Stepping Stones
Part two
Stepping Stones.. ..To your future
Here to help you with your University application!
1
Welcome... ...to the second edition of Stepping Stones. Hopefully you have all received your University offers and now all you need to do is decide where to go, easy right? In this issue we have some pieces written by current students, giving you advice on choosing your firm and insurance University and whether Contents to live at home or move away. At this stage in your application the most im- Page 3; Decisions, Decisions by Emma Feneley. portant decision to make is that of your firm and How to choose your firm and insurance Univerinsurance choice. But what are these? Your firm sity. choice is where you'd most like to go to. This Page 4 &5; Where to Start? by Sarah Bowers. should be the University with the highest entry How to decide on the right course at the right requirements. Your insurance choice is the Uni- University versity that has lower expected grades and acts Page 6-8; Where will I live? By Matthew Ainsworth. as your back up should you not receive the grades required for your first choice. It is im- Living at home vs. Moving out Page 9; Moving Out - My Experience by Matportant to consider your firm and insurance choices carefully, be realistic, choosing a firm thew Ainsworth choice that has grades you can't achieve and Personal experience of living away from home then an insurance you don't really want to go to will lead to disaster. It is vital that you are happy to attend both Universities. If mistakes are made they can be rectified (this will be discussed in later issues) but save yourself the worry and make sure they decisions you make are ones you are happy and comfortable with. The following articles will provide you with some real life experiences and guidelines about how to make your decision.
Enjoy! Anneka and Rosie Editors 2
Decisions, Decisions... If there is one piece of advice I would give to prospective students when choosing their firm and insurance choices, it would be: try not to be overly swayed by entry requirements. From my experience I found the course that I preferred was actually one with the lower entry grades and even though I achieved above this, I am now happily approaching my final year in what is a brilliant course. Before selecting my choices I made sure I researched the different courses available within my area of interest, English. I found this to be essential, for there were so many different branches of my subject which I had never come across before. There is now so much variety in university courses that you don't necessarily have to confine your choice to one area and in fact, you may find yourself stumbling across something completely different from what was available at A level. In my case, I originally set out looking for English Literature courses but it wasn't until I came across a combined English course that I realised there were other options better suited to me. The selection of insurance choices was then much easier, as I simply searched for courses similar to the one that interested me, only looking to confine this to those with lower entrance grades than my firm choice, in the event that I didn't achieve my firm choice entry grades. Above all, I cannot stress enough how beneficial university open days were in making these decisions, I would say it is the most important check point. They really give you a feel for the place and can make you even more enthusiastic about starting your independent life. After all, it is not purely the course you are choosing, it is every aspect of the life that comes with it, from accommodation, surroundings, social life, safety…all of which can be dealbreaking factors. Let my experience be an example of this: on being torn between two different courses, I found the open days made the decision for me - one was perfect, whereas after just 10 minutes of arriving at the other, I knew it wasn't for me. Even though the course was ideal, I found the location detracted from the comfortable and inspiring experience your university life should be. EMMA FENELEY- 2nd Year English Student at Sheffield Hallam.
