University can be pretty daunting when you’re fresh out of high school and not used to being independent, not to mention the multiple things that are involved with being a university student.
Nothing can ever prepare you for the drastic life change, but there are a few tips and tricks to help you navigate and win at varsity life.
1. Learn how to budget
Sometimes you have to sacrifice going out now and then to focus on the more important things.
Being the life of the party is fun and all but not when you’re going home to have a bowl of noodles for dinner. The best way to keep track of your spending is to create a monthly budget, here you cost out how much you need for food, transport, toiletries etc.
Make sure you’ve also got a little saved up for unexpected expenses.
2. Get the energy flowing
There’s no one that can prepare you for all the activities that take place in varsity - all the studying, social activities, parties, rallies etc.
They all require your time and energy but there’s only one of you so how do you manage being sociable and network with your mates and still have the time to study and keep the grades up?
One 250 ml can of Red Bull contains 80mg of caffeine – about the same as in a cup of coffee, just the right amount to keep you going and maintain optimum energy levels.
3. Study and prepare
As much as you should have fun and enjoy your time in varsity it’s important to remember why you are there in the first place.
Make sure you’re always prepared for class. When you’re in the lecture room take as many notes as you need to.
The notes you took in class coupled with your textbooks will help you with your studying.
4. Teamwork makes the dream work
Unlike intimate high school classrooms, university lecture rooms are packed full of students that can even go up to 500 students per class.
The lecturer doesn’t have the capacity to give personalised, undivided attention to every student, so you have to get out of your comfort zone.
In your first year it would be a great help for you to find a group of classmates that you can study and share notes with.
5. Find a mentor
Never be too proud to ask for help, a third year student will know more about surviving varsity than one fresh out of high school.
Get as much information as you can from them around how things work and how you can get the best out of your experience while maintaining great results.