What I would tell my first-year self

Frantically rushing to IKEA to get more fake plants and decorations for my room, constantly checking my packing list to make sure I had not forgotten something, catching up with friends from home for one final time – that was me, one year ago, as I prepared to move to Warwick. I’m sure, as you’re reading this article, you have just gone through a similar situation. You might be nervous about having moved away from home for the first time – don’t panic though, first-year is amazing, and I promise you will have a fantastic year.

One of the biggest mistakes I made in my first-year was thinking I had to be an expert on everything

There’s no denying that I can vividly remember that feeling of dread and pang of sadness as I left my family home and moved away from everything I’d ever known last September, but my first-year was one of the best years of my life. Did I make mistakes? Of course I did, but I’m here to help you learn from my mistakes – almost like a first-year ‘guru’.

If you’re currently asking yourself: ‘How am I going to cook for myself? Where do I do my washing? Where is Tesco?’, don’t panic! I was in the same boat last year, and I found out all the answers pretty quickly. That’s the first piece of advice I’d give my first-year self, looking back: don’t panic. One of the biggest mistakes I made in my first-year was thinking I had to be an expert on everything straight away, but that’s certainly not true. If you can’t find your lecture hall, or you’re confused about how to use the oven in your flat kitchen, don’t worry. Take things step-by-step, don’t feel the need to rush, and don’t be afraid to ask others for help – I guarantee others will be thinking the same.

It wasn’t until Easter that I realised, I could take my foot off the pedal a little

Your first-year is the time for you to try out new societies, make new friends, and explore new places. Looking back, the one thing I wish I could tell my first-year self is to embrace everything. I can guarantee you’ll hear “first-year doesn’t count” more times than you can keep track of over the next year, but it’s hard to believe it when deadlines are looming and marking criteria is being shared around. And, of course, you would not have chosen to spend £9,250 a year if you didn’t want to further your education. However, try not to stress about your work too much. You still have a whole two more years ahead of you after this that actually count, so don’t burn yourself out now.

One thing I regret the most from my first-year is, it wasn’t until Easter that I realised, I could take my foot off the pedal a little and enjoy the university experience more. So, when you’re thinking whether you should do that extra hour of reading, maybe think twice about whether you really need to do it, or whether you can spend an extra bit of time with your friends.

If at first things don’t go right, try again, or reach out for help

While it may seem like I’m full of regret about my first-year, it’s only because I want you to learn from my mistakes, so don’t feel like everything is going to go wrong or that all your planning before university has been in vain. If anything, nine times out of ten, things went perfectly in my first-year, and there’s so much I won’t be changing going forward.

So, having said that here are three things that went so well in my first-year that I won’t be changing in my routine for the next two years:
1. Batch cook – you’ll be surprised at how much time it saves.
2. Make the most of downtime – there’s absolutely nothing wrong with having a cosy night in watching Strictly Come Dancing (at times, I preferred it to clubbing).
3. Attend society events – I made most of my friends and memories through societies last year, so get involved.

I have just one final parting piece of advice: remember you are capable of achieving amazing things. You may feel a little nervous or apprehensive right now, but things will work out. Take on every challenge that comes your way. If at first things don’t go right, try again, or reach out for help. Good luck with your first-year at Warwick and most importantly, enjoy yourself!