3
Where to Start? So you want to go to university, but with so many options, how do you know where to start? The whole process of planning to go to university can be one of the most nail-biting experiences you go through! It seems to be an endless list of choices and can be overwhelming at times. There are choices about course, city and university and that’s before you’ve even been offered a place! It can be confusing too with a whole bunch of jargon thrown in there, so I’d recommend starting to look at all of your options early. I started looking at universities in the June of my AS year, and it paid off as it gave me thinking time, and I didn’t have to make any rushed decisions. I applied to both Sheffield Hallam and University of Sheffield for English Language and English, which used up four of my choices, and then York St. John University for English Language. I spread my options like this as I wasn’t sure which course I preferred as I knew I wanted to continue with English Language, but wasn’t sure about English Literature. To make my decision about which universities I wanted to apply to, I had a good look at which were nearby, as I wanted to move away from home, but not be too far away as I wanted to be able to nip home when I wanted to. In my case, I knew that a couple of universities in Leeds didn’t do the course I wanted, and that the University of Leeds was already full, so I didn't apply to any there. I also kept in mind what I knew I could achieve grade wise, and thought that applying to the University of York would realistically be a wasted choice as their entry requirements were really high. I knew I could achieve a good grade in English Language and English Literature A levels, but I was less confident about Biology and Chemistry, so I worked out what UCAS tariff points I thought I could achieve and then tried to match this against the entry requirements that each university asked for so that I would receive at least some conditional or firm offers. A conditional offer means that as long as you meet the entry requirements set out by the university, you can have a place on that course. An unconditional offer is what it says on the tin, if you accept it then you have a place on the course regardless of the grades you receive. You don't have to make a decision about which offers you want to be firm and insurance until around early May, and for some people this is possibly even June or July so there is no need to rush your choice! I received conditional offers from York St. John and Sheffield Hallam University for English Language, and was unsuccessful in my applications to the University of Sheffield for both English Language and English. I was also unsuccessful in my application to study English at Sheffield Hallam University. Looking back, I am glad that I didn’t receive offers from Sheffield Hallam University or University of Sheffield for English because I now know that it would have been the wrong course for me. For me, the decision was then just about choosing which university I had a preference for out of Sheffield Hallam University and York St. John. So after receiving replies from your options, you then need to decide which your first and second choices are, otherwise known as Firm and Insurance. You have to decline any other offers you have received. Choosing realistic firm and insurance options are crucial, as some universities have little leeway come results day. If you choose a course to be your 'firm' offer, you can't usually change your mind and go with your insurance choice as places are restricted. You can generally only take up a place with your insurance choice if you don't meet your firm choice's requirements.
4
I chose which university I wanted for my firm choice by thinking back to the open days I went to and the information I got whilst I was there. I really liked Sheffield as a city and the university and everyone seemed warm and friendly, so I chose Sheffield Hallam as my firm choice and York St. John as my insurance choice. Most students, including myself, choose the university with lower entry requirements as their insurance choice.
Here are some tips to make sure you make the right choices: Take your time and research your courses and universities thoroughly, including looking on thestudentroom.co.uk to see what current students say Look at the career opportunities leading on from your chosen courses; will this degree get you to where you want to be? If you choose an insurance choice, make sure it's somewhere you'd like to go, because if you miss out on your firm and have decided that you really don't want to go to your insurance choice, you will have to persuade them to release you into clearing, which can be a lengthy process when time is of the essence! Consider other learning opportunities, can you do an exchange with a student in another country for a semester or are there opportunities to do a placement?
Choose courses with realistic entry requirements that you can achieve
Don't go somewhere just because your friend is going there, university is a chance to branch out and meet new people and the decisions you make now can affect your future
Don't just look at the course and university; see what the student union and accommodation are like!
Good luck! By Sarah Bowers - 2nd year English Language Student at Sheffield Hallam
What is The Student Room? It's a highly recommended website for current and potential students as it way to get your questions answered by the people who know best. It features forums and articles that cover every aspect of student life, from studying to personal relationships to gap years. There is also opportunity for you to ask questions to current and potential students but also to the academics that run the site.
5
Where will I live? Going to University is all about choices and deciding where to live is one of those choices. Will you move out or stay at home? Matthew Ainsworth weighs up your options... As you begin selecting your choices for which university you want to study at, it is worth thinking about whether you are going to live at home and commute into university, or live away from home in a student halls or private housing Living At Home? If you have been offered or even accepted a place on a course at a university in or near your hometown, then living at home could be the thing for you. Financially staying at home can be the best option as you wouldn't need to take out a loan to cover your accommodation fees, which leaves you with less debt when you complete your university course. Instead you will commute into the city where the university is every day. Commuting If you decide to continue living at home you will need to consider how you will commute to university each day. Should students need to travel by train, a 16-25 Rail Card will a great investment. It costs only £28 to purchase at any UK train station, or online at www.railcard.co.uk. Providing tickets are booked in advance, rail cards save you a third off the price of train travel. Should a student be commuting to their university campus by bus then it will be worth researching whether weekly, monthly or yearly travel passes can be bought which may save you lots of money in the long run. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of living at home; Advantages: Save money Peace and quiet – halls or university houses can get loud at times so peace and quiet is sometimes needed. Mum’s cooking! If you’re not a great cook then living at home will mean you don’t have to worry about coking. Near your friends and family.
