Over the past couple of weeks, students from across the country have embarked on the next step of their academic adventure. But the college experience extends far beyond the classroom.
Starting university is in equal parts thrilling and terrifying. New faces, a packed timetable, independent living, and suddenly nobody is checking whether you got out of bed for that 9am lecture.
Here's how to make the most of it.
Say yes to things
Freshers' week can feel like a blur of clubs, societies, and awkward introductions, but it's the easiest window you'll get into meeting people outside your course.
Joining a society is a fast pass to meeting people with shared interests. Society events also allow you to have experiences and learn new things. The friends you make chasing a shared interest often last longer than the ones you meet by pure proximity in the lecture hall.
Go to class
It may sound obvious, but university introduces you to a freedom which you haven't experienced before.
The freedom of university means attendance is optional in a way school never was. But show up anyway. Most lecturers will make class presentations available but half of the value of a lecture is the conversation sparked mid-class, the curveball question, or the rabbit-hole a lecturer weaves their way down because something clicked.
Talk to your lecturers
They're not as unreachable as they seem.
Office hours exist for a reason, and a five-minute chat about an essay can teach you more than another hour of solo reading. It also means someone actually knows your name when it comes to potential references down the line, or even just to get some advice on the industry when that time comes.
Budget like it matters (because it does )
Whether it's a part-time job, a grant, or the bank of Mam and Dad, do out your sums and figure out early what you can spend and stick to it.
Nights out are part of the experience, but nobody wants to be living on bagels the last week of each month.
Look after yourself
New routines, more independence, less sleep; it can all catch up with you pretty quickly.
Find a rhythm that works for you. Do your meal prep at the start of the week so you're eating good. Get some exercise in and try catch at least seven hours of sleep. That way, you're not floundering around trying to establish a routine during exam season.
Don't panic if it doesn't click right away
Not everyone finds their people or their footing in the first fortnight.
Give it a semester. The people who look like they've got it all figured out in September rarely do, they've just gotten better at looking like they do.
At the end of the day, college is what you make of it, but making the most of it usually comes down to showing up, saying yes more than you say no, and having that little bit of courage to step outside your comfort zone.
