Balancing everything at once: How I found my feet at Birmingham

When I arrived at the University of Birmingham to study Politics and International Relations, I thought my biggest challenge would be the academic step up from sixth form. In reality, the biggest adjustment was learning how to balance everything at once.

The academic transition was definitely noticeable. At sixth form, there was a lot more structure and regular guidance, whereas university requires much more independent study. I only have around nine contact hours each week, so most of my learning happens outside lectures and seminars. I try to treat university like a full-time job and work roughly 9–5 around my classes, but it took time to build that routine. Reading lists and referencing were also a shock at first, and I quickly realised that no one was going to chase me if I fell behind.

What helped me most was making use of office hours. I initially struggled with the shift between A-Level and university study, which is why office hours became so valuable for me. Speaking regularly with lecturers and asking questions became my saving grace. It's still one of the best pieces of advice I would give to new students.

Outside academics, freshers' week was a whirlwind. I remember worrying constantly about whether I would like my flat, get on with my flatmates and make friends. Looking back, I had absolutely nothing to worry about. Living in Tennis Courts accommodation made meeting people very easy because of the social environment, and I became close friends with my flatmates very quickly.

One of my fondest university memories happened on the very first night. A girl was outside of my block and couldn’t find her flatmates, so we walked to The Guild together and exchanged numbers. A few days later we bumped into each other again, discovered we both wanted to try tennis, joined the tennis society together and the rest is history. She's now one of my best friends. I've also met great friends through my course and, more recently, through joining the Equestrian Society in second year.

The School of Government also played a huge role in helping me settle in. My first-year personal tutor, Asaf, was incredibly supportive when I doubted my academic ability and encouraged me to keep pushing myself. He even supported my application to intern for Preet Gill, which gave me confidence in opportunities I might not otherwise have pursued.