University - The ups, the downs and the in-betweens
As at student potentially talking to prospective students, I feel it's only fair if I told you the truth about university. That it's not all fun and games and that you probably will get homesick.
It is fun, don't get me wrong, and I've had an awesome time so far along the way, Iv'e met some incredible people, and the social side is great! However there is also a dingier side to life as a student that isn't really mentioned during open days, and everyone just seems so happy, It's hard to believe that you're about to enter a world of people your own age all out to socialise, party and do a little bit of studying alongside. Because first year doesn't count. Right?
To be 100% honest. It's all little faked. Everyone's had their ups and downs but nobody wants to talk about that side. And that's the problem. They should. Because that's life, and because when you arrive at university, about a month in after recovering from freshers, you realise you were left in the dark about what it's really like. Or at least I felt I was.
If you've read any of my other articles, you'll know I've been on a gap year, where I spent time travelling and had the absolute time of my life. So after about a month into university, I started to question why I was really there. Shorthand was proving a struggle, we had a MJS assignment coming up about politics, (which I detest) and the media law lectures were slowly shrinking any active brain cells into dormancy.
I began thinking I should probably just go travelling again, get a working visa, and go back to OZ. I say thinking, I was seriously contemplating it, and every now and again, I still do. I have an incurable illness after all... the travel bug. But sometimes I'm not really sure I'm doing the right thing.
But anyway, I'm reaching out to mainly advise you, that although uni life is, on the whole, great, there is an element that is not so great.
First year is supposedly a doddle. However for my course in particular, they have really piled the pressure on. We are expected to do an hours shorthand a night, on top of reading a minimum of 30 pages of McNae (and taking notes) to stay on top of media law. Followed by having to go back over the MJS lecture PowerPoint's just to get a grasp of what on earth you were being talked to about, for the past two hours of your life.
The issue is, that everyone else is socialising. And you want to go out and play, so you're not considered antisocial by your newly found friends, but you can't. No longer because your parents are keeping you until you give in and to do the dishes (if only). But because you're headed into the battle of trying to succeed as a journalist, and not getting swallowed whole by the workload, even though you inevitably already are.
The key here is balance, which is what I'm still unfortunately trying to comprehend. So a couple of weeks back I took a bit of a break, not because I was slacking but because I know as a human being I physically needed it. I stayed at my friends, went to the cinema and visited my closest pal for the weekend in Portsmouth.
What I must add is that most people go home once during the first semester, which is something I didn't do. And so truly recommend. Only because many of my friends had gone home, and said they felt so much better for it. Meanwhile I was stuck at uni having a bit of a tough time, seriously missing the horses, the smell of fresh air and perhaps even my family. Cringe I know. But true.
Another issue that I've struggled with is money, or rather lack of it. I've been so used to having a job and being able to pretty much go where I want, buy what I want and do what I want, that suddenly having to think about what food I can afford to eat this week was a bit of a shock to my system.
Therefore I really would recommend seriously saving up before university, or getting a part time job if you're planning on going. I don't mean 3/4 nights a week so it takes over your life, but trying to get a job within your university so its flexible and fairly paid. For instance, I sell tickets and work as both a resident assistant and student ambassador. Why get a job? You may ask. Well, because you'll be lucky if your student loan even covers your accommodation.
So basically from what I've gathered, sign up for every opportunity to work in your university, take time out of your studies no matter how hard it may seem, go home during your first semester, oh and save up beforehand, so that you're not totally broke. And you'll be okay.
P.S. Have a night out at least once a week. You'll need it.
