Olivia's advice on how to adjust to university

Undergraduate ambassador Olivia shares her advice on how to adjust to university life.

Self-motivation is key

One of the biggest challenges I found moving from sixth form to university is that when you come to university you are now completely in control of when, where, and how you do your work. From when you have your seminars, to when you complete key asynchronous and reading tasks. As well as the work, juggling your social life, and personal life is also another factor I was aware I needed to manage and struggled with at the start.

However, with great power comes great responsibility. I began university going with the flow, sleeping in because I was up late each night with friends, and running to my 9 am lectures. It was only when looming assessment deadlines began appearing that I realised the need to timetable my weeks effectively to ensure I completed work, and extra reading and socialised with room for ‘me time’.

I started by mapping out key lectures and seminars, then thinking about when I should be doing the work for these. I also made use of our great library facilities and study spaces and factored in going to these places within my timetable. Going to these spaces meant I got out of my flat and somewhere I could fully focus with minimal distractions.

Managing your deadlines independently

At school, my teachers would always be there to remind me well in advance when an assignment or homework was due. At university, it’s up to you to keep track of all your deadlines, which can feel like a huge responsibility at the start. Throughout the year, you’ll have to submit assignments, each contributing to a certain percentage of your grade.

Due to the variety of assignments given out, lecturers won’t always have the time to remind you when they’re due. It’s therefore up to you to gather all the information you’ll need about assignment dates and make sure that you start preparing for them well in advance. Also, some of the work you do for seminars aren’t always monitored, so it is up to you to keep yourself motivated and ensure the work is completed to fully be able to understand key concepts.

The range of sports and societies

On the more social side of university, when I arrived I was excited and surprised by the number of sports and society opportunities there were for me to get involved in! Anything from chess to snow sports, to music, and everything in between. I found myself drawn to Warwick Snow, as a keen skier, and I found that all sports clubs offered the social and chill side as well as the competitive side, so there really was something for everyone. I also found myself enjoying new genres of music that I discovered through Warwick Bass’ music events and DJ lessons, something I never thought I’d encounter at university.

The diversity and range of sports, societies, socials, and more that Warwick offer was something I couldn’t have dreamt up at secondary school. There really is an offering for everyone!

Are you ready to embrace your next challenge by studying one of our undergraduate courses?