From A-levels to university: How students can adjust and succeed

Coming to university can seem like a big jump compared to A-levels. You are in a whole new city by yourself with no sense of normality. Here are some of my tips into how to make this adjustment as easy as possible.

Education

One of the changes from A-levels to university is having to manage your own assignments and revision. There is no teacher telling you to complete a past paper for the next lesson, just a lecturer telling you that you have 4 weeks to complete an assignment. This can seem daunting at first but once you find a strategy that works for you, you will free less stressed and on top of your learning. One of my key pieces of advice is to not leave your assignments until the last minute. It may have worked during your A-levels but it is not good practise for assignments. They normally give you a long-time frame for a reason! I also think planning your day or when you will complete certain tasks helps reduce stress. The easiest way to do this is by paper or digital planner.

Also, take all the help you can get your hands on. The lecturers are there to help you with lecture content and assignments. Utilise their help and engage with them.

Socially

Another big change from A-levels is the social aspect. For me, I went to a larger sixth form college so I was used to socialising with different groups of people. However, it can seem challenging if you came from a smaller sixth form. My advice is to be willing to embrace the change and immerse yourself in this new way of living. You may also feel that you have not met ‘your people’ in freshers week but that is okay. There are people out there for everyone.

Living

It is difficult coming to university and having to cook, clean, wash and live all by yourself which most people are not used to. My advice for this is to try and learn a few basic meals before you come to uni. It means you can come home from lectures and enjoy making your food, instead of it feeling like a chore. Also, try and keep your room and social spaces clean and tidy. It really does affect your mood.

Hobbies

Everyone has a hobby or activity that brings them some joy. Make sure you try and keep this up whether it is a sport, reading, playing music etc. It can really help your mental health when everything else around you is changing and feels unstable. It is another way to make friends too.

Items

Finally, when coming to university, make sure you bring something that remind you of home. That could be relating to your family, friends, pets or hobbies. It is normal to feel homesick at points of the year but small reminders of things/people you love makes you feel much better.

Remember, it is normal to feel like you do not belong or that you cannot adjust to university. It is important to remember that everyone is in the same boat and that you are not alone – it will all be okay in the end :)