and also I have her to help me, which I am extremely grateful for!
And that is it for my Q&A and update about my uni life so far! It's been a tough few months, but I've managed to get through them and hopefully I am now more prepared for term 2 ... and when term 2 is over, I can have a long much needed summer... where I am hopefully going on holiday with a couple of friends, so that is something to look forward to and hopefully will make term 2 go so much quicker haha!
I'd like to thank, Georgia from Mapped Out Blog for giving me some really good advice at the beginning of this term at uni... the things you said really opened my eyes and encouraged me to push on through all the crap I was feeling! I'd also like to thank my sister and the rest of my family for helping me sooooo much with the first bits of work and just uni in general... not to mention keeping me happy through what was a miserable and stressful time. Kate, Macey and Nicole for having to listen to me cry down the phone for hours... sorry you had to put up with that but I guess that's what you get for being friends with an emotional wreck like me ;)
And thank you to EVERY ONE of you on Twitter and Instagram and on here, for keeping me happy and positive and just being the best little blogging friends on the planet... I love you all!
I hope you liked this post and I hope it helped some of you!
I didn't think it would be this long but I guess I had a lot to get off my chest haha!
Thank you again for all being so lovely to me!
If you have anymore questions, leave them in the comments below and I'll try my best to answer them for you :)
Or leave any more tips for freshers in the comments below for other readers, I'm sure they'd appreciate it <3
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