Starting university can be a daunting experience, but it doesn’t have to be.
Starting university can be a daunting experience, but it doesn’t have to be. Everyone who is about to start their first week is a bit nervous and apprehensive, especially if the university you are attending is quite far away or in another country entirely. For many students this could be the first time that they live away from their family. This can sometimes be a bit of a shock at first but don’t worry too much, the friends and experience you can gain from going to university can be life changing.
Preparing for your first week at university here's howClick To Tweet
If your university is in another country entirely, join a student orientation course
If you have decided to attend a university that is in another country the first week can be quite a big shock. If the country’s culture is quite different than what you are used to then it can be a double shock, but it doesn’t have to be a difficult experience.
To make the transition as easy as possible be sure to join an orientation program for international students. These programs are specially created to help foreign students get used to the local culture and help them to understand and fit in with the new surroundings. Athletes usa have more information about this.
Set yourself a budget
When you’re moving out of home for the first time, chances are that this could be one of the first times that you’re completely in control of all of your finances and living costs. If you are not used to this then it can be very easy to get carried away and overspend, especially if the friends you make invite you out to eat, drink and go to clubs! The best way to deal with this is to set yourself a real budget that you can stick to, one that still lets you have fun while enabling you to let cashflow last until the end of each month without being stuck.
When you go out to socialise in bars and pubs there will almost always be a student happy hour in the bars near the university. There will more than likely be a student union bar on university grounds too. To help you stick to your budget, try and go out during happy hour as most often the bars will have reduced prices.
Learn how to stop procrastination
Almost all students are plagued by procrastination, it’s a trap that’s easy to fall into when you have lots of new friends and all they want to do is party! The trick is to start thinking about your future self. In any activity you’re about to do, think about the work you have to finish for your classes and think “how would this affect my future self, what would they think?”. You should to try to connect yourself to the consequences of completing work early versus later.
How would you feel if you got all of the work done and didn’t have to stress at the last minute, how would that affect your life?
