I happen to know that whole bunch of my readers have just gotten their Alevel results and are nervously getting ready to head off to uni.
So this is an open letter to anyone who's not sure what to expect.
It's the advice I wish I had been given when I headed out into the big, wide world, so hopefully it will help you too.
Dear fresher,
Welcome to one of the most important chapters of your life.
You will change more in the next few years than you could ever imagine.
What's more, you'll love it.
University has a way of stripping away the person you think you should be and showing you who you really are.
Enjoy it!
Don't take yourself too seriously. You will never get this chance again, and the second you graduate, you'll be faced with a dull ache in your heart and an "Ohhh, f*ck" in your head!
Pack up your belongings, your posters, your photos, your books and your teddies. Take your prettiest sheets, a desk lamp and some fairy lights.
Pile into the car with mum, dad & the dog, and head off into your new life.
When you arrive, take your parents, find your room, kiss them, hug them, cry and say goodbye. For god's sake, do not let them set up your new pad. This is prime bonding time.
Crack open the laptop, put some music on, wedge the door open and get unpacking.
I guarantee, everyone who walks past your door and peeks in with a little smile is just as nervous as you are!
When you've unpacked the basics, go to the kitchen/living room/corridor and offer other people help.
There's no better ice breaker than helping someone unpack their pants, trust me!
One thing I would say, which goes against all of the articles written by middle-aged journalists in the broadsheets, don't use a generic check list. Don't pack bin liners, washing up kit and packets of pasta.
Most people wont have brought them and you'll seem like the weird swiss army knife who's already settled and doesn't need any help.
Laugh about all the things you haven't got, grab the other lost lambs, jump on the bus and go shopping!
The only time a trip to Tesco will ever be an adventure is today.
Wonder around, grab a value pack of cutlery, crockery and all the food you can carry. Giggle at everyone's choices, but please, stay clear of the 8p noodles. Yes it's a novelty, 8P FOR NOODLES! They taste revolting and you'll regret it.
Buy a bottle of plonk or Glen's vodka, you're not impoverished yet, make the most of it.
Go out, help each other get ready, share clothes, be generous with compliments, take lots of photos.
Photos are a great excuse to add people on Facebook, without being weird about it. Facebook friendships make it easier to learn everyone's names and find out if you have any old friends in common (you probably do).
The next few weeks will be a blur of lectures, new faces, parties, fancy dress, lust and excitement.
By october you will have had the dreaded freshers flu (hot water, a slice of lemon & a squeeze of honey is a godsend).
By mid November, you will have run out of money (pasta is your new best friend, oh, and have you met mr orange squash yet? You'll get on famously).
And by the time the Christmas holidays arrive, you'll don your cutest antlers, organise a secret santa (with strict price limit in place) and party late into the night, before heading home to a mummy who will gasp at how thin/fat you now are.
Take this with a pinch of salt, whether you lose or gain weight, it's temporary.
If you've survived your first term, you're golden.
The rest of your uni career will breeze by.
I wont give it all away, I'll leave you to your adventure.
However, I will share with you my 5 survival tips…
1) Do NOT get a boyfriend in freshers week. I did this.
Ofcourse he was older and exciting and my mother would never have approved… but it will alienate you from your peers to some extent and you'll only end up regretting it in a months time.
2) Do NOT date anyone on your floor/corridor/flat. I don't care if you live with Brad Pitt and he has Liam Neeson's voice and Justin Bieber's hair. This really will end in tears.
3) Don't panic if you don't like the people you live with. It's highly unusual for people to remain friends with the people they loved in freshers week.
4) Don't stress too much about lectures. Skip a couple, stay in bed, go for a walk, take a long weekend. They usually post notes online, and you probably wont miss anything vital anyway.
5) Finally, and most importantly… get a job. Do something with your time. Employers will be far more interested in the fact that you went out and made something of yourself, than the fact you got a double first.
Have a wonderful time, take a million pictures & call your mum once in a while.
She misses you already.
