Going to University can be a life changing event, particularly if you're moving away from home to a new city! You're going to have a new room, a new learning environment, new friends and colleagues, basically a whole new lifestyle! Some of it you can't prepare for, and you just have to embrace as it arrives. However, there are a few things that I can remember I was curious about before I went, that I feel like I can lay out here so you know at least some of what to expect!
1. What's the difference between a lecture and a seminar? This might just have been me, but I had no idea what to expect from a seminar, or how it might be different to a lecture. A lecture is of course a talk, usually given by one tutor but occasionally a topic will be debated within a lecture by two or more tutors, during which you will take notes. Most modules (don't worry we're getting to it) will have a lecture and a seminar, and if you're lucky then the lecture will come first! So you and the rest of your course - or at least everyone taking that module - will sit and take notes on a topic as a tutors lectures on it, and then you will meet again later in the week in smaller groups with a seminar tutor, where you will be encouraged to share your thoughts and ideas. As well as the lecture that you listen to, you will usually be set some additional reading ahead of the seminar. A lecture tends to be very broad, whereas a seminar is more focused. Top tip - share in the seminars, it's what they're there for. I know it's awkward and uncomfortable, and some tutors will shoot down your ideas with a simple 'no', but at least you've given it a go and are attempting to actively engage with the content, you'll get the most from it that way and honestly there's nothing worse than someone who comes to a seminar, writes down everybody else's ideas and wont contribute any of their own - don't be that person! If you're nervous, start by offering just one thought a week. Then build that up to two, then three and so on. It gets easier!
2. What's a module? A module is essentially just a topic. Like when you go to your English class in school and they say 'this term we are looking at Gothic Literature', that's a topic, and that's what a module is. It covers one area of your degree. You usually are able to elect which modules you would like to study and which you would not.
3. How long do seminars and lectures last? It's dependent upon your course, and your Uni. I studied English at Lincoln and never had a lecture that went on for longer than an hour. Seminars were usually an hour to two hours, though often they'd let us go earlier!
4. What's a society? A society is a group or club made up entirely of students. Unlike your rugby club at school, or the drama club and so on, there isn't an academic tutor running this, it's all down to a committee comprising of second/third year students. Most Uni's offer a range of society's, often either classified as social socieites (The English Society, The Drama Society, The Harry Potter Society) or sports societies (Football, Rugby, Tennis).
5. How do I join a society? On Freshers Week, your Uni will hold a Freshers Fayre, wherein which all of the societies will showcase what they have to offer to you, the Fresher. Committee members will be sitting behind desks that will display photographs and other relevant bits (trophies, team shirt's, plays to be performed, film paraphernalia etc.) of their society in the years gone by, and will be more than willing to chat to you about what they have planned for the upcoming academic year. If you decide on one you'll put your name, year, and Email onto the signup sheet and will be contacted that evening or within the next few days about a taster session/try-out.
6. What is the Freshers Fayre like? Overwhelming. It's crowded, overheated and somewhat confusing, but try not to panic too much. Go along with a flatmate or newfound coursemate and make sure you've got their phone number so you can text if you get separated, which is only likely to happen if you're both looking for different societies! If you do go to the Freshers Fayre and feel a bit too flustered then that's okay, you can check on the Uni website what societies there are and contact them (asap) to try and make it to the taster session!
7. Do I have to go to the welcome lectures? You don't have to do anything at Uni, you're an adult and the decision is all yours. However, the Uni do encourage you to attend all lectures and seminars, including those in Freshers week. You have to remember that they're there for a reason. It's a good idea to go along to the first few, get a feel for them, make a couple of new friends and then determine if you need to go to the rest. Annoyingly there's so much going on during Freshers week that often welcome talks will overlap with other bits, so it's understandable if you want to prioritise the fun stuff over the lectures! Just be sure you attend some of the course related content within the week, and know what you're expected to be doing once the semester properly begins.
8. Will I have essays? Yes. I think it's safe to say that every course, at every Uni, will require you to write an essay as a way of assessment. Usually you spend September to late November being lectured and developing your ideas on a module in the seminar room, then the essay questions are released and you go away and start planning and writing. You may also have to continue attending lectures and seminars if they link in with your chosen essay question (every question will be based on something you have covered within the semester, and normally you cover the content of one essay question each week).
9. What do I write about in my essay? You will usually have a list of essay questions to chose from. As I say, each one will cover the content of a week's worth of lecture's and seminars. One week you may look at fairytales, the next week fantasty novels, then maybe the illustrations within children's literature, and you there will be an essay question on each of these different areas. Essays will require you to discuss your ideas on your chosen subject, and scholarly interpretations of it. Don't panic, you'll be eased into the essay writing process from early on.
10. Will I have an exam? You very well might, you could even have more than one! These will most likely either be in January or May.
11. Do we get to write a draft essay/sit a mock exam? No. Most Uni's will not allow you to write a draft essay or sit a mock exam. This is terrifying at first, but eventually you'll know how to write an essay and tackle an exam question, and will realise you don't need your tutors to look over everything. You'll soon learn what they're looking for, just listen closely and make sure you Email them if you're unsure.
12. How will I hand in my assignments? Probably online. In my first & second years we had to hand in an electronic copy and a paper copy, but by third year this has been scrapped and everything was done online; the submission, the marking, the feedback and the grade release were all done on a computer. This can be difficult because technology isn't always efficient, but it also means you literally have right up until the last minute to submit and don't have to go print it out and hand it in, so swings and roundabouts.
13. What grades will I be given? You'll now be marked with a classification ranging between first class, and third class. Think of a first as an A* or A, a 2:1 (second upper class) as a B, a 2:2 (second lower class) as a C, and a third as a D. That's basically how they treat them.
14. When will I get my student loan? Your student loan will come through once you have enrolled at your university, which you'll probably do during freshers week. It's transferred into your bank account from Student Finance, along with the grant if you're eligible for this. Bursaries from the universities are likely to be received at a later date.
Hopefully this has answered some of your questions. Good luck to anybody starting university in September. Please feel free to subscribe if you want to keep up to date with my posts or give this a like to show some love, see you for the next one!