Top Tips for Settling into University

Starting University for the first time is an incredibly exciting moment in your academic career! Take a look at our top tips for settling in positively and with confidence as you take on this new challenge.

1. Get organised

Plan ahead and think about what you’ll need to succeed and how you can balance your time between study, extra-curriculars, any part-time work and friends.

It’s also helpful to get to grips with key skills such as making effective lecture notes early. If you’d like to hit the ground running with strong study skills, Enjoy Education can help you – reach out to our team to hear more.

We’d also advise staying on top of your work as much as possible. Especially if deadlines are far away, it can be tempting to watch a lecture back later or delay writing an essay! To avoid stress, try and get your work done as soon as it’s set. This will help you to organise your time and feel confident in your academics.

2. Reach out to new friends

Making a whole new group of friends might seem scary, but remember that everyone is in the same boat!

Keep your bedroom door open and ask people to go for a coffee, to the pub or on a walk – they’ll likely say yes!

3. Explore your new city

If you’ve moved to a new country or city for university, get outside and explore your local area. Exploring local shops and restaurants, as well as university facilities, is also a great way to bond with new flatmates or friends.

4. Try everything

University is an amazing opportunity to try new hobbies and activities with like-minded students. You’ll find that there’s a club for almost everything, from netball to theatre! If your university has a Freshers’ Fair, go and sign up for everything you’re interested in. You might not be able to do it all, but you can always go along for a few sessions and discover what you love.

5. Take care of your health

It’s important that you take care of your health at university. Don’t forget to sign up for a GP and invest in a first aid kit – you’ll thank yourself later if you come down with Freshers’ Flu!

If you’re cooking for yourself for the first time, try to learn 3 or 4 simple healthy recipes ahead of time. A healthy diet balanced with exercise will support your physical and mental health and help you learn more effectively. Take a look at some ideas here.

6. Make use of the facilities

Explore your university’s libraries, labs and extra-curricular facilities and see what’s on offer! There’s no point waiting until third year to realise there was a fantastic resource in the library you had no idea about!

7. Don’t be afraid to ask for support

If you are struggling at all with settling in, are missing home or are having trouble getting to grips with work, you are not alone!

Don’t be afraid to reach out to your friends, family or to university services for support. It’s also likely that lots of your new friends are struggling with the same things!

If you need support to get to grips with your new course, we are here to help. Don’t hesitate to reach out for individual advice on how you can take your learning to the next level this year.