Never (ever) put your jumper in the dryer…and other things I learned from my first year at Uni

(Even if the label says you can, just don’t do it.)

I started reading English Literature with Creative writing at Newcastle University in September 2019, after moving to the UK post gap year (who knew you’re supposed to say ‘reading’ instead of ‘studying’…weird I know). Like most university freshers, I was excited but also really nervous about starting my course. Will people like me? Will I make any friends? Will everyone on my course be much smarter than me? All the usual stuff. Having just travelled during my gap year to Central and South America, I felt I had, at some level, a degree (ha! see what I did there?) of independence, and the ability to sustain myself (debatable) as well as a work ethic that I developed after studying hard for the grades that got me into uni. Nevertheless, stepping into my university accommodation for the first time, meeting my flatmates and attending my first lecture, felt daunting.

Here's a compiled list of ten things that, after reflecting on my first year of uni, and arguably my first year of being a proper(?) adult, I would tell my past self and anyone else who feels nervous about being a fresher (or, anyone who will listen quite frankly. Let's not kid ourselves, my readership is three people at best, two of them being my parents who went to uni in the eighties and could do without a 'youngster' telling them things they will claim they found out when they were five or something).

1. Firstly, everyone is as shit scared as you. I know it’s hard to believe, but people are just as nervous as you to start university, and are also just as desperate to make friends. So go on, talk to that boy in the corner who’s drinking that disgusting red bull vodka concoction, the colour of the piss in your grandma's catheter bag. What’s the worst that can happen? Chances are, if it goes badly (which it won’t - you’re both freshers who want to make friends), you'll probably never see him again because uni is so huge. Alternatively, (and more likely), you’ll have a nice conversation and find out you’re both recycled origami fanatics or massively into Psychedelic Christian emo heavy metal.

2. Finishing work in advance is a wonderful feeling. Obviously it is inevitable that some assignments will be the ‘finish at midnight with thirty seconds to spare’ kind, but the feeling of finishing that essay a week or even (dare I say?) two weeks before it's due is undeniably the best feeling ever. I’m not saying you should do this with all your essays, but once in a while, it’s nice to be really on top of things. Plus, it gives you a confidence boost. It makes you realise that you do deserve your place at uni, because you are a very competent student with the ability to complete work efficiently and effectively (or something like that).

3. Seasoning is…everything. Cooking for yourself for (potentially) the first time in your life can feel daunting. I was really worried that I wouldn’t have enough variety in my meals, and would resort to cooking the same thing all the time. My solution to this was to create a long list of recipes that I could use on rotation, so I wouldn’t get sick of a repetitive diet. While of course this works for some people, I found it difficult to keep on top of and I didn’t like having such a rigid structure. I also found that the recipes I set myself were too time consuming and laborious after attending a whole day of lectures (who knew you wouldn’t fancy roasting organic new potatoes and broccoli in a balsamic and red wine glaze for three hours after attending seven hours of lectures?). With that in mind, I found that seasoning is a uni student’s best friend. It makes a relatively bland meal slightly more interesting. By all means ensure your diet is balanced and interesting (it’s important to keep your brain and body healthy!), but of course, in typical university student fashion, prepare to eat a lot of baked beans.

4. Even if something is outside of your comfort zone, try and get involved. Of course, if this entails a trip to A&E after an attempt to climb up a drain pipe that everyone said would be ‘hilarious!’, then maybe you need to re-evaluate. But if this means getting involved in some freshers activities, or going to the pub with some new people you're not that familiar with, then by all means give it a go! I also want to emphasise that you DO NOT need to enjoy drinking to have a good time at uni. It is important that you're not pressured by other people to play into the drinking culture that is so prevalent, if you don't want to. Of course, if you're into that kind of thing then go for it, but it's not always necessary. I met some really great friends by getting involved in some activities that didn't involve drinking at all, that I didn't think I would enjoy, but they actually turned out to be more fun than I thought. This same rule also applies throughout the year. Some of my best memories are from when I got involved in things I wouldn’t normally do. This could be through getting involved in societies or going to a party your course-mate that you barely know invited you to. I joined the Caledonian Scottish dancing society through a friend, which was actually really fun. Who knew I would love hanging out with Tories so much?!

5. Everyone’s friendship stories are different. People often say you are likely to never see the people you meet in freshers week again. This was actually the opposite for me (minus a few people). My closest friends, and the people I am living with next year were some of the first people I met during freshers. My point is that you shouldn’t write someone off if they are not completely your cup of tea (or choice of beverage all together). You never know who might be wiping sick off your cheek after your next night out, or, you know...who might be your next best friend.

6. Whilst optional things are…(yes, you guessed it) optional, it’s good if you go to them. I found it really useful to meet with lecturers if I had concerns or attend a meeting that wasn’t compulsory but was actually really useful in answering a question I didn’t even realise I had about an essay. Even if you think you have that assignment under control, it's always useful to get feedback and advice from someone who is literally paid to help you.

7. Get to know your new city. This sounds like a no-brainer, but it's really important to know your way around your new home town, since you'll be living there for (at least) the next three years. Plus, it's always nice to know where you can get cheap student deals on cinema tickets or where that legendary pub that sells £2 pints is. You'll inevitably know your way around within the first few weeks or months, but it's always worth asking someone who is from the city where to go, or searching up online where the coolest places for students are.

8. You don’t need eight cheese graters in one house. I know it sounds obvious, but everyone always brings too much crockery and utensils. Perhaps scope out who has what when you arrive, to avoid cupboards heaving with twelve wooden spoons, seven blenders and four irons, which inevitably just sit there and collect dust (Who knew we were living in the Victorian Era, where everyone needs to iron their three piece dinner suits?). Although of course, if everyone thought of this 'trick', no one would bring a grater and you would end up eating shoddily cut cheese on your beans on toast…not ideal. This, therefore, is maybe better advice for second year, when you know people well and feel ok sharing things (and no, do not bring your priceless family heirloom dinner plate, hand-crafted in the 17th century by Parisian artisans, because it will inevitably get broken.)

9. Finding time to still do the things you enjoy is really important. It’s easy at uni to get side tracked by socialising with friends, and panic-reading that 26 page article on Medieval Scottish poetry you didn't realise you needed to read the night before a lecture you didn’t realise you had at 9am the next morning. But it’s important to continue your hobbies and the things you love. I really love personal reading, and I found that I was so swamped by trying to find time to read my course books as well as socialise with friends and keep myself alive and clean that I didn’t really find much time to read. Similarly, I love knitting (I know, I’m an old woman) and crafts and only by the end of my first year did I manage to get somewhat of a balance, but of course I’m still learning.

10. Lastly, you’re paying for the degree, not just the resources you are given. University tuition is undoubtedly expensive and will put you in debt for some time. I still struggle with the notion that I am paying over £9,000 (pearl clutch) for a service which definitely does not cost that much to provide. No doubt the international students feel even worse, with their tuition much higher than home status students, and they can’t even get a loan! Getting angry about it won’t change anything though, and so you’re just going to have to accept that you’re paying for the degree itself, and the opportunities it will open up for you in the future. I’m saying this as though I don’t get angry. I’m still fuming, but what can you do?

I hope this was useful, and if not, it was at least a cathartic process for me, as I reflect on my first year of uni. It sounds like a cliché but it goes so fast, so enjoy it while you can.