Love Rose x
Ps. If you've already headed off to uni and think you have a little nugget of wisdom to share, please leave it in the comment section bellow. I know it will mean a lot, to some very excited freshers!
*Photos taken from weheartit, they say it better than my snaps ever could.
*Photos taken from weheartit, they say it better than my snaps ever could.
.
Oh Rose, this is so beautifully written! Thankyou so much, I didn't expect you to go to all this trouble! xxx
ReplyDeleteMy advice- Take a funnel and some hose pipe!
ReplyDeleteMan I miss freshers!!
Take condoms.
ReplyDeleteThis is excellent advice, all very true.
ReplyDeleteMy one tip: buy tongs. Not curling tongs, but cooking tongs. They can grip, they can flip, they can stir, they can scramble. The only thing they're not much good for is flat foods, like fried eggs.
Don't be embarrassed to take a teddy! xx
ReplyDeleteNever wash up your pans as some git will use them and not bother to wash them for when you want to use them, Simon x
ReplyDeleteNever underestimate free food! Look for local pubs that have free pizza nights, and socials with your uni for free drinks!
ReplyDeleteWork, but don't let it rule your life. Earn money to spend on having fun with your friends.
If you're in halls, make friends with the staff and security - charming these guys is essential! It makes every party, every complaint and every time being caught trying to drunkenly sneak a street sign/car wheel/golf cart/stray cat/attractive girl in far easier...
ReplyDeleteThis is so sweet and lovely!
ReplyDeleteI lived on 8p noodles when I first moved in my house and was super poor. They are like 80% of your recommend daily saturated fat in that tiny packet! Not good!
:)
x
Such a wonderful article! Kinda wish I´d read this last year when I went off to uni:) ohhh well, better save it for the next generations then! x
ReplyDeleteThis made me tear up!
ReplyDeleteDamn it Rosie!
I am going to Uni on the 24th, I'm so scared! This was really thoughtful and sweet, calmed me. Thank you xx
DeleteI'd say, make the most of time with your new friends at university too in those early weeks! Though it is scary and can be tempting to go home every weekend to see your parents and old friends, you'll miss you on laying the foundations of your new life for the next few years. Friends back at home may miss you and you'll miss them, but the true friendships remain, whatever the time and distance apart. Yes, it's sad when friendships slowly fizzle out or to let them go, but it is inevitable it will happen to some of them. Nuture the ones that are worth the time. But mostly, go and enjoy yourself :)
ReplyDeleteThis is excellent; you've captured it perfectly. Makes me very nostalgic :(
ReplyDeleteRosie, I love this post, it's so beautifully poignant :) wish i'd done half of those things.
ReplyDeleteHanushka
the-luxury-marionette
xxx
Hi Rose,
DeleteTotally agree with the idea that this is a beautifully poignant post - somehow have only just come across it! Would you mind if I re-blogged it, copywriting it and crediting you of course? My surrogate little sister and a couple of her friends are about to head to uni and I think they love to read your experience and not just hear it from me!! Thanks, Ali
www.english-rose91.tumblr.com
Ofcourse not Ali, that would be fine! xx
Deletebeautiful! totally hit the spot- university was the wildest time of my life! make the most of it, do things you never thought you'd do, don't worry about money, boys and hair JUST ENJOY IT BECAUSE IT'S OVER BEFORE YOU KNOW IT! x
ReplyDelete"Do NOT date anyone on your floor/corridor/flat. I don't care if you live with Brad Pitt and he has Steve Jones's accent and Justin Bieber's hair. This really will end in tears."
ReplyDeleteI am not kidding you, I actually CHOKED on my Diet Coke when I read that line. You're hilarious!
This is an awesome letter with some invaluable tips. I wish someone had written a letter like this for me 10 years ago...
Beautiful blog... congratulation!
ReplyDeletehttp://utopiauve.blogspot.com/
V
If you want to get a job and your uni has a student union bar/nightclub... GET THAT APPLICATION IN NOW!! working there is a whole load of out going and exciting people, all intent on fun-you will make life long friendships.