Disadvantages: Don’t get to meet as many new people – living together can enable you to form very strong bonds with fellow housemates at university. The cost of commuting Not as much independence as living away from home.
6
Top Tips:
Buy a Rail Card or bus pass Research your route to university thoroughly – make sure you know train times and exactly how long it will take to get there and back. If you live quite close to university, why not consider cycling or walking in? It will save you money, help the environment and keep you fit!
Living Away? Student Halls/Houses Catered or non-catered? Some university halls offer the option of catered or non-catered residences. This can work by either having three meals a day made for you (breakfast, lunch and tea) or a set amount of money on a card which you can spend at university owned cafeterias. If you can’t (or won't) cook catered accommodation could be the option for you as they provide at least one hot meal per day (or more depending on the option you choose).Catered halls will also have special meals for vegetarians. A non-catered hall of residence is where you cook your own meals in your flat. This can save money in the long run but in the short term requires you to buy all of your food. It is worth investigating the money you save choosing none catered halls vs. the money you will spend buying food to prepare yourself. Also, a student cookbook is a must-have purchase as it will provide lots of tasty recipes that are easy to follow and cheap to make! En-suite/shared bathrooms? Another consideration is whether to have an en-suite bathroom or to share a bathroom. This will depend on which residence you apply for, as student houses will generally be shared bathrooms and halls of residence may have en-suites. These tend to be more expensive than a shared bathroom. Close to university? University halls of residences tend to be close to the universities at which you study, although student houses may be further away. It is recommended before you leave for university to research how you would get to campus from your hall of residence, how long it would take and how much it would cost if not within walking distance. Prices Prices of university halls of residences tend to vary depending on which you choose. As already mentioned, en-suite bathrooms tend to cost more than shared bathrooms, catered can sometimes be more expensive than non-catered so lots of research is required to find a suitable and comfortable place for you. Prices obviously range from university to university and city to city, so it is worth researching thoroughly on prices and what the halls of residence offer. This can be done through the university’s website or by ringing their accommodation services. Living away from home can offer a brilliant experience at university and is definitely recommended if you’ve applied for a university far away from your house.
7
Advantages:
Independence from mum and dad Meet new people and make friends. Learn to cook, clean and look after yourself.
Disadvantages:
Costs a lot of money – not just rent but buying food, bills and television licenses. What if you don’t get on with housemates? This can happen in which case you may be able to move to a different flat. University halls may be too loud for your taste or you may need extra space to get your work done.
Top Tips!
Buy a good student cookbook, and use it! It will help save money and teach you how to cook! Budget your money so that you know you will not run out and have to ring home. Advice on budgeting can be asked for at university help offices or even at your bank. Research everything before you set off to live at university, such as how to get to university from your halls or house!
Whatever you choose, make sure that it is the right decision for you! Lots of information can be gathered by phoning the university accommodation services that will be more than happy to take your questions and give you relevant advice.
