Marie's top tips for starting university
Hey everyone, Marie here! I am your newly elected President here at JMSU. I am a Forensic Psychology and Criminal Justice graduate this year, which I really enjoyed studying. It feels like an eternity since I started my degree three years ago, but thinking about it brings back a lot of good memories.
Like many of you, I was so excited to move to Liverpool and start my university adventure, but I also remember the anxiety of moving and feeling lonely in a new city. One thing I am very grateful for is joining the JMSU Hangout page on Facebook (yes, Facebook is still useful!). Here, you can meet new people, ask around to find fellow course mates or people who live near you. I also found out a lot of information about JMSU’s events here, and found some people I could go to them with.
From here, I ended up joining my course group chat and met a friend who lived here in Liverpool, so I'd definitely encourage you to do the same. It was definitely a smart decision, especially if you are anxious about moving to a new city and feeling lonely.
There are so many things I wish I could list, but looking back... I would give these three top tips for any Freshers starting University this month:
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Be bold and don’t be afraid to approach people, especially first-year students. Everyone is in the same boat, and you’d be surprised how many amazing things will come out of that.
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Don’t feel pressure to make friends straight away; it takes time to explore and find the right people for you – sometimes this might not be your flatmates. University is about getting to know yourself and the people around you, so make sure you explore joining a sports team, society and or community. These places really help you to become more confident and you can make friends for life.
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In terms of your education, ASK QUESTIONS. Whether in private with your lecturer or in the wider class, make sure you use all the services available to you. Yes, it can be dauting, but it will honestly save you so much time and at the end of the day you have paid to be here, so make the most out of it.
Good luck in the first couple of weeks in university, don’t feel pressured to attend everything at once, you have plenty of time to make friends and memories. If you need help, come to JMSU – we're here to help you every step of the way.
I’m looking forward to meeting you over the Freshers period.
