Freshers Starter Guide: Tips for Surviving First Year.

One of my first ever nights out as a Fresher.

Going to University is definitely up there with one of the most challenging and life changing experiences you will ever come across.  You'll be living away from home, your family, and life-long friends and taking the first steps towards your chosen career path (although don't worry if you're not exactly sure what that is yet!).  When I became a student two years ago, I was the first person in my entire family to set food in a University, so as you can imagine, I was a complete bundle of nerves with no idea what to do or expect.  Here is a little guide of my top tips to help you through first year...

Stay organised.  Time management is key to staying on top of your game at university.  It's so important to know your deadlines and which reading work (essentially homework!) is due when, especially when you're out until 6am and up three hours later to make it in time for your 9am lecture.  I was given this beautiful burgundy Filofax for my 18th Birthday, which I've used as a diary and calendar throughout my two years at Uni, and will definitely be continuing to use it for my third (and final! *monkey hands over eyes emoji*) year.

Note taking helps (surprisingly!).  Don't be alarmed when you enter your first lecture and 70% of students already have their MacBooks out ready to frantically type down notes.  Although I have a MacBook, I prefer to leave it at home and scribble my notes down using the traditional pen and paper; it is less time consuming and less noisy for other students.  TOP TIP:  Write down what the lecturer says, not what is written on the PowerPoint slides.  You'll be able to look back at the presentation online, and will kick yourself if you're notes duplicate what the slides say.

Buy a onesie.  You'll need it in winter and after big nights out.

Don't worry about looking 'cool'.  Everyone wears their most fashionable outfits for a grand total of about three days when first arriving at Uni.  After that, pyjamas and slippers are the norm in halls, and jeans, hoodies and trainers are great for throwing on before lectures. Go comfy!

Buy a Railcard.  This has saved me SO much money.  You never know where in the country you're going to be visiting new friends or how often you're going to want to get the train home.  I opened a student account with Santander and got a free three year railcard for doing so, I highly recommend you do the same!  You can have a look at this option here.

Forget the NUS card.  Don't bother spending your student loan on an NUS card when you can get the same discount by showing your student ID card when buying something in-store. (everyone receives one of these when they first start Uni).  Some student ID cards even have a number which you can use for discounts online as well; sadly, mine didn't, so I set up an account at Unidays.com where you can get discount codes for all your favourite online shops such as ASOS, Topshop and Miss Selfridge.

Pack anything fancy dress you own. Freshers is known for crazy fancy dress events.  Take anything you own that might possibly come in handy for one of these nights.

Halloween 2013.  No, this isn't my wolf costume, but I wish it was.

Join societies.  If there is one thing I wish I did differently in my first year, it's that I wish I had joined a society.  If you're feeling shy and finding it difficult to meet people, joining a society is an amazing way to meet like-minded people, especially as they're so friendly and usually organise socials every Wednesday night.

Try in first year.  Ignore those people who say 'you only need 40% to pass'.  While this is true, if you want to do a year abroad or industry placement, you'll usually need at least a 2:1 in your first year.  A lot of employers are also known to look at first year result to deem how determined and committed someone is, so yes, first year is important and does count.

Don't sweat it.  While university is a lot of hard work, it is also the time to find who you are as a person, meet new people and most importantly, have the time of your life! If you don't get the grade you were expecting on an essay, don't worry too much and focus on doing better the next time round. But don't let work take over your life, you're allowed to enjoy yourself too!

So there we have it!  My top tips for starting university.  Do you have any of your own tips?  I'd love to hear them as everyone's experiences are different.  If you're starting University this year, good luck, work hard and most importantly, have fun!!

Ellie xxx