8
Moving Out - My Experience I chose to live away from home for two reasons: I wanted to become more independent and I wanted to know if I could stand on my own two feet without relying on my parents! When applying for accommodation, I decided to go for catered as I can’t cook and I wanted to have at least one good meal a day to get me through the first year. I also felt that catered would help me meet new people as everybody would be eating together. Initially I was very nervous about going to university; moving to a new city and not knowing anybody is a daunting thought. I was most nervous about meeting all of the new people I would be living with, all of the usual thoughts of whether I would make friends or even enjoy university raced through my mind. Turned out that I had nothing to worry about! Luckily for me I lived in shared accommodation and so I met 16 new friends within my first day of university! Everybody I lived with was like-minded, friendly and we all had things in common. It was the perfect start to university life; getting to know everybody, having a laugh and making new friends in Fresher’s Week. I immediately felt comfortable and happy in my new surroundings and city. Admittedly it took a while to adapt to sharing bathrooms with other people but even that soon passed. Living together in such close quarters only helped to build strong friendships. All thoughts of being nervous were forgotten in an instant and I embraced this new stage of my life and lived it as fully as possible. To effectively live away from home with new people takes a lot of compromise and adjusting of your own self. Everybody has their own way of living and if you try to enforce your way on others it will cause unnecessary friction and arguments. Be generous to others and they’ll probably be generous to you! Sharing is a big part of university life: pots, pans, cutlery, mugs and even televisions were shared in my accommodation because we could trust each other to look after them and return them to their owner. Obviously you are at university to study, but I find that getting the right balance between studying and socialising is essential as you don’t want to be behind with work but equally you don’t want to miss out on all the great experiences and friendships. You always hear of people’s experiences at university going badly; they couldn’t make friends or didn’t like living away from home or other reasons. However try not to give up, give it a chance! The most important thing is that you be yourself and enjoy it as the time flies by! As for my experience, I wouldn’t change a minute of it! The laughs, the drunken antics and even the occasional argument all resulted in forging some of the strongest friendships and some of the best memories I will ever have. Obviously you are at university to study, but I find that getting the right balance between studying and socialising is essential, you don’t want to be behind with work but equally you don’t want to miss out on all the great experiences and friendships. There will always be stories of people’s experiences at university going badly; they couldn’t make friends or didn’t like living away from home or other reasons. However try not to give up, give it a chance! The most important thing is that you be yourself and enjoy it as the time flies by! As for my experience, I wouldn’t change a minute of it! The laughs, the drunken antics and even the occasional argument all resulted in forging some of the strongest friendships and some of the best memories I will ever have. Matthew Ainsworth - 2nd Year English Student at Sheffield Hallam 9
NEXT EDITION... We will be looking at: - Student Finance - Gap Years - Clearing - What to expect And more!
Until then, good luck! Anneka and Rosie The Editing team
Any Questions? Or issues you would like to see addressed in our next edition? Or would you like to write a piece for us about your experience applying to uni? CONTACT US Facebook—Stepping Stones Email— [email protected] 10
Stepping Stones.. ..To your future
Here to help you with your University application!
1
Welcome... ...to the second edition of Stepping Stones. Hopefully you have all received your University offers and now all you need to do is decide where to go, easy right? In this issue we have some pieces written by current students, giving you advice on choosing your firm and insurance University and whether Contents to live at home or move away. At this stage in your application the most im- Page 3; Decisions, Decisions by Emma Feneley. portant decision to make is that of your firm and How to choose your firm and insurance Univerinsurance choice. But what are these? Your firm sity. choice is where you'd most like to go to. This Page 4 &5; Where to Start? by Sarah Bowers. should be the University with the highest entry How to decide on the right course at the right requirements. Your insurance choice is the Uni- University versity that has lower expected grades and acts Page 6-8; Where will I live? By Matthew Ainsworth. as your back up should you not receive the grades required for your first choice. It is im- Living at home vs. Moving out Page 9; Moving Out - My Experience by Matportant to consider your firm and insurance choices carefully, be realistic, choosing a firm thew Ainsworth choice that has grades you can't achieve and Personal experience of living away from home then an insurance you don't really want to go to will lead to disaster. It is vital that you are happy to attend both Universities. If mistakes are made they can be rectified (this will be discussed in later issues) but save yourself the worry and make sure they decisions you make are ones you are happy and comfortable with. The following articles will provide you with some real life experiences and guidelines about how to make your decision.
