Dear First-year Mia,
You have just moved to this new city all alone and you have no idea how amazing the next four years are going to be. Right now, everything seems unpredictable and a little bit scary, but Newcastle is about to become your second home. Every moment here has shaped who I am now, four years on, and here is what I wish I knew then...
Your first few weeks at university will be tough. They will be overwhelming and chaotic, but keep going with them.
Within a few weeks everything that feels ‘new’ will become your new ‘normal’. Some of the people you meet in your first few weeks won't be your forever friends, but others will and that’s okay. It took a while to settle in and find my people.
While you may feel lost and feel as though everyone else is settled in and all friendship groups have been formed, just know that everyone else is still in the same boat even if it doesn’t look like it!
Lectures can be daunting. They are mostly bigger rooms than what you are used to from school, but within those first few weeks, try to sit with some new people and reach out to those on your course. Doing this can lead you to making some of closest friends that you'll have at university!
Grades can come as a shock because, again, it is different to school! But don’t let this throw you off. It takes time to find your feet academically, and asking for help is one of the best things you can do. You will do amazing and really enjoy the topics you are going to learn.
Some of the people you meet in the first few weeks won’t necessarily stay in your life throughout the next three or four years. Friendships don’t fall into place overnight. I know it seems like they do when you look around you in those early weeks. One of the best things I did was get involved with people outside my course, whether that's joining a society, trying a new sport, or attending events, these are often the places where you find people who share your interests. All of this is a good process as you will really find your people, who will share some of your best moments with.
Make sure you look after yourself! Living alone for the first time comes with its challenges. Make meals you had at home as this can help with the homesickness. Making sure you eat well is so important. It is very easy to fall into the freezer meals at university, but you’ll learn fuelling yourself properly is better.
Make sure you rest when you need it. Burnout from too much work is not great. Also, don’t feel like you are missing out if you decide to have a night in. University is more manageable when you prioritise your time and stop treating exhaustion as normal. And, if things ever do start to feel much for you, remember there is so much support available through the University, and asking for help is a strength - not a weakness!
You do not need to have everything figured out in the first few weeks; university is a place to grow and become your own independent self. Don’t be rushed into housing. There will be lots of pressure in the first few weeks to sign for somewhere, but make sure you really know who you're agreeing to live with.
It may take a few months for everything to feel properly settled, and once it does you will make some of the best memories and have an amazing time with all your new friends. You will figure a lot out about yourself, what you like, what you need, how to budget and how you cope living alone.
Hang in there, first-year me! You are about to experience the best four years, make amazing memories, and meet some fabulous people along the way. Take it all in, and don’t waste a moment! I wish I could live it all again!
Love,
Fourth-year Mia