Congratulations on your achievement so far! You have made it, and now you are about to start another tasking but a gratifying life experience; life in the university is one to behold. However, before you begin the daunting task of pursuing your dream degree, you need to prepare yourself physically and psychologically. If you don’t know what to do before joining university, you may seek guidance from educational experts, such as Peachy Essay.
For you to get everything in order, you may need a little help. Here are some of the top tips on things to do before your first day at the university.
Plan Your Accommodation
Before you step into the university, you have to take care of your accommodation. You can choose to stay on campus or rent a house outside; however, finances play a significant role. If you have limited finances, you should think carefully about your accommodation, consider staying at home if you are fortunate to study at the local university to cut costs.
Fortunately, various universities have different types of accommodation that are friendly to all kinds of students. Depending on your financial state, you have options such as social, quiet, single, mixed-gender halls to catered and self-catered. Reach out to the university accommodation office and plan.
Put Your Finances in Order
Ensure that you get a banking facility with proper overdraft facilities. Get to know what bank will work effectively for you, avoid any condition that will put you into unnecessary spending; else, you may spend all your money before the semester ends. If you have plans for getting funded finances from the government, ensure you get in touch with the right student financial bodies such as Student Finance NI, Student Finance England, and Student Finance Wales, among others.
The catch point here is to understand your source of funding and the limitations involved, and then you can plan well for all your needs and spend accordingly.
Make a Decision on What to Take
Before you get to the university, try to find out what they provide, such as accommodation to avoid buying unnecessary items. Also, find out if the university's accommodation has a respective storage capacity so that you know what to carry to campus.
Also, consider your valuables; if you are carrying to campus things like tablets, laptops, among others, insure them.
Have a Railcard
Look into your transportation during the study period. Many students spend a lot of money visiting friends or commuting to and from home, and you can avoid paying parking fees by using the rail network. Train fees are affordable; you will realize that traveling is a common thing among students during your study period. You may travel for fun or studies or research, which may be expensive if you don't plan well.
Start Reading
Many universities now provide full reading lists to prospective students to get an idea of what to expect in their preferred disciplines. You need to start building your reading culture and familiarize yourself with the university study routine.
Remember that you don't have to purchase all the things provided on the prospectus list. Only buy the essential books and items on the list; most of the study materials will be readily available in the university library. But if you have to buy books, you can consider reaching out to the former students; by this, you may get them at a lower price.
Put Your Health in Check
Your health is the most important thing, and before you join the university, you have to ensure your health is in good condition. If you have any underlying health issue, sort it out before you embark on your studies. You will be getting into a different environment, and there is a change of diet, which may trigger any ailment that you had before. Being a Fresher also has some challenges because you have to get acquainted with the campus environment. You will most likely get into the hype of getting to know your colleagues and running around making new friends within a short period.
Do a Pre-Visit
If you are attending a university in a new city or location, you should visit the place before your reporting day. You should not mind taking advice from people who know the city, or you can as well conduct some online search about the place, but it would serve you right if you can have the first-hand experience. Familiarizing yourself with your study place is essential because you will be spending the next four or five years at the university. As a new student, knowing the study city will help you to prepare yourself in terms of dress code; you will know the climatic condition and get to campus well prepared.
Learn To Cook For Yourself
Please make it a habit of preparing your meals by yourself. Don't rely on taking junk food and readymade food that you can quickly grab from the cafes; this will make you lazy, and also, the food is costly to buy readymade food all the time. You again run the risk of food poisoning when you solely depend on readymade food. If you don't know how to cook, you can use cookbooks that have simple recipes with simple steps. Also, there are cooking guides online or on YouTube that can come in handy for you.
Mingle with Your Family and Friends
Before you finally join the university, take some time and visit your family members and friends. You may spend the next four years without seeing some of your friends, and it is not to disappear to campus without informing them. If your university is very far from home, you may take ages before you meet up again, so extend that love when you are still available. You can also carry some memorabilia with you to campus, take photos together with your loved ones, and take it with you for remembrance.
Get in the Mix of Fresher's Week
Joining the university for the first time is like entering a new family, and there are a lot of lovely moments and celebrations during this time. Get out of your shell and be in the mix during the fresher's week, make friends and be free to mingle with your peers. You will need friends to walk you through tough times on campus, so do whatever you can as long as you keep your limits. Please note that you should enjoy yourself online within the university rules and regulations.
Conclusion
University life should fun all the way if you can consider the above tips. However, remember that your academic excellence is the most important thing; all the listed items to do should be a good foundation for you to attain your dreams finally. Enjoy your university life and good luck.
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