Enjoy! Anneka and Rosie Editors 2
Decisions, Decisions... If there is one piece of advice I would give to prospective students when choosing their firm and insurance choices, it would be: try not to be overly swayed by entry requirements. From my experience I found the course that I preferred was actually one with the lower entry grades and even though I achieved above this, I am now happily approaching my final year in what is a brilliant course. Before selecting my choices I made sure I researched the different courses available within my area of interest, English. I found this to be essential, for there were so many different branches of my subject which I had never come across before. There is now so much variety in university courses that you don't necessarily have to confine your choice to one area and in fact, you may find yourself stumbling across something completely different from what was available at A level. In my case, I originally set out looking for English Literature courses but it wasn't until I came across a combined English course that I realised there were other options better suited to me. The selection of insurance choices was then much easier, as I simply searched for courses similar to the one that interested me, only looking to confine this to those with lower entrance grades than my firm choice, in the event that I didn't achieve my firm choice entry grades. Above all, I cannot stress enough how beneficial university open days were in making these decisions, I would say it is the most important check point. They really give you a feel for the place and can make you even more enthusiastic about starting your independent life. After all, it is not purely the course you are choosing, it is every aspect of the life that comes with it, from accommodation, surroundings, social life, safety…all of which can be dealbreaking factors. Let my experience be an example of this: on being torn between two different courses, I found the open days made the decision for me - one was perfect, whereas after just 10 minutes of arriving at the other, I knew it wasn't for me. Even though the course was ideal, I found the location detracted from the comfortable and inspiring experience your university life should be. EMMA FENELEY- 2nd Year English Student at Sheffield Hallam.
3
Where to Start? So you want to go to university, but with so many options, how do you know where to start? The whole process of planning to go to university can be one of the most nail-biting experiences you go through! It seems to be an endless list of choices and can be overwhelming at times. There are choices about course, city and university and that’s before you’ve even been offered a place! It can be confusing too with a whole bunch of jargon thrown in there, so I’d recommend starting to look at all of your options early. I started looking at universities in the June of my AS year, and it paid off as it gave me thinking time, and I didn’t have to make any rushed decisions. I applied to both Sheffield Hallam and University of Sheffield for English Language and English, which used up four of my choices, and then York St. John University for English Language. I spread my options like this as I wasn’t sure which course I preferred as I knew I wanted to continue with English Language, but wasn’t sure about English Literature. To make my decision about which universities I wanted to apply to, I had a good look at which were nearby, as I wanted to move away from home, but not be too far away as I wanted to be able to nip home when I wanted to. In my case, I knew that a couple of universities in Leeds didn’t do the course I wanted, and that the University of Leeds was already full, so I didn't apply to any there. I also kept in mind what I knew I could achieve grade wise, and thought that applying to the University of York would realistically be a wasted choice as their entry requirements were really high. I knew I could achieve a good grade in English Language and English Literature A levels, but I was less confident about Biology and Chemistry, so I worked out what UCAS tariff points I thought I could achieve and then tried to match this against the entry requirements that each university asked for so that I would receive at least some conditional or firm offers. A conditional offer means that as long as you meet the entry requirements set out by the university, you can have a place on that course. An unconditional offer is what it says on the tin, if you accept it then you have a place on the course regardless of the grades you receive. You don't have to make a decision about which offers you want to be firm and insurance until around early May, and for some people this is possibly even June or July so there is no need to rush your choice! I received conditional offers from York St. John and Sheffield Hallam University for English Language, and was unsuccessful in my applications to the University of Sheffield for both English Language and English. I was also unsuccessful in my application to study English at Sheffield Hallam University. Looking back, I am glad that I didn’t receive offers from Sheffield Hallam University or University of Sheffield for English because I now know that it would have been the wrong course for me. For me, the decision was then just about choosing which university I had a preference for out of Sheffield Hallam University and York St. John. So after receiving replies from your options, you then need to decide which your first and second choices are, otherwise known as Firm and Insurance. You have to decline any other offers you have received. Choosing realistic firm and insurance options are crucial, as some universities have little leeway come results day. If you choose a course to be your 'firm' offer, you can't usually change your mind and go with your insurance choice as places are restricted. You can generally only take up a place with your insurance choice if you don't meet your firm choice's requirements.
4
I chose which university I wanted for my firm choice by thinking back to the open days I went to and the information I got whilst I was there. I really liked Sheffield as a city and the university and everyone seemed warm and friendly, so I chose Sheffield Hallam as my firm choice and York St. John as my insurance choice. Most students, including myself, choose the university with lower entry requirements as their insurance choice.