ReplyDeleteThat and working behind that bar, you get to know loads of other students the other side of it, some after free drinks, some after you, but most just eager to make new friends.
Plus, not going to lie, working behind a students union bar has its little perks (mainly drinks discount!!)
Uni.. best time of my life!!! Pretty jealous of you freshers, listen to Rose.. brilliant advice! Although for you guys, if its Megan Fox as your floor/corridor/flat mate, simply wait until 3rd term.. but do NOT let that slip!! Get involved and share the love
Good advice apart from the "skip lectures and stay in bed every once in a while part"
ReplyDeleteWith tuition fees/student debt levels on the increase and another recession looking likely, why would anyone not want to take uni seriously? Bad habits in first year sustain themselves in the final year.
Foreign students in this Country (the ones that come over with limited English and graduate with firsts) are amazed at how casually english students treat their studies.
Admittedly, tuition fees/student debt probably isnt something someone thats clearly still funded by their parents has had to worry about
Not always the case!
DeleteYour first year doesn
t count for a reason, the uni expects you not to give it your all! Its a big life shock, new place, new people.
when i started uni id been a hard worker all my life, it got me to the uni id always wanted to be at, so when i started i decided i ought to enjoy it! what else had i been working so hard all these years for?!
when second year came around, I made sure i became a diligent student once again, and kept it up.
Your qualification isnt the only thing you gain from university, its about a life experience, and someone who never learnt the survival and social skills that come with that aspect of uni life will not come across as well to future employers! Especially with prospect of ressesion as you mentioned, just having the degree is not enough anymore!
Rose doesn't say don't do any work at all, just relax a little bit!
Makes sense to me :)
and regarding the comment about parents support, I don't have any, yet i take the same view point as Rose, you don't need to worry about your student debt until your earning-when all those skills you learnt will come in useful!
^ clearly a crusty broadsheet reader.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't get it.
My advice, don't go to Uni. It's a waste of time & money. I regret it every single day of my life.
ReplyDeleteif only some one had given me these advice before I was off to uni.. Love it<3
ReplyDeleteI have never EVER commented on a blog but I am now experiencing a rush of nostalgia for my uni days so feel the need to - this blog couldn't be more true.
ReplyDeleteI whole-heartedly agree with the friends thing - it is the first time in your life when you are not even remotely limited to who you can meet. School? Chances are you're friends because you're in the same class / year or your parents are friends etc. Open your eyes, there are some amazing people out there that you probably thought you would never in a million years have anything in common with.
Another bit of advice: Make sure you are well acquainted with a washing machine before you go. I watched numerous of my fellow freshers shrink, dye, generally wreck some of their favorite clothes very quickly. Yes you can go shopping for more but then what money are you going to party with, eh?
Have fun all - i'm jealous x
don't blow all of your loan on clothes in the first couple of weeks. you'll regret it as you'll probably end up wanting different things a few weeks in, depending on who your new friends are and who your stylish new girl crush is x
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post! I'm just about to go into my second year, and missing freshers already. I was always one to try hard at school/college so when it came to uni I did the same in the first semester. I soon realised that you don't really need to, your fresher year is about having fun and the grades you get don't count! Have fun and let loose! x
ReplyDeleteMy advice: Get a NUS card... discount on ASOS :D
ReplyDeleteGreat advice and very funnily written! When I started uni there wasn't yet Facebook for all, only a few select unis, hah. I also got a boyfriend in fresher's week but I'm still with him now (6 years down the line) so it doesn't always finish badly though it can alienate you. People should remember they can make amazing mates through the courses they're on (I had lame housemates) ! xx
ReplyDeleteI love this post, about to go into my third year and don't want it to end :(
ReplyDeleteI agree with the bit about not liking who you live with, I doubt I'll speak to my first year flatmates again.
-x-
Really liked this post, brought back so many memories of the butterflies about leaving home and once you're there, hooking up with some people that have become life-long friends.
