Starting university can stir up a mixture of emotions, from excitement to apprehension. “Everything is new,” says Kelly Robson, deputy head of student support and experience at the University of Hull. Leaving home and living with complete strangers in a new city with limited money is a huge transition, she points out.
As with all new experiences, soon-to-be students will have questions about what lies ahead, and many will have the same worries. Here, four experts tackle the most common ones, and how to address them.
What if I feel lonely?
“This is the main one for everyone,” says Robson. “They worry about belonging, fitting in, making friends.” James Saward, head of student health and wellbeing at City, University of London, urges students to take their time to find the people who suit them. “There are clubs, societies, groups, which are often free or low-cost, where you can gently build a community that works for you. You don’t have to go on pub crawls across the city if you don’t want to.”
Both he and Robson agree that, while it can be scary, students should try new things and take small steps out of their comfort zone. “Be brave – it won’t happen if you’re sitting in your room. Be prepared to feel a bit uncomfortable and push yourself. You never know where a friendship is going to come from,” says Robson.
Hannah Nimmo, community and wellbeing officer at the University of York students’ union, says the pandemic has made recent student cohorts more shy, and less well practised at socialising, with people often taking longer to feel comfortable and find their place than previous cohorts might have. She says students can feel afraid they are different from everyone else, but adds: “What makes you different is what makes you celebrated, and is why people are interested in getting to know you. Feel comfortable in your own identity because you will find your place and your people.”
Will I have enough money?
The cost of living crisis has added an additional layer of pressure to anyone with financial worries. Lucy Collins, director of home recruitment and conversion at the University of Bristol, says students are often not sure if their loans will be enough to cover everything, and whether or not part-time work will be feasible. “Our key advice is to get really organised so you’ve got things sorted before you arrive,” she says. “Make sure your tuition fees and maintenance loan are sorted.”
She adds that all universities have bursary support available, based on household income, and hardship funding for students in unexpected financial difficulty. Bristol has a team of money advisers available to all students, and Collins says part-time work is an option for some – although others, such as those studying medicine, nursing, or engineering, who have a higher number of contact hours, may struggle to fit it in.
Will I be able to keep up academically?
As Collins points out, the shift from school-level learning to university-level is a big one. However, “it’s really important to say to students that they are absolutely up to it, because they wouldn’t have been accepted otherwise”, she says. “It’s a significant transition but there’s lots of support available.” At Bristol, this takes the form of personal and academic tutors, as well as peer-assisted study sessions that match first years with second-year students doing the same subject.
“It’s a really useful way to ask those questions you might be a bit anxious about asking in a more formal setting – for example, do I have to read everything on the reading list, or does it matter if I don’t understand this paragraph?” Study sessions are often held at universities, tackling areas such as the discipline of writing essays.
What if I need more support with my mental or physical health?
Whether it’s anxiety, a long-term mental health condition, physical health support or assistance with neurodiversity, the message from our experts is to “ask for help”. Saward explains that universities have a range of services and experts who can offer all kinds of support. For example, universities have a legal obligation to make “reasonable adjustments” to ensure students with a disability don’t face any additional learning barriers.
Photograph: Sigrid Gombert/Getty Images/Image Source
In terms of mental health, Saward says the team has noticed an increase in students presenting with anxiety or depression. “First, it’s OK to feel what you’re feeling. There’s a lot of pressure to feel like you’re going to have the time of your life, and if you do that’s great but it’s also OK if you don’t. Take your time with how you’re feeling and give yourself space.”
Robson adds that some students feel scared to share health information “because they’re afraid the university won’t want them. This is absolutely not the case.” As Saward says, it’s in the university’s interests for students to thrive and do well, and no problem is too small to seek help for: “Your university will want you to do well. If you’re struggling, let someone know how you’re feeling.”
For more guidance on the right course for you, check out the Guardian university league tables for 2023. The Guardian league tables for 2024 will be out on 9 September in print and online.
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