….Well now they have. I asked 10 people the question, ‘what do you wish somebody told you before you started uni?’ These were their replies:

 

1. Sometimes it can take longer than expected to settle in. You may not feel ‘at home’ until Christmas, maybe even second year. That’s okay!

2. Everyone is as nervous as you are. Be bold, take a step out of your comfort zone and make the first move to make friends. People are more concerned about how they look and the image they are portraying, than how you look!

3. It’s okay to be yourself. There is a huge variety of different people with different interests at uni. Be yourself, but also don’t limit yourself to what you usually enjoy. Try new things. Paddle boarding, cheerleading, the donut society…why not?

4. ‘I imagined uni life to be like F.R.I.E.N.D.S. It’s not’. Uni may not be what you expected. That’s okay also. Embrace it for what it is.

5. Don’t rush into buying a house. Sometimes the friends we make during Freshers week aren’t always the group we continue with throughout our uni days. Don’t panic and sign for a house immediately, wait until after Christmas.

6. Don’t worry if you don’t naturally click with your flat mates. Uni is not like school, you can have lots of different groups of friends.

7. Take a toastie maker. Perfect for lunch, dinner and late night snacks.

8. You’ll have more free time in uni than you’ll ever get again. Make the most of it.

9. Don’t go home too much. It can be tempting but try to stick it out for the first few months. It’s easier to bond and make friends when you’re actually there.

10. Find a church within the first 3 weeks and commit to it. Don’t spend weeks and weeks looking because before you know it, it will be Christmas and you’re still not settled in a church.

Looking to prepare yourself for uni? Check out Fusion’s Student Linkup sessions. Only a fiver to prepare yourself for some of the main things you’ll experience at uni, whilst asking yourself those key questions about your values and priorities. Great stuff!