How to make the most of your first term at University
The first term at University (for me at least) always feels the shortest, it’s when time really passes before I can even notice the days changing. Building a routine can be incredibly difficult, especially at a time where everything is new, even if you aren’t a first year student. It can be incredibly overwhelming in the first couple of weeks between the new classes, possibility of a new living area and the thrill of a brand new adventure waiting for you.
I find that my first few weeks at university are always a little rockier than the rest of the year. It’s a time where my productivity levels will be high but I will burn out a lot faster and have to rebuild my tolerance for long days in classes or (my usual) hours in the library.
Hopefully I can give some tips on how to better prepare and help you to make the most of your first term.
Studying
Studying can be incredibly boring. There are so many other things that could be done other than reading and rereading the same page over and over because I keep loosing track of where I am or what I am actually meant to be doing. I know I am an incredibly visual person, I like to write out my week on a planner and keep it on the shelf next to my bed so I know exactly what I am doing the next day as soon as I go to bed and then know what it is am doing that day as soon as I get up.
I found that colour coding things also helped. In my planner I would use a black pen to write out my classes and then in a different colour write out any meetings I might have to go to, or tutor tutorials or even if I have made plans for that day with friends. The different colours really helps me to be able to know whether I have a day of classes or a day with friends from just a glance.
I find as well that saying ‘I need a routine’ is so much easier than actually doing. A routine doesn’t need to be a strict ‘wake up at 6am everyday’ it can vary from day to day. I like to think about what it is I know I want to achieve every day. I know that I want to make sure I am getting up and dressed every day before 12pm, or that I know I want to make my bed everyday.
One of the best things I ever heard was in a TedTalk, and it was the idea that if you make your bed everyday, you have achieved one thing. If the day is a really bad day, maybe you aren’t feeling 100% and everything feels like it went wrong, as long as you keep reminding yourself ‘I made my bed today’ then you have achieved one thing, and it might seem really minor but this mentally really helps me on those bad days. It is a reminder that you have achieved at least one thing.
I also love to write to do lists, but I know that I can’t just have a list of jobs because I won’t be able to prioritise one or tell what one is the most important to do first and instead I will procrastinate and want to do the task that seems the most fun first. So instead, it sounds ridiculous when I explain it to my friends, but its something that really helps me.
Instead of writing a to do list, I’ll spend maybe ten or so minutes writing something similar to a narrative. An example of this would be:
”I get to the flat at 6:30pm, when I get back I will take off my shoes, empty my bag onto my bed and put things away where they go. At around 7pm I will spend time working out what I want to achieve and start studying.”
This really helps to romanticise the hard tasks. I also love to imagine that I’m in a movie or a TV show where the main character is a strong academic and achieves everything they want to. It helps me to actually focus and get in the right mindset to do the work.
One thing to always remember is if you are feeling sick or tired, listen to your body. Rest and take time to recover instead of pushing yourself past your limits. That really helps to avoid burnt-out symptoms.
University Accommodation
The first term of university is also a great time to be able to focus and settle in to your new place, if you are living in York and not commuting from home.
I love decorating my Uni Dorm, I have up so many posters, fairy lights and tapestries. I made sure that my room was soothing to me, with softer lighting than what is typically used at university. I find that knowing I have created a safe place for myself really helps with de-stressing after a long day of classes and it makes me feel that I can bring my friends over and provide a safe space for them as well. I also find that making my room look like a place I want to be in really helped to combat feelings of being homesick.
I find that when I come back to university the best thing I can do is explore York again. I love seeing what new shops or cafes have opened up or whats on in the Shambles Market and find that even just a little walk each day, or changing how I go back to my flat after a day of classes helps a lot to help me to de-stress and be able to concentrate on what’s next instead of just whatever is happening in that moment or whatever may have happened during the day.
Around campus
I find that the first term of university tends to be when I get lost the most around campus. It is bound to happen to everyone at least once, I find that settling in and finding out where all my classes are is all part of the fun of settling in to a new term at university.
I think as well finding my favourite places around campus to study or get food or drinks from is also part of the fun within the first term of university. Last year, my favourite place on campus to stay for long hours was the the library, I loved being in the library for hours on end, finishing each of my tasks and being able to use the vending machine or hot water tap for hot drinks or little pick me ups during the long hours I spent on my work.
This year, I have taken a strong liking to working in the Student Union building, especially during the gaps between classes where me and my friends go for a drink and some lunch while finishing off whatever we need to in that gap. I find as well, I have gotten used to the slight bustle of the Student Union and enjoy it a lot more than I did last year.
As well as this, the small cafe in the De Grey Building is also one of my favourite places to be, especially with the hot drinks being cheaper on campus than in the many coffee shops around the city. I also love the Fountains Cafe just outside of the library, it makes it really easy to be able to grab something to eat or drink right before going into the library for a long study session.
On less of a favourite places to be, I found that making sure I knew what support could be given from the university and where to find well-being support was also really important for me this term. Having struggled with mental health last year, this year I knew that it was something I wanted to better focus on and to reach out for help if needed. There’s always people you can talk to if you feel like you are struggling and a whole range of drop in services to help make your day feel just that little bit better. A lot of this support and drop in services can be found listed around Holgate or on the York St John University website.
Around York
Being in York already for over a year, I like to think I have already hunted out my favourite places, however things changed a lot over the summer.
To begin, outside of university, I absolutely adore ‘Criminally Good Books’, a small bookstore dedicated to all things crime and thriller related. The staff are also amazing at giving recommendations or helping you to find the perfect crime novel to get stuck into after a long day of university. I also love being in ‘Whiskers’ the little cat cafe, it is a little more expensive than sitting in a regular cafe, but being around the cats is definitely a great way to de-stress after a long week or to celebrate things.
On the more educational side, I love studying in the library in town or upstairs in the Waterstones cafe. Both of these places really help to keep my focus on my work while also providing a really nice and comforting environment if I am loosing focus inside my flat.
York is, at least in my opinion, one of the best cities to study in. There are so many places to study or create a place that can be where you and your friends hang out the most. The first term of university is definitely the best time to find out what places you enjoy going and making your own adventure in York.
Overall, your first term at university is exactly that. Your first time settling into either a new academic year, or completely starting new with your first time at university. It can be a lot to handle, there is not right or wrong way to get the most out of your first term, it truly depends on what you mean to focus on and how you work the best, it can be a time of self-discovery as well as a time for self-reflection. Your first term is exactly that, it is yours.