ReplyDeleteMy tuppence-worth is that generally, however much money you go away with, it'll only last you about two weeks.
One other tip, network as much as you can all through Uni. It might not benefit you while you're there but I can guarantee you, it will benefit you A LOT when you leave!
I must admit, this is all wonderful advice - except the bit bout skipping lectures, my tutor threatened to throw me out because I skipped two for being ill xx
ReplyDeleteI'm leaving for Uni tomorrow, and bricking it! This is very, very helpful! I have bookmarked it :) x
ReplyDeleteSirens and Bells
I wouldn't ever advise someone to skip lectures. Those going to uni now are going to be in debt for 20 years because of uni, and you're advising people not to attend what they're paying for? Regardless of whether the following is true, it really does come off as if you are rich and can throw your money around and are advising other to do the same. Not sure mummy and daddy would be happy either, and for most people, they can't go without parental support so it doesn't help to be deliberately causing tension with your financial lifeline.
ReplyDeleteI only bring this up because uni has serious financial implications on the rest of your life and it should never be a decision taken lightly.
How about we start with the real problem of unemployment: What have you decided to get a degree in and how many classical literature experts do we truly need in the world?
DeleteGet your head out of the clouds before you spend a fortune on college and then it won't be a problem. Right? Right.
Great blog, Rose!
I graduated last year and had a fantastic time at university.
ReplyDeleteI was the only person in my year to walk out of university into a job in my chosen industry.
The students who never skipped class, always sat at the front and poured themselves into the academic part of the experience, moved home and were unable to get work.
University is about discovering yourself, getting real life experiences and real work experience.
I am attractive to employers BECAUSE I skipped lectures and went out and made something of myself.
I am now fortunate enough to be in a position to hire graduates, and time and time again I see boring, unsocialised academic drones.
The ones I'm interested in are the exciting, interesting kids who went out and got work and made friends.
FYI, I put myself through university. Something 'mummy and daddy' are pretty proud of.
Hi Rose,
DeleteI absolutely love your blog and this post means a lot, especially to some who's in University right now! When you say you hire graduates, do you also hire interns who are...say, still in college and interested in internships across the pond?
xo
Alyssa
Rose - what was your degree in?
ReplyDeleteEve? Student Finance...
ReplyDeleteI don't think many people's "mummy and daddy" have to pay for them to go to uni anymore. It's a little rude to assume that it was her parents money she was "wasting" by living and generally experiencing life.
Anyway, I read your post with a slight tongue in cheek attitude unlike some people on here it would seem. I enjoyed it and it definitely advised people well.
If I had read this before going to uni it would have relieved a lot of stress. You feel like you are going to fail life if you don't go to EVERY SINGLE lecture but actually most of my learning was done outside of lectures anyway. I got a first in a history masters and went on to do a law conversion. I left uni straight in to a decent job and worked my way up.
I barely went to uni, I lived, worked, explored, had fun. I learnt and experienced life and that helped me get an excellent job. For an entire term I didn't go in at all except to hand in essays. Because I was working for a decent company for some experience. It looked amazing on my cv. Employers didn't give a shit that I had missed uni for it. When have you ever been in an interview and all they ask about are your grades anyway? Never. They want experience and interesting people. I mean, obviously get good grades but if you are at uni you should be able to get them without having to go to every single lecture. Think for yourself for once.
A housemate I had left with a 99% attendance record. He spent every second in uni and left with a CV that had grades then nothing. He couldn't answer the interviewers when they asked about anything other than academic qualifications. He had no hobbies, no experience. Nothing. He has an average job that anyone with any degree could get.
I slept with some of my floor because they were super hot. It was fine honestly. Just be honest from the start "I'm not a slag I just like sex with hot men" works.
ReplyDeleteActually, my advice is dreadful. Don't listen. Ever.
(I'm lying, have safe sex, pretend its the 70's free love and all that)
rose - did you not finish your degree in university to work where you wanted to anyway? or did you mean you left university with the job you wanted even though you had fun?
