Answering University Questions

I have a YouTube Channel now, this is where I post different content. I posted a video answering questions about university and thought I would also write about them.

My YouTube Channel is: https://www.youtube.com/@simplycc04

The video this blog is based on is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy1ZNVKvwiw&t=47s

Question 1:

How many societies should I join?

This is up to you, however personally in the first year my anxiety got to me and I was not able to join a society. If I could have joined one, it would have been the netball society as I enjoy it. My self-esteem levels were low at the start of university and I thought I would not be 'pretty' enough for the netball team and would be judged. This was a silly thought because no one joins the netball team to be pretty. I would say join 2 societies so that you still have time to socialise and concentrate on the university workload. Sometimes, you have to look at the cost efficiency for a society as you do have to pay money towards it.

Question 2:

What is my best advice for university?

My best advice is to stick it out for the first term! I found the first month so difficult and will admit I looked up how to drop out of university. In October I found my boyfriend and even though it was so difficult, I look back now and think if I had left in September I would have never found the love of my life. I then found my closest friends at university in January, so if I had left I would not have found them or my boyfriend.

Question 3:

What revision techniques did I use?

I was diagnosed with ADHD (this will be in detail in another blog) so I found it difficult to sit down and concentrate. For me, I found that if I put on a 'boring' movie or documentary in the background, it helped. This is because when I could not concentrate I would watch the movie, get bored and then go back to working on my essay. There are many different ways to revise and get on with your work, however, that was my best way.

Otherwise can include:

1. Revising with music

2. Revising without music

3. Revising in the library/bedroom/kitchen or outside

4. Revise by yourself, with someone else or in a group

This is not a question that can be answered as things are different for everybody.

https://www.bcu.ac.uk/exams-and-revision/best-ways-to-revise/best-revision-techniques

Question 4:

How can you save money at univeristy?

There are many different ways, although a big chunk of my money did not involve

going out and getting drunk. I am someone with social anxiety and I did not enjoy going out and getting drunk. After meeting my boyfriend, I found out he didn't drink either and it just never interested me after being with him. I spent my money on takeaways and the arcade instead. Some good ways to save money are by meal prepping food, and having a budgeting app such as Good Budget. There are little ways such as, if you are going out take a water bottle with water or squash so you do not have to spend money on a drink or pack your lunch when going out. There is so much to do that does not involve money, find places to walk to and go to free places where you can browse in shop windows or go to the park and sit and chat instead of going out and spending money.

Use the website Student Beans too, as that gives you discounts on many different places.

https://www.studentbeans.com/uk

Use charity shops and second-hand shops to buy clothing, you can use the online website PreWorn too. https://preworn.ltd/collections/womens-jumpsuits-playsuits

Question 5:

What are you studying?

I started my first year of university doing a foundation year in Education. This was to slowly introduce myself to the university and learn more about how university essays are set out rather than jumping straight into it. This year I am going onto the Education Studies course which is a broad range of education throughout primary and secondary years. There will be more written about in terms of what my lectures covered. This is so if anyone wants to know more about lectures, they have an insight into learning. I have written about my science lecture if you want to read that one, after reading this.

Question 6:

How did you feel about starting university?

I was excited, but more nervous than anything to be honest. I remember a few days before I was writing a letter to my mum saying how thankful I was for helping me through the process of university and I started crying, thinking how can I leave these people behind? However, all was good, the day came, I was incredibly shy and nervous, however, I put those feelings aside and tried to show I was very confident.

Question 7:

Do you have to pay for university?

In a sense, yes you do, but not until you leave university and get a job where you are hitting a certain amount each year. Once you hit this certain amount, you then start to pay it back over a certain amount of time. You apply for student finance and this is where the government take into consideration how much your family has and why they should give you money if you cannot pay upfront already. The government pay your tuition as well, but it is a loan until you start making money.

Question 8:

What do you love about university?

