Are you new to university and everything seems so overwhelming? Everyone has to go through it at some point, but in order not to seem like a wasted first-timer, I have given you a few tips.
#1 Now you're on your own
You have to realize that things are different now than they were at school. You are now independent and have to worry about keeping up with the material yourself. This means that no one cares anymore whether you have read the reading material or failed the exam. The same goes for no one chasing after you to remind you of an exam or homework.
#2 Don't miss the freshmen events
Don't be reluctant to take part in the introductory events because you remember them from your school days as fake, forced and stressful. The pub crawl, campus rally or fresher parties are a perfect opportunity to meet new people and live the real student life.
#3 Digital instead of analog
Get a tablet! This will make your life a lot easier. Of course, a compact notebook will do the trick too, but if you wanted to buy a new device at the start of the semester anyway, you should also think about a tablet. Instead of a laptop or even several folders, you only have to carry a small, light tablet with all your documents. This also helps you not to get bogged down or lose your notes. The biggest advantage, however, is that you can take notes on your professor's uploaded files parallel to the lecture. This saves a lot of time and also makes the material much more understandable.
#4 Know where to go
Regardless of whether you're an orientation nerd or a pro at getting lost, familiarize yourself with the campus before your first lecture. Look at the paths between your rooms and buildings, because these can be very long and if you get lost, you won't have a chance.
#5 Check out student discounts
Often you don't have an overview of where you can get student discounts. If you are planning to make a larger purchase, you should find out about discounts beforehand. You can often look forward to discounts, especially on technical devices and subscriptions. You can also save money at some fashion stores such as Urban Outfitters.
#6 Food in the cafeteria - but not everything
As long as you know what you should and shouldn't eat in the cafeteria, you should definitely take advantage of the offer. Compared to alternatives, it is cheap and still healthy. This meal a day will help you stay focused and productive. In general, however, you should stay away from pasta, fatty foods and soggy desserts.
#7 Take a break!
This tip applies particularly to the exam phase. Planned breaks help you to be more productive during your work phases and to clear your head. I can particularly recommend meeting up with your friends in the evening so that you have to complete the tasks for the day before a certain time, because of course you don't want to cancel ;). The distraction will also be good for your brain because it's the only way it stays receptive.
#8 Give yourself time to sleep in
This means do not attend any voluntary seminars before 10 a.m. First of all, you need enough sleep to get by. Unfortunately, coffee is not a substitute for sleep in the long term. In addition, students go out, especially during the week. So in the evenings you should be ready for parties around bars to socialize. And then sitting down for a seminar at 8 a.m. the next morning is probably rather unrealistic.
#9 The etiquette of the Bib
Sticking to the rules of the bib is essential to avoid being labeled as an annoying first-timer. The most important thing is absolute peace. Yes, that sounds banal and simple, but not even the shortest phone call or a short conversation is considered. It's best to go to the library alone and with your phone on silent so as not to be tempted. You should also treat the books as if they were your own. So no creases in the corners, markings, underlining and so on. All of this makes a book about time unreadable and unusable. So be fair and don't give the other students fewer sources of information than you had. This also means that you shouldn't hoard books. This includes hiding books in the library so that you can have them again at a later date or keeping the books at home after the loan period. Because as I said, there are other people in the world who can use these books :)
#10 Stop spiking
It's better not to even think about cheating, because if you get caught, you'll be lucky if only this exam isn't recognized. Because cheating can lead to forced exmatriculation.
Welcome to university life! Here you will find tips to make your life easier