ReplyDeleteIm doing my A levels and im not sure whether i want to go to uni. I want lots of money but more importantly i want to enjoy my life. Im not sure where i should go - work after A levels, or go to uni? and is it true that you can do a degree at any time in your life? for example, i could go to uni at 26 and start a career from there?
thank you xxx
Hey Harriet, no I finished my degree... just!
ReplyDeleteBut while I was there I went out, got a job and eventually worked for myself.
I barely went to lectures, but concentrated on my own life and getting as much experience as possible.
I would absolutely recommend university.
It changes & grows you as a person and eventually you will end up regretting not going.
Mature students never slip into careers as easily as keen young grads. Just a sad fact of life. xx
Ah this made me well up! I didn't appreciate uni while I was there or even for a few years after but this brought back so many memories! So much fun! Even if I didn't realise it at the time. Invaluable. And very well written. New to this blog and will keep following :)
ReplyDeletewww.beskincareful.blogspot.com
This is perfect. Currently in my forth year you summed up my Freshers to a tee! And have made me crazy nostalgic wishing to go back.
ReplyDeletex
Enjoy it, you will probably meet some of the best people in your life, who will be come some of your closest friends. I know I have.
ReplyDeleteBeing in the final year & looking back I have thoroughly enjoyed my time & will explore a whole lot more of the surrounding area in my final semester.
Make the most of first year, don't worry about lectures or assignments, enjoy the new-found freedom, your student loan and the nights out with lazy hungover mornings the following day, because come second and third year you'll miss it soooo much! First year all you need is 40%, so please, just go out and have fun, you'll regret it if you don't! I'm in third year and all I want right now is first year back :(
ReplyDeleteC x
http://catherine-lux.blogspot.com/
I hated uni... but I think that it is one of those experiences where you get out what you put in. My advice is to talk to everyone you meet, jump at every opportunity and just enjoy it in the moment.
ReplyDeleteI LOVED my first year. Being out of the dorms this year is way better though. I didnt read this as a frosh, but I see how a lot of that advice helped.
ReplyDeleteAlso, REMEMBER! Almost half the people you'll see, you'll never see again. Have fun and stand out!
This is great! Really really funny
ReplyDeleteSo true, wish i had followed some of these points in first year.
Don't be that person who clings to one friend straight away in case 2 weeks in you realise you have nothing in common. You want to find a nice set of friends.
xxx
If your high school boyfriend breaks up with you/vise versa, don't spend first year moping, you'll only regret it later when you realize being single in the beginning of university can be very important - you'll learn so much about yourself... plus who can resist flirting with all the new boys you'll meet!
ReplyDeleteThis is all very trueeeeeee ! <3
ReplyDeleteAwww I'm feeling all nostalgic now lol! My major tip to all potential students is invest in a nokia 3310 and a pay as you go sim card. Sounds strange but they are cheap little buggers, perfect for a phone to take on a night out. You can drop them, drown them, sit on them, drop them in ice-cream (this I have actually done, for shame lol!) and after a dry out they still work. I've had mine since I was 16, I'm 25 now and mine is fully functioning.
ReplyDeleteOther than that, I suggest pulling at least 1 all nighter in the library with friends even if you don't have coursework due. You'll have the funniest conversations, do the most random things and you'll be sober whilst you do it...maybe just a little bit hyper from all the relentless and monster energy drinks you've had :D
Best time of my life to date and I'm so sad I had to drop out. Long distance degree life just isn't the same :(
Hey,
ReplyDeleteI was just wondering where you went to University and what you studied? :)
Also your blog is lovely especially this post- and you really are silly amounts of gorgeous.
Spot on observations about student life, this article made me laugh so much, not least because I have done nearly all the things you warn about. Would love to read more student life material!
