MY FIRST WEEK AT UNI | SEPTEMBER 2018
That's right, I have finally started University! I'm not going to lie but a week before I was due to start I was actually dreading it. I chose to commute to University everyday, simply because I'm a home-bird, and feel more comfortable with being at home rather than the choice of making me quite unhappy with being away from home. Plus, I'm a country girl through and through and I don't think I could live in a city just this yet, eventually but not quite yet. Anyway, Monday I wasn't too bad because I had a lot of support from friends and family just to go with the flow. A lot of my anxiety comes from the thought of going in to the unknown, and my main thought was that I was going to be on my own all day, no one is going to to want to talk to me, and all those thoughts that flow through my brain.
My advice, even though I haven't been fully through the full week as a 'normal' student would, is to just go with the flow. I know that's easier said than done, but from someone that often gets social anxiety trying to calm down in really social situations can be really hard for me to do. People will start to talk to you, and the use of social media in starting Uni can both be a positive and negative one. You can see people doing different things and that could make you feel under pressure to do those things, but maybe it's just not your thing or you don't feel like it. It can still make you feel uneasy. The positive way that social media had for me starting with Facebook. You can meet and find your flatmates/course mates on Facebook through a page that is usually set up by current students at the University or by the University itself, that is specifically for Freshers. On this page there might be news of events going on in Freshers Week, and information about what's happening when you first start etc. This is where you can post and find flatmates and course mates. This can definitely reassure you that people are going through the same kind of emotions. Social media is so accessible these days that you can post anything on any platform and there's a chance that it will reach someone on the other side of world etc.
It can be daunting, incredibly daunting and the first day I remember feeling incredibly sick and overwhelmed on my way home. I saw something actually on Twitter the weekend before Freshers Week that said something like 'don't worry if your Fresher's experience isn't the best, there's such a high expectation that Freshers Week is the best week of your life and you're going to meet friends for life'. That really struck a chord with me because I was so worried about missing out on stuff, but sitting here now on a Sunday I don't really think I missed on anything vital because I wasn't your regular student of 'going out' and going to all the events and because I'm not living in made me even more anxious. This isn't a lecture (pardon the pun) on Freshers Week, because honestly everybody will have a a completely different experience to the next person. Don't feel pressure to do things that you don't want to do. But get out of comfort zone, and when you are put in to those situations you may surprise yourself. I certainly did. I can be awkward with people, but I found myself talk to people and go up to people and talk to them, and planned to meet people. It will be nerve-wracking, but just remember that this is your life, and you need to do things for yourself and not for other people. If you don't drink and don't want to drink, don't feel pressure to. It's something that you know isn't for you and people have to accept that. I think there's a fine line between peer pressure and stepping out of your comfort zone. Another bit of advice was from one of my oldest friends, who told me sometimes you need to fake the confidence. Fake that you're not feeling those nerves deep down, and believe everything will work out and will be okay.
Good Luck!
Rose x
My advice, even though I haven't been fully through the full week as a 'normal' student would, is to just go with the flow. I know that's easier said than done, but from someone that often gets social anxiety trying to calm down in really social situations can be really hard for me to do. People will start to talk to you, and the use of social media in starting Uni can both be a positive and negative one. You can see people doing different things and that could make you feel under pressure to do those things, but maybe it's just not your thing or you don't feel like it. It can still make you feel uneasy. The positive way that social media had for me starting with Facebook. You can meet and find your flatmates/course mates on Facebook through a page that is usually set up by current students at the University or by the University itself, that is specifically for Freshers. On this page there might be news of events going on in Freshers Week, and information about what's happening when you first start etc. This is where you can post and find flatmates and course mates. This can definitely reassure you that people are going through the same kind of emotions. Social media is so accessible these days that you can post anything on any platform and there's a chance that it will reach someone on the other side of world etc.
It can be daunting, incredibly daunting and the first day I remember feeling incredibly sick and overwhelmed on my way home. I saw something actually on Twitter the weekend before Freshers Week that said something like 'don't worry if your Fresher's experience isn't the best, there's such a high expectation that Freshers Week is the best week of your life and you're going to meet friends for life'. That really struck a chord with me because I was so worried about missing out on stuff, but sitting here now on a Sunday I don't really think I missed on anything vital because I wasn't your regular student of 'going out' and going to all the events and because I'm not living in made me even more anxious. This isn't a lecture (pardon the pun) on Freshers Week, because honestly everybody will have a a completely different experience to the next person. Don't feel pressure to do things that you don't want to do. But get out of comfort zone, and when you are put in to those situations you may surprise yourself. I certainly did. I can be awkward with people, but I found myself talk to people and go up to people and talk to them, and planned to meet people. It will be nerve-wracking, but just remember that this is your life, and you need to do things for yourself and not for other people. If you don't drink and don't want to drink, don't feel pressure to. It's something that you know isn't for you and people have to accept that. I think there's a fine line between peer pressure and stepping out of your comfort zone. Another bit of advice was from one of my oldest friends, who told me sometimes you need to fake the confidence. Fake that you're not feeling those nerves deep down, and believe everything will work out and will be okay.
Good Luck!
Rose x
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