TOP TEN TIPS FOR STUDENTS, FROM STUDENTS

Featured below are ten tips from some of my friends who have either graduated or are soon graduating from uni, designed to aid those of you who are already students and those of you embarking upon this journey in the near future!

"Say yes to things" - Emily, 2:1 Biology Graduand at the Uni of Lincoln.

Emily studied Biology in Lincoln for three years, and lived within student accommodation for the duration of her undergraduate degree. She was a part of the Musical Theatre Society and was elected as its Social Secretary 2017/18. She is beginning a masters at the uni in September. Emily's top tip for freshers is simply to say yes. She advises that you should "say yes to going to a party even if you don't know many people, say yes to trying out different societies and clubs etc. I think that's the best thing you can do when joining uni because you will meet so many new people, make great memories and it will give you a good distraction from feeling home sick if you are busy and getting involved with lots of new things". Uni is going to present you with so many opportunities, and while some may not end up being quite suited to you, you'll never know unless you try. It's definitely a good idea to go out and push yourself, try as much as you can at least once, and then determine if you'd like to continue with it or not. Say yes!

"Don’t be afraid to seek help with student well being if you need it - they’re really welcoming and helpful" - Alice, 1st Class Biomedical Science Graduand at the Uni of Lincoln.

Alice recommends that you speak out whenever you need help, specifically to student well being. Living at uni brings a lot of excitement, but it can also prove very difficult. Relationships and friendships are put to the test. You're having to face so much on your own for the first time and sometimes your mental health can suffer. You might be embarrassed or nervous to go and talk about the problems you're having, but that's the best thing you can do for yourself and for those around you. Go and get the support you need, it's there for a reason and can really make the difference. Alice won the award for the highest attaining student on her course, and will be graduating in September with a first class hons degree.

"Don't take a year out, you'll never come back" - Matt, 2:1 Psychology Graduand at the Uni of Lincoln.

Matt studied Psychology from 2015 to 2018 and was a member of the Gaelic Football Society, later becoming Vice President. His tip is for anybody struggling with the workload and considering taking a year out, and he advises against this. Though it may be hard and you might think you're not going to make it through so need to have some time away from your studies, there are so many ways you can avoid leaving and still lessen your workload. Consider changing locations, if you live in halls or a student house and struggle to get the work/life balance right, maybe go back home and travel into uni or transfer to somewhere a bit closer. Go to student well being for support and advice, and contact tutors. Extensions can and will always be granted for valid reasons. As Matt says, a year out does often result in you never returning, and though that might be the best thing for some people, it's definitely wise not to give up on yourself or your degree if you can help it. It'll be so worth the hard work in the end.

"It’s fine not to LOVE your first few weeks" - Sam, current student of Applied Psychology at the Uni of Brighton.

This is a great one for upcoming freshers. Sam has spoken from his own experiences, and explained "I struggled with who I lived with and adjusting to living in Brighton. I feel like student life can be hyped up sometimes and that people don’t address the bad things", adding quite rightly that it's "fine to feel shitty sometimes". Student life will have its ups and its downs, and it's so true that your first week can be the most challenging. While some people will go and feel completely at home - getting on with their flatmates and enjoying all that this newfound independence has to offer, that wont be the case for everybody. You might be homesick and lonely, and it might not feel anything like you imagined or were promised on the open day. That's okay. Just take some time to let yourself settle in, arrange for family and friends to come visit if that will make it easier, and try to work out a routine for yourself that you're comfortable with. Sam had a tough first few weeks but later found his place within the LGBT+ Society and flourished, becoming its president in his first year at Uni. He will be entering his third year in September.

"Put the effort into your dissertation, it pays off" - Jess, 2:1 English Graduand at the Uni of Lincoln.

I studied in Lincoln for three years and from September will be beginning a PGCE in Secondary English at Bishop Grossetese Uni. This one is for tailored to those of you beginning your dissertations. It can be difficult deciding what to research for your diss, ideally you need to choose something you're passionate about. I chose to research the representation of the Holocaust. We had never looked at the Holocaust within my degree, but I was very familiar with it from my A Level history lessons, and from seeing films like The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and The Zoo Keeper's Wife. I was also lucky enough to visit Dachau in 2014, and have been a huge fan of Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl since I first picked it up as a teenager. In my diss I looked at the ways in which the Holocaust was represented through literature, testimony and monument, and how successful these modes of representation were in creating a collective societal memory. I put a LOT of effort into my diss, keeping up to date with all of my deadlines, visiting museums, and listening to survivor testimony. This all paid off, and I received a first for this piece of work. It's so easy to do well on something you enjoy, so pick a topic that you love and go the extra mile. Visit museums or other relevant places, get in touch with specialists, scan and read as much as you can, show your tutor just how strongly you feel about this. Don't limit yourself either, let your research lead you in different directions, and then focus in on the relevant bits. Basically, try really hard and dedicate a lot of time to it, because then you'll do well, and it feels amazing to do well on such an important piece of work.