ReplyDeletehttp://calico-casa.blogspot.co.uk/
I really love this! This is all nearly behind me (sad) but check my own short perspectives on the university lifestyle out:
ReplyDeletehttp://rosiepentreath.blog.com/2012/03/21/last-of-days/
This one is, of course, rather ironic, for the fun of it all!
http://rosiepentreath.blog.com/2012/02/27/student-living/
So true :-) Great post :-)
ReplyDeletewww.liveyoungabroad.com
Thank you! I've queued a post so will let you know when it goes live in a few days and add your blog link. x
ReplyDeleteThank you so very much for this! I'll be starting my first year of university in September and I am very nervous (but excited) about the coming changes. I had planned to strictly focus on my studies just to stay out of the "bad" crowd (doing more than getting drunk every night), but you have shown me another perspective. Your advice is invaluable!
ReplyDeleteIf you don't mind me asking, what did you study in university?
Lia
Hey Rose, I think this is your best post yet! All you said is truly spot on, even the boyfriend in the first week part! I did that and got to know more people 2 years above me than in my own year, quite a pity... I don't know if you're refraining from answering because it's personal (which you are fully entitled to) but i'm really interested in knowing where you studied. Can you tell us? xxx
ReplyDeleteLove your blog Rose! This post is beautiful, I'm doing all of this in October, it's such good advice! I can't WAIT for uni! :D Thanks Rose! xx
ReplyDeleteI love this blog too much!
ReplyDeleteLearn the names of the custodians in your dorm. Hang up a pretty thank you note on the bathroom mirror and leave a pen on the sink so your floor mates sign it. :-)
ReplyDeleteI have a Facebook photo album of my parents in college- they went to the same one as me- and the photos look JUST LIKE THESE!
ReplyDeleteAll so true. I would say don't get a boyfriend or girlfriend at all throughout uni. Also all those takeaway tubs you collect, keep them they will prove useful for storing food portions in the freezer later
ReplyDeleteNice advice! I spent my first two years at community college to get my AA for a MUCH cheaper price. I may be two years in already, but Im still going to feel like a freshman when I go away to college this fall. This helps a lot (:
ReplyDeleteI agree/disagree with the skipping class thing. I have skipped class before (mainly to prepare for other classes or because I was tired from staying too late to study for another class) but I don't think Rose was saying we should do it all the time. I wouldn't do it for the heck of it.
Besides. My teachers have creative ways to make sure you regret missing class.
I laughed when you said "don't get a boyfriend on freshers' week." My best friend did this...and he broke her heart. So did the four other flings she had that impressionable first semester.
ReplyDeleteLesson learned (:
what university did you go to? love the blob btw
ReplyDeleteThanks Anon,
DeleteI try not to go into too many specifics. There are a few... unsavoury characters online so it's a bit safer! x
I couldn't agree more. I only have one year left, and it's already obvious how much I'm going to miss it when I grow up!!
ReplyDeleteDon't join a sorority your first year, or at least your first semester. Take time to enjoy yourself without any strings or major obligations to other people. Plus there's the dues. Even if you're dead set and sure you know where you want to go, they will be just as much your sisters after you've had some time to get your bearings at school.
ReplyDeleteMy advice? Don't go to Uni. It'll saddle you with a debt and a sense of self-entitlement which you really don't need.
ReplyDeleteInstead, read a gazillion business books and start your own while you're young. You'll fail a a few times, but by the time the Uni grads are in their first jobs, you'll have world experience, common-sense and be in (hopefully!) a business of your own that works and has you as its boss.
The Chancellor of Durham Uni said something at matriculation this year which was very poignant and would sum up my advice for university perfectly:
ReplyDelete"Don't let your degree get in the way of your education."
Late to the party but thought I should add my two cents:
ReplyDeleteI went to Leeds Uni and had the time of my life. In freshers' week, I joined as many clubs and societies as possible. I loved sport and it was a great way to meet like-minded and outgoing people and have different friendship groups.
Having graduated and been through the interview process, I have never been asked about the modules I chose, but rather what I did on my year abroad, what experience I gained from doing x or y... Potential employers are more interested in what has made you a well-rounded person, not the academic squarehead who got a first in plant biology in first year and a 90% attendance record.