Here are some tips to make sure you make the right choices: Take your time and research your courses and universities thoroughly, including looking on thestudentroom.co.uk to see what current students say Look at the career opportunities leading on from your chosen courses; will this degree get you to where you want to be? If you choose an insurance choice, make sure it's somewhere you'd like to go, because if you miss out on your firm and have decided that you really don't want to go to your insurance choice, you will have to persuade them to release you into clearing, which can be a lengthy process when time is of the essence! Consider other learning opportunities, can you do an exchange with a student in another country for a semester or are there opportunities to do a placement?
Choose courses with realistic entry requirements that you can achieve
Don't go somewhere just because your friend is going there, university is a chance to branch out and meet new people and the decisions you make now can affect your future
Don't just look at the course and university; see what the student union and accommodation are like!
Good luck! By Sarah Bowers - 2nd year English Language Student at Sheffield Hallam
What is The Student Room? It's a highly recommended website for current and potential students as it way to get your questions answered by the people who know best. It features forums and articles that cover every aspect of student life, from studying to personal relationships to gap years. There is also opportunity for you to ask questions to current and potential students but also to the academics that run the site.
5
Where will I live? Going to University is all about choices and deciding where to live is one of those choices. Will you move out or stay at home? Matthew Ainsworth weighs up your options... As you begin selecting your choices for which university you want to study at, it is worth thinking about whether you are going to live at home and commute into university, or live away from home in a student halls or private housing Living At Home? If you have been offered or even accepted a place on a course at a university in or near your hometown, then living at home could be the thing for you. Financially staying at home can be the best option as you wouldn't need to take out a loan to cover your accommodation fees, which leaves you with less debt when you complete your university course. Instead you will commute into the city where the university is every day. Commuting If you decide to continue living at home you will need to consider how you will commute to university each day. Should students need to travel by train, a 16-25 Rail Card will a great investment. It costs only £28 to purchase at any UK train station, or online at www.railcard.co.uk. Providing tickets are booked in advance, rail cards save you a third off the price of train travel. Should a student be commuting to their university campus by bus then it will be worth researching whether weekly, monthly or yearly travel passes can be bought which may save you lots of money in the long run. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of living at home; Advantages: Save money Peace and quiet – halls or university houses can get loud at times so peace and quiet is sometimes needed. Mum’s cooking! If you’re not a great cook then living at home will mean you don’t have to worry about coking. Near your friends and family.
Disadvantages: Don’t get to meet as many new people – living together can enable you to form very strong bonds with fellow housemates at university. The cost of commuting Not as much independence as living away from home.
6
Top Tips:
Buy a Rail Card or bus pass Research your route to university thoroughly – make sure you know train times and exactly how long it will take to get there and back. If you live quite close to university, why not consider cycling or walking in? It will save you money, help the environment and keep you fit!
Living Away? Student Halls/Houses Catered or non-catered? Some university halls offer the option of catered or non-catered residences. This can work by either having three meals a day made for you (breakfast, lunch and tea) or a set amount of money on a card which you can spend at university owned cafeterias. If you can’t (or won't) cook catered accommodation could be the option for you as they provide at least one hot meal per day (or more depending on the option you choose).Catered halls will also have special meals for vegetarians. A non-catered hall of residence is where you cook your own meals in your flat. This can save money in the long run but in the short term requires you to buy all of your food. It is worth investigating the money you save choosing none catered halls vs. the money you will spend buying food to prepare yourself. Also, a student cookbook is a must-have purchase as it will provide lots of tasty recipes that are easy to follow and cheap to make! En-suite/shared bathrooms? Another consideration is whether to have an en-suite bathroom or to share a bathroom. This will depend on which residence you apply for, as student houses will generally be shared bathrooms and halls of residence may have en-suites. These tend to be more expensive than a shared bathroom. Close to university? University halls of residences tend to be close to the universities at which you study, although student houses may be further away. It is recommended before you leave for university to research how you would get to campus from your hall of residence, how long it would take and how much it would cost if not within walking distance. Prices Prices of university halls of residences tend to vary depending on which you choose. As already mentioned, en-suite bathrooms tend to cost more than shared bathrooms, catered can sometimes be more expensive than non-catered so lots of research is required to find a suitable and comfortable place for you. Prices obviously range from university to university and city to city, so it is worth researching thoroughly on prices and what the halls of residence offer. This can be done through the university’s website or by ringing their accommodation services. Living away from home can offer a brilliant experience at university and is definitely recommended if you’ve applied for a university far away from your house.
