Starting university - what to expect

Starting university - what to expect Starting university what to expectPosted October 13, 2011, by Elissa CollierRegardless of whether youre 18 and going to university straight from high school or youre 29 and wanting to gain a qualification, starting uni for the first time can be tough. Wandering around an unknown campus, adjusting to lectures and tutorials, making new friends, learning new things, juggling your finances, all whilst trying to get a degree to advance your career it can get a little overwhelming. Its a lot to take in, but most people do it wonderfully and come out of it having had one of the best experiences of their lives. Here is some advice on how to minimise your pre-uni jitters by being prepared, feeling confident and knowing what to expect.Orientation weekOrientation week, or O-week, is a great way to begin your uni life. Its held a week before classes start (sometimes two weeks) and involves a number of social activities and events designed to welcome and or ient new students to uni life. Its elend compulsory to attend but its a good way to meet people, receive information about the uni, get a feel for the campus and just have some fun.At O-week you can expect anything from sporting events, tours of the campus, markets, games, workshops, lectures and often large-scale events with famous bands. Oh, and not to mention lots of drinking and partying Look on O-week as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Not only will it help you familiarise yourself with the campus that you will be spending most of your time at for the next few years, it will also be lots of fun and leave you with many fab memories. Just dont party too hard and wreck yourself for the first day of classesMaking new friendsUni is not like high school. Nor is it like your hometown community, or even like your workplace. At uni, you will mix with people from all walks of life. There will be young and old, people from different countries and cultures. You will meet students from di fferent socio-economic backgrounds, different academic levels, people with disabilities, or that cant speak much English. Everyone is there to learn and grow. Be ready to accept people and branch out of your comfort zone. Its a good idea to try to make a friend in each class you have. This way, you will always have someone to discuss study with and someone to take notes for you if you happen to miss class You will most likely have to do a group project at some point in your uni career and this is also a good time to make a few mates, as well as practise working in a team. Likewise, societies, clubs and sport teams are a great way to build some friendships and develop your teamwork skills. Pick something you like or something youre interested in, and just go for it. Societies and clubs are a voluntary thing so if you dont like it, you can always drop out.Lectures and tutorialsDepending on your course at university, classes are usually made up of lectures and tutorials. Lectures are generally in a huge theatre and may have hundreds of people attending them. Because of this, there is not much interaction in lectures themselves you are just one student in a sea of bodies. It is basically just a lecturer doing exactly that lecturing, for a couple of hours. Its important to attend as most of the work gets covered here. Tutorials, on the other hand, will be more face-to-face learning and will give you a chance to ask questions, do some activities and group work, and go over everything you covered in the lecture. There are generally around 20 to 30 students in a tutorial. Each class will probably have one lecture and one tutorial per week however, learning at uni can come in a variety of different forms, such as zugnglich learning or laboratory work, depending on your course.Teachers and learningAt uni, youre in charge of your own learning. If you miss a lecture or dont turn up to your tutorial, no one will care. Sounds great, right? It wont look great when you receive your marks at the end of semester For the teachers at uni, teaching is only a very small part of their job. They have plenty of more important things to do, such as administration and research, publishing articles and books, supervising students doing their PhD, and sitting on various committees and boards. Teachers at uni wont be chasing you to do your homework like they did at high school its up to you to show interest and they will impart you with their knowledge. You are responsible for everything from enrolling in classes before the cut-off date, to knowing when you have tests or assessments due. This is about taking responsibility for yourself, without anyone to hold your hand. Elle, a student at Southern Cross University, recently found out how different uni and high school really are In high school you are pretty much spoon-fed the information, at uni they make you do the research and extract the information yourself, says Elle. It took me a while to adjust to it finding my way around, developing a new study pattern that would be appropriate to the amount of work I had to keep up with. It helped to have a good set of friends that I could meet up with for study dates and share ideas about assessment tasks. There is a great table outlining the main differences between high school and university check it out here. The key is to be prepared and manage your studies and time wisely. Record everything in your diary at the start of semester and always refer back to it. Friends also come in handy at this time as you can remind each other of when things are due. Learning independently can take some time to get used to, but once you do, the lessons will see you through the rest of your life. ResourcesMy first resumeCover letter for my first jobCareer Insider StoriesShelley Lask - Body Positive Health & FitnessInterested in becoming a?Human Resources OfficerGeneral ManagerBusiness ManagerAccountantOffice AdministratorPopular Career Searchestips for first year university studentsuni tips and trickstips for surviving university lifemacquarie university early entrytips for online learners CoursesBachelor of Social WorkEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Health AdministrationEnquire Online Enquire OnlineBachelor of Criminal JusticeEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Allied Health AssistanceEnquire Online Enquire OnlineElissa CollierRelated ArticlesBrowse moreCareer counsellorGap yearThe gap year debateSchools out for summer almost. Here are a few reasons why taking a gap year can be a very good idea.Career changeCareer inspoFeeling Lost? Heres How To Find Your PassionConventional wisdom says, Do what you love and the money will follow. But what if you still dont know what you want to be when you grow up? Here are some unique ways to discover your passion and uncover what you really want to do with your life.Interview questionsInterview tipsCheat Sheets To Help You Feel Extra Prepared For Your InterviewNice work Youve landed the bewerberinterview Your next move should be checking out this ultimate list of cheat sheets (and bonus e-book) to help you feel extra prepared for your job interview. We cover key interview questions, what to wear, body language, tips for mature age workers & more