Amber shares her story and tips on how to make the most out of starting at a new university during your final year.
- Amber
Year 3. Final Year.
One of the most critical times in a university experience is when all of your work finally begins to pay off and I found myself nervous and anxious when I thought I’d be excited and full of ambitions. Finding myself in a new institution where most people had already established friendships was quite scary!
I had decided to make the move to a new university as the previous one had lost its accreditation from the BPS (an official psychology board that supplied recognition for degrees) so I felt it was essential to move somewhere that had this recognition to ensure I wouldn’t be hindered by it in the future. Whilst I already had got over most of the nerves throughout the summer this transition was still one of the most daunting yet exciting experiences of my academic journey as it felt like I was leaving behind my family to start somewhere new. Whilst it was overwhelming at times I am now settled and it’s like I have been here since the beginning of year 1. Throughout this article, I will share my experience of navigating this transition and hopefully, you will be able to use these in your own adventures moving forwards.
Adjusting to a New Environment
A completely new place is a very daunting experience for anyone, it is just an added challenge that this is a new university in my final year of study. No problem though! I already have had a routine set up, had friends that I had to leave behind and became comfortable in my previous university so starting new can be a major change… Not a setback, just a change.
You will overcome the anxious feeling that might be eating away at you! Being in a new environment can make you grow in ways you never thought you had. It can bring you new opportunities, new friends and a new adventure. During this adjustment period, I felt completely engulfed by worries, to combat this I got in touch with the new course lead at the new university and arranged a meeting. This settled my nervousness about the available opportunities. Now, 2 weeks into this new environment, I am integrated into a new routine and seeking out new things. It’s important to keep an open mind, adapt and embrace any changes that come your way!
Bridging the Gap
There can be many gaps that you can pinpoint during this adjustment to your new university. These can be things such as knowledge gaps and relationship gaps. The knowledge gaps I was worried about were that the other students might have been taught different content than I had (despite it being the same course!) I was worried about there being gaps within the relationships between my classmates as well as my lecturers, after all, they had already created friendships and built rapport with the lecturers over the 2 years whilst I had to do this in only a few months. Knowledge gaps were a big worry of mine during this transition as I hadn’t been with this peer group throughout years 1 and 2, and this led me to worry that my knowledge was not enough. However, I contacted academic support and they assured me that the course I had done had been more than sufficient which meant my knowledge was on par with the other students.
When it came to the gaps in relationships this was something that took time to build and develop. As I was completely new in classes where friendships had already been formed it was daunting to approach these people with feelings of anxiety and nervousness. However, as the weeks have passed I have become more confident and have approached people, which has created some new long-lasting friendships! The overall advice from this part is to not be afraid to ask questions and to use the resources available. If you feel like you are behind USE academic support! Don’t be afraid to approach people, in your own time when you feel ready, they will be understanding. We are only human after all.
Make the most of your time
Whilst starting a new university in year 3 means there is limited time to fully immerse yourself in the experience it shouldn’t discourage you from making the most of it! It’s never too late to create new connections and experience new things! It is a time to make sure you enjoy what may be your last academic year! This is a chance to make memories and prioritise your goals to get the very best out of the experience. Don’t be afraid to enjoy yourself! Whilst this journey can seem overwhelming just remember, with the right mindset and attitude this will be a very rewarding experience. Ensure you have enough time for work/life balance, I find that using a planner is one of the most efficient ways to ensure I have enough time allocated to specific things. I have a study timetable that I use to ensure I am prepping for my dissertation alongside my other assignments, this helps with the stress and pressure it can bring. I try to make sure I get all of my studying done during this time so I have time to myself to do things in order to relax and take a break.
This has been things such as reading books out of my own interest and other creative hobbies! This has helped make sure I keep a routine and don’t spend too much time worrying about the new environment and how different things work here so by having it all laid out I can see what will get done and when. It is important to do things like this to make sure you don’t get overwhelmed or burn yourself out! Remember to prioritise your own needs and you will make the most out of this time!
Whether you are looking for support for your own mental health at university or supporting a friend, help is available.
I'm Amber, a third-year undergrad student studying psychology, psychotherapy and counselling! I'm sharing this story and some advice as when I transferred universities it was a daunting experience so by sharing some advice from this experience I hope someone will feel less stressed than I did during the transition.
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