The time between graduating from upper secondary school and starting university can be extremely short and pass surprisingly quickly. More often than not, you need to adapt very quickly and your once safe secondary school environment suddenly becomes a university where everything can seem complicated and confusing – new concepts, curriculum, classmates, lecturers, etc. Here are some tips on how to get a successful start in higher education.
- New environment and new faces.
First-time university students tend to have much larger study groups than those in high school. There will be a crowd of new people around you and yet you may feel completely alone in that crowd. This is perfectly understandable and most students who are in a new school environment or in a new city feel the same way. As time goes by, however, you will start to fit in with your fellow group members and make friends.
- Volume of coursework and increased personal responsibility.
Be aware of your own increased responsibility for your studies and schoolwork. Review the timetable, syllabus and curriculum, and keep track of the assignments you need to do and the materials you need to work through. Having a social media group or page where you can share information is a good way to get your study group or course to work together.
- Being systematic
The sheer volume of learning and the amount of course material can be daunting, with deadlines approaching and assignments and assessments piling up. In these situations, it is best to prioritise your work and create a systematic plan of how, what and when you will learn. This is the only way to make sure you get everything ready on time.
- Other practical tips for getting used to studying at a university:
- Be open and interact with your peers.
- Plan your time.
- Pay attention to your schoolwork and avoid absences as much as possible.
- Ask your department, lecturers or fellow students for advice.
- Be yourself.
Prepared by the team of the youth information portal Teeviit.
Published in the youth information portal Teeviit in 2022.
