From College to Campus: My Journey into University Life

The college to university transition seemed so daunting sat in our welcome lecture on fresher’s week. After years spent in classroom’s crammed with tables, the lecture style rows seemed bizarre! However, it soon became normal. There were classroom comforts that still existed in seminar group sessions which allowed me to engage and work with my peers while making friends!

One of the biggest changes was the amount of untimetabled time we had in our week, and I really loved this element of university life. It enabled me to work and do my weekly reading and assignment preparation around study dates, afternoons in the bullring and time at societies. It really allowed me to get my work done in a way that catered to me as an individual.

However, with this reduced contact time I couldn’t help thinking – will I have the same amount of support? The answer was yes! Staff provide office hours where you can discuss essay plans, core content, extra reading, or anything else! So, the same college level of support is still there if you seek it.

Finally, assignments over exams are another transition when coming to university. In the school of education, blogs, essays, presentations, and exams are typically used for assessment. Being so used to sitting exams, this was a significant change. However, the lecturers and Academic Skills Centre provided me with all the tools to flourish in this new academic style of writing covering everything from critical thinking to referencing. I much preferred this approach with it being less stressful and daunting than exams.

Overall, the transition to university isn’t as drastic as it first seems, and the university provides so much support to help you flourish in this new way of learning.