7
Advantages:
Independence from mum and dad Meet new people and make friends. Learn to cook, clean and look after yourself.
Disadvantages:
Costs a lot of money – not just rent but buying food, bills and television licenses. What if you don’t get on with housemates? This can happen in which case you may be able to move to a different flat. University halls may be too loud for your taste or you may need extra space to get your work done.
Top Tips!
Buy a good student cookbook, and use it! It will help save money and teach you how to cook! Budget your money so that you know you will not run out and have to ring home. Advice on budgeting can be asked for at university help offices or even at your bank. Research everything before you set off to live at university, such as how to get to university from your halls or house!
Whatever you choose, make sure that it is the right decision for you! Lots of information can be gathered by phoning the university accommodation services that will be more than happy to take your questions and give you relevant advice.
8
Moving Out - My Experience I chose to live away from home for two reasons: I wanted to become more independent and I wanted to know if I could stand on my own two feet without relying on my parents! When applying for accommodation, I decided to go for catered as I can’t cook and I wanted to have at least one good meal a day to get me through the first year. I also felt that catered would help me meet new people as everybody would be eating together. Initially I was very nervous about going to university; moving to a new city and not knowing anybody is a daunting thought. I was most nervous about meeting all of the new people I would be living with, all of the usual thoughts of whether I would make friends or even enjoy university raced through my mind. Turned out that I had nothing to worry about! Luckily for me I lived in shared accommodation and so I met 16 new friends within my first day of university! Everybody I lived with was like-minded, friendly and we all had things in common. It was the perfect start to university life; getting to know everybody, having a laugh and making new friends in Fresher’s Week. I immediately felt comfortable and happy in my new surroundings and city. Admittedly it took a while to adapt to sharing bathrooms with other people but even that soon passed. Living together in such close quarters only helped to build strong friendships. All thoughts of being nervous were forgotten in an instant and I embraced this new stage of my life and lived it as fully as possible. To effectively live away from home with new people takes a lot of compromise and adjusting of your own self. Everybody has their own way of living and if you try to enforce your way on others it will cause unnecessary friction and arguments. Be generous to others and they’ll probably be generous to you! Sharing is a big part of university life: pots, pans, cutlery, mugs and even televisions were shared in my accommodation because we could trust each other to look after them and return them to their owner. Obviously you are at university to study, but I find that getting the right balance between studying and socialising is essential as you don’t want to be behind with work but equally you don’t want to miss out on all the great experiences and friendships. You always hear of people’s experiences at university going badly; they couldn’t make friends or didn’t like living away from home or other reasons. However try not to give up, give it a chance! The most important thing is that you be yourself and enjoy it as the time flies by! As for my experience, I wouldn’t change a minute of it! The laughs, the drunken antics and even the occasional argument all resulted in forging some of the strongest friendships and some of the best memories I will ever have. Obviously you are at university to study, but I find that getting the right balance between studying and socialising is essential, you don’t want to be behind with work but equally you don’t want to miss out on all the great experiences and friendships. There will always be stories of people’s experiences at university going badly; they couldn’t make friends or didn’t like living away from home or other reasons. However try not to give up, give it a chance! The most important thing is that you be yourself and enjoy it as the time flies by! As for my experience, I wouldn’t change a minute of it! The laughs, the drunken antics and even the occasional argument all resulted in forging some of the strongest friendships and some of the best memories I will ever have. Matthew Ainsworth - 2nd Year English Student at Sheffield Hallam 9
NEXT EDITION... We will be looking at: - Student Finance - Gap Years - Clearing - What to expect And more!
Until then, good luck! Anneka and Rosie The Editing team
Any Questions? Or issues you would like to see addressed in our next edition? Or would you like to write a piece for us about your experience applying to uni? CONTACT US Facebook—Stepping Stones Email— [email protected] 10