If I could give freshers one piece of advice, it would be: say yes to everything. Go to parties, host a party, go out, try new things, new places, meet people, hang out, take pictures, go on a day trip somewhere. Be friendly and sociable and you'll have the best time.
Also, go and see your personal tutor and keep in touch. If you don't like him/her (especially if s/he's a bit wacky/eccentric) you can always change, I did. It definitely helps your personal tutor that they have met or seen you at least once, because there will probably be a time when you need a reference from them.
University has its highs and its lows - but the friends you make will help you through the low times.
Have fun and enjoy! These are the best days :)
Rose, where did you go to uni if you don't mind me asking? xxx
ReplyDeleteI may be the exception to the rule, but don't write of anyone in your halls completely. I got together with the boy a few doors down just after freshers, and we are still together nearly 3 years later!
ReplyDeletei just found your blog! awesome post! makes me want to go back to uni! :)
ReplyDeleteDon't be afraid to try an activity that's foreign and alien to you like Capoeira (which is one of the most amazing sports/ arts to get involved in ever!) or Arial Yoga or Yodeling (if that floats your boat ;)). The best part about university is that you're free to experiment and to be adventurous! You get to ride the River of - what would have otherwise been untouched and unknown - Opportunity.
ReplyDeleteDon't go running off home every weekend to see the parentals! You will probably have some poor sod in your halls who can't go home and they will be left very lonely! Also you will miss out on THE most epic night.
ReplyDeleteHey there, I'm from a pretty small town in Scotland but I'm heading off to Uni in London in a few weeks and I'm SO nervous. This blog has totally cheered me up and I'm now really looking forward to living in the city that you clearly love so much, so I just wanted to thank you for making the move a little less daunting. (And for introducing me to your AMAZING Slutty Brownies - they have actually changed my life.)
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Where did you go to University? Think I've seen this question pop up a couple of times but wasn't mentioned in your FAQ's so perhaps it's a secret and we ought to stop asking... If it isn't under lock and key I'd really love to know - Absolutely love your blog, I'm moving to England in a few days and have read it all the way back to the start (again) xxx
ReplyDeleteI've been reading your blog for quite some time and since i'm going back to uni today I reread this post. It is beautifully written and makes me nostalgic for those first weeks of uni.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this post and the rest of your blog. It is lovely! xxx
This post made me a bit more passionate again! Still three years to go back here in Holland, and after that I'll try and get into London University (because everyone knows Oxbridge is way out of reach). So, now I'm going to print out a few of your recipes for mom and study for economics and maths. Yay!
ReplyDeleteI ran into your blog for the first time que I've already gone through many of your posts. I am in Uni and today I skipped class and stayed home. This post together with Cold Play 'For You' made me tear up. I've already tried out three different different Universities and three mayors. Although I've made some friends and taken interesting courses, I've never felt in the right place. I recently started with my latest choice and although I like it, I am still very overwhelmed and sometimes, like today, I find myself wondering I've made the right choice.
ReplyDeleteI guess at this point, the only advice I can give myself and others is: Don't stress about your mayor, learn as much as you can, and be creative enough to enjoy even the dullest task. After all, you might very well spend your life doing something completely different.
Your story is definitely something i can relate to. I have gone to 2 different universities doing 2 different majors but i lacked a connection with either of them and couldn't see myself doing it for years to come! so i went from doing Architecture to Graphic Design to finally studying Furniture/Industrial Design and Making at a practical-work-focused college! And i am loving it! Turned out I'm not a uni sort of person, and that's okay. Everyone has different paths and you might stumble at first, but fingers crossed, you'll find the right path in the end if you just persist! :)
DeleteHiya Rose,
ReplyDeleteI really like this entry! I'm a senior at university (in the USA) this year and I'll be graduating soon. My biggest piece of advice for incoming freshman is to embrace every possibility presented to you. Whether it's an event or an offer to go get coffee or an evening lecture series, anything that sparks your interest, grab it while you can. I let so many things slip by because I was so concentrated on my school work and homework that I passed up a lot of great opportunities to get to know people and learn new things.
