Have you been accepted to university? Congratulations! You’ve probably heard this often, but these are will truly be some of the best years of your life.
However, it’s a massive step up from high school (in all aspects!) and we’re here to help you as you embark on your new journey.
It is essential to:
- Become familiar with the campus: Universities usually have the most important buildings or classes hidden away in some nook or cranny. So, once you’ve been given your schedule, find out where each lecture and tutorial will take place in advance!
- Manage your time well: Depending on which university you attend, first year students aren’t allowed to park on campus – this is implemented at the University of Cape Town (UCT). Parking, close to campus, is generally not easy to find and if you have an 8am lecture, you need to budget time to find parking. And if you’re using public transport, then make sure you catch the right train to make it to your first class in time.
- Get to know your lecturers and tutors: Understanding the way that your lecturers teach their classes is critical! Remember, there’s no more spoon-feeding! Many lecturers will simply hand out your list of assignments – that’s it, it’s all up to you to go to the library to find the resources you need, do the required reading and make sure your assignment are in on the due date!
- Always prepare for your lectures: “Could you repeat what you spoke about last week?” This question won’t get you very far at university. Lecturers generally follow the course outline and they will speak about the topic that is set for that day and never go back to it! So make sure you are fully prepped for class.
- Make use of the library: Yes, we do live in a digital world where information is only a few clicks away, but sourcing information for your studies is not like reading up on celeb gossip. Your course outline normally has a list of books that you’ll need to use throughout the course and many of these can’t be found online. Find out where the library is first and then speak to the librarians on duty if you need any help finding the required books.