Preparing for university means, above all, a change of mindset. You’ll also be doing things a little differently, especially if you’re going to university in another city or abroad. Then you have the chance to meet new people, develop your passions and make the most of student life. What to keep in mind and how to prepare for your studies?
It’s Time To Get Rid Of The School Habits?
“The blue curtains in the kitchen are an expression of the author’s melancholy attitude and the pain associated with loss…”. A high school teacher’s interpretation that you can’t disagree with is a thing of the past. At university you can have your opinion, your point of view and, above all, inquire why things are the way they are.
University teachers are mostly open-minded and broad-minded people who can appreciate genuine interest. For you, this is a chance not so much to make a name for yourself in the group or to gain in the eyes of the professors, but to learn something new. What’s more, it is not uncommon for classes to be taught by practitioners, and this is invaluable.
What do you need for your studies? An open mind. You don’t need to take notes on everything, as a well-known photocopier can save your skin. However, it is more worthwhile to focus on the message rather than copying notes, and it is best to augment the knowledge you have gained with recommended literature. Notes do come in handy, but find your own way to do it effectively. Often lecturers send presentations or materials, and all you have to do is listen and analyse the lecturers’ arguments.
What Do You Need For College? Invest In Yourself
Student budgets can be very tight. However, regardless of your financial situation, it is often simply worth it to buy good textbooks. Sometimes specialist knowledge is very expensive, but remember that this is information that will stay with you for a long time. No money? A casual job will solve this problem.
Not all recommended literature will need to be bought. Start by checking out the content you find online. You may also come across scans online, and at university it is worth borrowing a book from a friend or photocopying one chapter to assess the usefulness of the publication.
Books that will be recommended online and by student friends are worth investing in. If you’re going for management, set your sights on Ricky W. Griffin’s Fundamentals of Managing Organisations. On the other hand, if you are planning a career in marketing, Philip Kotler’s ‘Marketing’ will be your bible. The material therein will come in handy not only during your studies, but also at work.
Use The Time Well
Preparing for university is a period that is good to spend thinking about. Ask yourself, what do you expect from them? What do you want to gain from it? What plans do you have when you have finished? Clearly defining your goals, or at least a skeleton of them, will allow you to measure your progress.Why should you do this?
Student life has many temptations. Being away from your family, lack of direct parental control and a lot of freedom means that you often let go of the brakes. Enjoying the benefits of university is important as well as enjoyable, but it’s worth keeping your hand in. Be careful not to get caught up in the whirlwind of fun. Let go of one or two events out of the seven that are on this week.
You don’t have to sit passively in your room. You have plenty of opportunities to still meet other people. Study circles, student projects, student government, plus sports, theatre and other cultural activities are all opportunities to meet lots of interesting people. Yes, there will be time to have fun with them too, but you can get more than a hangover out of this kind of activity.
Remember that you can always regain your money, focus and energy, but time lost is lost forever. The worst when such reflection comes years later, when you’re sitting in a job you hate, in the company of people who raise your blood pressure more than your morning coffee. Although it’s always better late than never….
How To Prepare For College? Learn To Be Responsible
A prepared breakfast for school, washed and ironed clothes waiting in the wardrobe, and pocket money for your own expenses is an idyll that comes to an end at some point. Going to study in another city or abroad requires you to have a certain set of skills. Even if you are an introvert or introverted, some things you just have to ‘figure out’ on your own.
Studying is a good life school that combines a youthful attitude with hard reality. Even if you get money from your family for your studies, you have to find a flat, pay for it, do your shopping, wash your clothes and occasionally clean.
What do you need at university? Certainly the ability to talk to people, but not just your peers. When visiting the dean’s office, you need to be able to build a relationship with the people working there. This is invaluable support that will enable you to complete the required paperwork in the allotted time. Your demanding approach can have unpleasant consequences, and you will then run into problems that are hard to deal with alone.
Time For New Things
Did you want to start playing a sport, but your parents pressured you to spend that time studying geography or biology to get into university? Thought about starting to play the accordion, but maths was more important? This is the final whistle to see if it’s actually something that will stay with you for the long term, or just a youthful whim.
If you don’t have to combine your studies with a job that takes up most of your time off from studying, it’s worth trying new things.You may never have the freedom to find out again. Wondering what working in a lab is like? Apply for an internship or apprenticeship. If you’ve always wanted to take singing lessons or paint on canvas, do it! In retrospect, you regret the things you didn’t try more than the things you tested.
Change Your Major If You Don’t Like It
Your high school subject, but you feel more comfortable in maths? At university you should have no problem changing. Think it’s a waste of time and such a decision is costly? It’s better to convince yourself of a mistake even after some time than to drag yourself by force into a direction in which you know you won’t fulfil yourself. Why tire yourself out? There is nothing more enjoyable than doing things that you enjoy, and from which you can earn good money in the process.
Remember that if you have enough time, you can study several subjects at the same time. This option is a lot of self-discipline, but it’s a chance to try out different development opportunities. It may turn out that you are not as good a programmer as you thought, but you can see that knowledge in this area, combined with the marketing you are interested in, has the potential to translate into another interesting and well-paid job. Maybe it’s worth making a change after all?
Be Yourself
One event or a single situation during secondary school can mark you forever. Sometimes it is positive and other times you find it hard to get used to it. This manifests itself in many different ways. A hurtful nickname that someone has made up, or an opinion that you have to face every day. At university you can start from scratch.
Tabula rasa, carte blanche, a clean sheet. At university, most people (or everyone) doesn’t know you. It’s an opportunity to show yourself for who you really are. Without the aforementioned patches and opinions. It’s not about creating yourself as someone you’re not, but about being yourself. This way you don’t have to pretend to be anyone, so you will behave naturally in any situation. Not as a created, false image might require. Being yourself gives you great comfort.
How To Prepare For University?
Think about what you want to do in life. Don’t know? Studying can provide that answer. If you find that the direction you have chosen is wrong, simply change it. Without sentimentality and without worrying about the opinion and judgement of those closest to you.
Studying is a time to plan. Periodically review your progress and, if necessary, modify your plans, even if it involves a change of direction. In this way, you will make progress in harmony with yourself and acquire skills and knowledge that will be useful in everyday life. This will make it easier to set sail and do things that you really enjoy.
If you are considering studying at a university abroad, get in touch with us.We can help you with the paperwork and give you a closer look at what it’s like to study at many UK universities.