I love the freedom I get with being at university, everything is your own choice and decision and it only affects you. It is your own choice when you go to a lecture or when you go to bed and get up. It is your own choice for what you want to eat during the day when you get food and when you do the laundry. I just loved the freedom. Of course, I also love how it is where I met my boyfriend and all the good memories we have too.

Question 9:

How do you balance your time at university?

I believe the reason I am at university is to get my degree so I can move on to a dream job. I like to think I put my university work first, during the week if I have tasks to do, they will be done during the week. The weekend is when I socialise and have fun and go out and spend money. I would create a weekly plan of my week so I knew what to do and when, this included, resting time, laundry, shopping for food, getting dinner and spending time with my other half and of course, essays and tasks to do for university lectures. It is all about creating a good plan that still allows you to socialise and take time for yourself. You can create timetables on Canva or a piece of paper.

https://www.canva.com/en_gb/

Question 10:

How do you manage stress?

I will not sit here and lie to you whilst I write this, everyone who knows me, knows that I do not deal with stress in healthy ways. I get very snappy and rude when I am stressed and then I tend to clean and tidy to try and make myself better. This does not in fact work as I will get upset at the tiniest thing when I am stressed. It is much better to either take a nap, have a shower, listen to some music or watch something funny. Everyone in the world should be taking at least 10 minutes a day to relax and reset their mind, this does not include sleeping.

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/tips-to-reduce-stress/

Question 11:

How did you cope with being away from home?

In the beginning, I cried every night because I missed my bed, my family home and the feeling of being safe. After a while, I just got over it, and that is also when I met my boyfriend, so I felt safe when I was with him. There were a few times I would go home and then come back to university and find it difficult to be away from home. I mostly just cried it out and then would try my hardest to go and meet my family somewhere to help myself. I struggled the most in December after my guinea pig passed away.

Question 12:

What essentials do you need to bring to university?

The essentials to bring are:

1. Bedding (pillows, pillow cases, mattress protector, duvet, duvet case, extra blankets)

2. Clothing

3. Kitchen Ware (scales, pots and pans, cutlery, can opener, chopping boards, cups and mugs, plates and bowls teatowels and oven gloves)

4. Bathroom (soaps, shower bits and bobs, bath mat, toothbrush and holder)

5. Bedroom decorations

There will be another blog about all of this too and the best places to buy and not buy

Question 13:

Is it easier to make friends at university rather than at school/college?

I think it is, you are more or less grown up when arriving at university, a lot of pettiness has dissolved over the summer holidays and people are more focused on their careers than drama. You are put into a course with other people who want to do the same job as you, so you already have a lot in common. When joining societies, you have a lot in common as you like the same interests. Everyone around you has the same interests, plus if you're in uni accommodation then you're forced to live amongst others, so instead of making things awkward you just get to know each other and get along.

Question 14:

How is university different from other education settings?

It is very different because, even if you are in boarding school you still have someone walking around and checking that you're okay. However, at university, you have security if you need them but they will not personally check on you. Your classes vary all the time, I know this is the same for the college and sixth form, but it is more of your freedom to go to these and do whatever it is you want in the lecture. There are no rules for dress codes and how you spend your time in the lecture because, at the end of the day, you are paying for it.

Question 15:

What do you wear to university?

I have a whole blog coming out on this, however, I suggest leggings and some tops for the lectures, you do not need to get glam for a lecture. I would normally wear leggings or tracksuits to the lecture and if I am going out then I would wear my jeans and nice tops. Somedays I would make an effort, but some days you are in a lecture for 2 hours. Keep an eye out for a blog based around just this topic.

If you have any other questions about what university is like feel free to DM me on:

Instagram: cc29397

Snapchat: Simplycc04

TikTok: Simplycc04

Quote of the blog:

I feel this quote sticks to this blog, everything I have learnt at and about university has shaped me for the real world. It has shown me how to live by myself and independently and has shown me what to do when life gets hard.