"If you're going to travel in, find somewhere to spend your free time between lectures" - Joe, former History Student at the University of Hull.

Joe attended the Uni of Hull from September 2017 to May 2018, and despite getting a 2:1 at the end of his first year, opted against continuing his studies after determining that a degree wasn't for him. He travelled into uni and said he found it quite difficult to keep himself occupied between lectures because he couldn't just go home like most of us can. He recommends requesting to "change your seminars and lectures if they do have large gaps in between them, or if they're spread out over the five days of the Uni week" in order to avoid waiting about for long periods of time. Joe went to Uni because it seemed like the most viable option at the time after achieving excellent GCSE and A Level results, but soon learnt that it wasn't the place for him. He feels a lot happier now out of the education system, and is looking forward to working, rather than studying. He stuck out the first year of Uni and gave it a chance, which is another good tip - like he did, make sure you give it a go and do your best to make it work for you. If it isn't meant to be, then at least you tried and now can go on and thrive in other environments.

"Chill Out! - Jack, 1st Class Honours Degree Graduate in English & Education Studies at Bishop Grosseteste University.

Jack studied English & Education Studies at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln and graduated last month with a First Class Honors. In September he'll be studying a PGCE at the Uni in Secondary English. He makes a really useful point, which is 'not to be afraid and to chill out'. Try not to stress too much, don't get worked up over seminars or essays or exams, just accept that this is a part of your degree. You've got into the uni for a reason, you're capable to achieving, and yes it's going to be hard work but that doesn't mean you need to stress. Stay on top of things, enjoy the social side of uni life too, and look after yourself. It's okay to be a bit behind on your essay, as long as you know you're going to make up for that. There will be moments when you feel so unprepared for everything, and really behind, but that's okay. Just work out how you're going to fix that - will it be an all nighter? A few trips to the library? Requesting an extension? Whatever it is, spend your time doing that, not having a meltdown. Jack said that "most of the students I met were super stressed, but I tended to try and take a more relaxed approach", and it clearly paid off for him! Your three years at uni go by so quickly, it's important that you appreciate them while you can and have some fun too.

"Remember to take your time with things" - Emily, 2:2 Law Graduate of the University of Keele.

Emily studied Law at Keele University from 2015 to 2018 and is now applying for jobs in this field. She's also embracing all the opportunities that summer is providing! She's going to Leeds Fest, Budapest AND Disney within the next month - and deservedly too after working so hard for three years. She recalls "It’s a very overwhelming experience and it’s alright that you won’t feel at home right away; this a completely new setting. Some people are bound to settle in easily but if it takes a while then it does". This is so true, it's really good not to compare your uni experience to your friends from home, because everybody is different - and sometimes the people who make the most friends at the start aren't that lucky by the end. She reminds us that "It’s good to take some time away from the constant socialising too- explore your nearby area and make it feel more like your new home" and this is key. You need to have some time to yourself, and you might not like that. It may be when you're alone that suddenly you do start to feel homesick, but it's good to do things independently and not just spend all of your time with flatmates and coursemates. Everybody needs a break from socialising and it's so important to be at ease with your own company. Definitely do your best to make friends, but also make time for yourself.

"Keep a track of your income and expenditures" Chloe, 2:1 English Graduand of the University of Lincoln.

Chloe studied English at Lincoln from 2015 to 2018, she's now job hunting & writing her own blog which provides an insight into PKU - the condition that she has had since birth, please check it out if you're interested - https://thepkulife.blogspot.com/. With regard to her advice on uni, she explained "I always had a weekly budget to keep track of what I was spending, which I found useful!" and recommends that you do the same. It's a really good idea to set yourself a weekly allowance, take all of that money out at the start of the week and then use it up accordingly. You don't want to find yourself midway through the week with only £4.35 to your name! This is one thing that you really do have to focus on and try to keep in check. Remember to put some money aside for potential train trips home too, and even for little things like using the washing machines in your halls of residence!

"Don't brag about missing lectures, it's not cool" - Peter, current student of Business & at the University of Hull.

"I would say don't brag about missing lectures because you were out the night before. It's funny for the first week but after that people will just think you're attention seeking" says Peter. At uni there are no parents pushing you out of the door to make sure that you arrive at your lecture on time, in fact you're surrounded by people who have as little motivation to attend as you do! However, you are paying £9,000 a year for these lectures... and because of that, it's wise to attend. Like Peter says, even if you're choosing not to go, it's not something to brag about. Also, if you manage to achieve high grades despite not going in, just wait until third year - it's a different ball game then. Don't put yourself out there as the lazy one, it's not cool and it doesn't make you stand out in a positive light at all, just as Peter says. He has completed two years of Uni and is currently on a first. This year he goes into the business world and will complete a placement working on the Humber Bridge, before returning back to Uni in September 2019 to finish his degree.

I think all of these tips & tricks will be relevant at some point during most peoples university experiences! Thank you to everybody that helped me by contributing some advice to this post!