Also explore everything. You have no idea what life will present for you while in university. You might find that you'd rather go into art instead of going into pre-med. Broaden your horizons! It's university! You're supposed to explore, experiment and embrace all that is foreign, different, and interesting to your every day drudgery.
I was also wondering, Rose, if you could do something like this for those of us graduating and either going to graduate school or into the work force. Any advice? If you do or don't, thanks! Love the blog.
i just stumbled upon this today and i can't get over how grateful i am for this post! i'm heading to university next september and sometimes it excites me so much that i can't wait but other times i'm so scared i almost cry (nice huh?). all your tips and information, however, are a godsend and have made the whole going to uni process much less traumatic! thanks again :) X
ReplyDeletehttp://theenglishgirl.blogspot.co.uk/
Oh my god I just read this and it made me miss university so much I almost cried at work (WORK, ugh, something I never gave a second thought to back then!)
ReplyDeleteMy tip for anyone who is a fresher now - by the end of your Christmas break, once you've been back in the country with your mum doing your cooking and your laundry and you've seen all your old school friends at the local pub and you feel cosy and happy, you might feel like you don't want to go back to university...but trust me...YOU DO! Pack your christmas presents, go for one last country walk, and make sure you have plans for your first night back with all your favourite people. After your second glass of cheap Prosecco you'll be perfect again, trust me :)
http://onesongaboutagirl.blogspot.co.uk/
I am miles late - but I just wanted to add to the previous comment...
ReplyDeleteMy freshers week was rubbish. My housemates were odd. I loved my course but when you go home for the holidays you will experience doubts...so many people want to drop out because of one thing which is niggling them. I went back, made fab friends from various societies and ignored my oddball housemates...best decision I ever made.
That said -- if you hate your course and there's something else which you think you would love try and change asap - most unis are very accommodating so long as you get in there quick!
this makes me really excited for uni next year! ahh :) x
ReplyDeleteThis is so beautifully written - and hits the nail completely on the head! I'm just about to leave uni and start my new life in London, but reading this made me realise I shouldn't wish away the last six months of being a student! Thanks Rose x
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly the way I remember my fresher's week from last year! My best advice would be to learn to cook with your flat mates, there will always be one who is totally useless and appreciates the help and it's a great bonding experience. Anyway, spending a night in baking is a fantastic alternative to going out when you're on a budget! Pancake day was my favourite!
ReplyDeleteI miss uni! Actually, am studying law--it's considered as another course here in the Philippines--but nothing beats my undergraduate years. My years in uni were the best years in my life--apart from law school. I still keep in touch with my friends from uni, and they're the most awesome people I've ever met. I remember every single activity and event that I attended there!
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited about starting Uni in September! Thanks for this Rosie.
ReplyDeleteCurrently on my gap year at the moment, and my adventures have led me to start a blog so I have the memories for years to come :)
http://inomniaparatus94.blogspot.co.uk/ - cute baby lion pictures galore
This is good advice! I am in my final year and am starting a blog about my University experiences and what it's like going through what I expect is the most important year of my life! (blogging is definitely not a form of procrastination... a word you learn the true meaning of at University)
ReplyDeleteLove reading your blog, I'll be posting more and more over the next weeks about my University experience and insights on mine.
notlizzi.blogspot.co.uk
I hope to see you there
xx
where did you attend for uni
ReplyDeleteThis is such great advice! I'm coming to the end of my first year and wish I'd found this sooner. My two favourite points were not worrying about getting along with your flatmates (half of mine were disasters and my closest friends are on my course)and the losing/ gaining weight part! I came home after 7 weeks and had nearly lost a stone, absolute madness! I put it all back on anyway haha :)
ReplyDeleteEmily // emerlilly.blogspot.co.uk
xxxx