how to thrive the uni life

first of all, i would like to congratulate to all those received their scholarships. you all will be in an experience of a life time. today, i'll share with you the general secrets of success in the new study environment.

it's not really any different from the previous academic experience you've been through before. many things are the same only at a higher academic level. the main differences you will find are that:

• you have more control and independence over what, when and how you study

• understanding and critical thinking are more important than remembering.

1. get organised!
it's not like O-level or A-level, where things are just relaxing and most things are done for you. it's up to you to organise yourself and your study. you may find that all of your assignments are due at the same time, so a bit of forward planning for staggered deadlines will save a lot of panic at the last minute.

2. get yourself informed!
about things like timetables, room locations, deadlines and guidelines for assignments. it’s your responsibility to do this – no-one will remind you! your Course Handbook is your best source for what you need to know about your course of study. make sure you know where you’ve put it, or how to access it online – you’ll probably need it later in the term.

3. make notes! - lots of 'em...
getting handouts is a rarity in university classes and if you try to write down everything the lecturer says you won’t be able to focus on listening. make notes of selected points and underline the important ones to make them obvious. add any thoughts of your own that arise, but make it clear that they’re your own ideas, perhaps by circling them.

4. understanding is key
at university, it's not about how much you know, but how you understand it. that usually means knowing the major issues and debates and putting what you’ve found out about the topic into that context. it also means being able to communicate your understanding, so knowing how to structure your work and write clearly is really important.

5. leave your procrastination back home!
again, get yourself organised. lecturers give assignments with a very long deadline. you have to have a really damn good reason to not finish or extending it. of course, most of us like to do things at the very last minute and managed to do so time and time again. but in university, it's just not worth the stress and most of the time, getting a low grade in the end. do it early and do it well.

6. ask for help when you need it.
there’s a lot to get used to when you come to university, and no-one finds it all easy. one of your most important responsibilities is to yourself - to recognise when you need help and to know where to get it. there are plenty of people whose job is to help you get yourself sorted. you can talk to your personal tutor, or a Study Adviser, or a Counsellor.

7. be financially aware!
it’s a valuable habit to get into and being a student, with all the difficulties of juggling expenditure, is a good time to start practicing it. keep a log of how much money you have coming in and how you are spending it. that way you can tell exactly where your money is going and make important conclusions from it. found out you are spending the bulk of your money on study books? look at buying them second hand (ebay or amazon) or using the library.

to put it simply, just be aware of what you're spending. i've seen people buy useless things and most of the time at the spur of the moment. this is especially for newbies. not even been in uk for a day, already buying expensive stuff like brand new £25 dvd (5 of them) and £100 shoes - very foolish and unnecessary. please be a bit cautious of your spendings and don't be so iski.(very stupidly eager)

8. explore your campus!
get to know your campus quickly. it’s where you will spend a lot of your time and by acclimatising yourself to it early, you will settle in much more quickly, making those first few weeks more pleasant. you will also learn the little quirks like the most quiet place to study, or the busiest time in the canteen. by knowing about your campus you will be able to make the most of the facilities. any half-decent college/university will host plenty of free/cheap entertainment and special events. they are much better for your finances than expensive nights out round town.

9. make friends! not just from the same nation.
not really meaning to sound stuck-up or anything but you'll be in a different countries with people from around the world in uni. and you're just wasting that culture-sharing by hanging with other people who are from the same country as you. of course, i'm also not saying to completely ignore them. i'm just saying use this time to spread your wings and your social network.

consider getting to know and befriend as many people as possible, whether it be other students or lecturers. It makes acclimatising to university much more easy if you have people you can talk to and trust. it can also open up lots of opportunities. a lecturer you can comfortably talk to may be able to provide advice on your work, and it can be so much easier to do group work if you have friends on your course. freshers week is great for achieving all this as there will be so many other people in the same position as you. Look to join groups that have the same interests as yours!

more importantly, be friends with seniors. they have experience and it would be a waste to not leech out every bit of tips and tricks, whether it be in studies or any other general tips on cheap transport and food.

10. have fun!
this is an experience of a lifetime for all of you. don't waste a second of it being cooped up in a room (except when assignments are due). go out have the best safe fun of your life!