Here Are 3 Things To Do Before Your 1st Year In University
3 Must-Do’s For Successful Start
As the new study year approaches, along with the upcoming stress and new acquaintances, I decided to tell you about certain aspects of what you should do before kicking off your first year.
A year ago, I was in the same position. When I just got enrolled at the University of Amsterdam, the only feeling that I had was confusion.
I was discombobulated with: what should I do, what was best for me, and how to prepare. Probably the strongest fear that I had at the time was to not drop out in the 1 semester, which fortunately I did not.
So with no further do, here are 3 things that would help you kick off your 1st year:
1. Research, Research, Research.
Before you come to uni, you obviously need to do some research.
What subjects are you going to have, or what type of books do you need, or is there someplace to eat nearby?
All of those things are extremely important to know if you want to make your initial experience much easier.
- If you’re looking for information on certain subjects or the books you need for your courses, just search for your university’s course catalog and then access the course manual.
For example, last year when I was concerned about my stats class, I looked up the course manual and figured out what type of books are they talking about. From that point, I could understand what type of knowledge of stats is required from me, and because of that I could easily prepare some basics, and make my life easier.
- Also, if you are coming as an international to another country, look up the public transportation methods & costs, some places to study, or affordable places to eat.
2. Interact With Some Social Activities Connected To The University.
Last year my college had an introduction week for people who are just coming into university, and many of my friends found it useful. If I am being honest, I regret not coming there, as I thought:
“Ah, it doesn’t matter, I am still gonna meet people”
which I did, however, it was much harder because there were already so many friend groups in the 1st week of university.
So if you know that there is an upcoming social event related to your university: GO!
Don’t dwell on this question any longer. Simply take action and go. By doing so, you’ll not only have the chance to meet new people, but you’ll also gain confidence in the university setting.
3. Do At Least 30 Minutes Of Reading Per Day
It doesn’t matter if your course is more math or more humanities-based, reading gets you more prepared for the intensive tempo of the university.
It is going to improve your:
- Attentiveness
- Patience
- Help You Focus on hard tasks easier
With all of those useful benefits, just try to dedicate at least 30 minutes per day to reading. Trust me, it is going to make your studying process much easier and give you an enormous advantage.
I hope you found those pieces of advice useful, and that you will be completely ready for the start of your school year.
In the next article, we are going to talk about how to prepare for the exams, and what type of exams you may encounter at your university, till then
Take care.
