As students head back to university, many look back on their path so far, and impart some extremely helpful advice. Four of those students, all with different backgrounds and experiences to draw from, have penned advice for freshmen beginning their first year. Through support systems, cultural exchanges and self-encouragement they showcase how one can make the most of university life and beyond.
Tian Liu is a 19-year-old first-generation American, the daughter of Chinese immigrants. She recently started her second year of a social sciences combined-honours degree. As a first-generation college student, Tian’s journey has been a path filled with adversity and accomplishment. This summer, she interned in New York, a placement she was able to find through her university.
Reflecting on her experiences, Tian stated, “University is definitely a roller coaster. There was a point I wanted to drop out, but now I can definitely see the fruits of my labour.” She understands the realities and pressures that higher tuition increase may create and stresses that you take care of yourself first. With tuition increasing, there’s already enough pressure to get the most from your education. What’s harder to see is how that pressure can go on to burn teachers out. University is what you make of it, but just be kind to yourself.
Her top tip for first-year students, both graduate and undergraduate, is to make sure you look for support yourself. Create your circle “Keep a very small circle of trusted friends who will encourage you and check you if you overcommitted yourself. Really lean into the pastoral teams on campus,” she said. She encourages freshers to embrace self-confidence: “Don’t disqualify yourself from anything. Be your biggest cheerleader. Take so many photos.”
24-year-old Edith Adam, in her second year, has a much different point of view on freshers’ week. As she writes in our story, she wants students to avoid making an overblown deal of this fledgling stage of campus life. Edith thinks we all wish for a truly amazing and memorable experience. They should expect to meet some of their best friends for life and have the time of their lives at university.
In place of that, she advises students to make the most of their education and keep track of details. If it will take less than two minutes, do it now,” she recommends, encouraging smart time-saving habits. She remembers her own fears when she began in the first cohort. I was super scared of never being able to make friends, or that people wouldn’t like me at all,” she shares. I just wish that I had known that everyone else was scared as well. You’d be surprised at how much they love to see someone come up and say hello.
Konstantin Schmidt, a 21-year-old from Bavaria, Germany, is excited to learn about the world and share a global perspective on campus. As he heads into his second year, Konstantin is excited about the cultural exchange that happens among his flatmates. He discovered connections over food and music. He even threw a dinner party and made Spätzle for his roommates.
“Societies are the best way to meet like-minded people,” Konstantin said. He is a member of a volleyball club and of a Formula One club. He urges incoming students to take part in these extracurricular activities, as they open doors to friendship and common pursuits.
Rebecca is returning for her second year of business administration. She began her post-secondary journey at the tender age of 16 years old. The daily commute of over an hour each way she makes between Glasgow and Edinburgh adds its own challenges to the mix. Academia must increasingly recognize the equilibrium between individual goals and scholarly achievement, as demonstrated by her experience.
These combined perspectives from four different students show just how many different roads there are to travel regarding experiences and hardships while pursuing education at a university. From cultural exchanges to mental health awareness, each student approaches the subject with a distinctively nuanced perspective developed by their backgrounds and experiences.
