We all know that feeling of being anxious and self-conscious before going to a new place; especially moving across the globe without your family and knowing nobody. The dread of it all is enough to make someone becoming home-sick and depressed. I’ve been through this several times in my life but the most recent time was when I first went to university in 2018. If anything, now I’d like to give my past self 5 tips to avoid all that awkwardness and I hope this can inspire all of you who are going to university as well!
by Nakezia Avilly
1. Don’t Be Afraid To Connect
Hey, I know it’s your first time being in a university full of new people who you don’t know. And I know it’s hard for an introverted person to be social. But you’ll never know who you’re going to meet and they might change your life before you know it! So do not ever be afraid to try and connect with new people, even if it feels draining sometimes, eventually you’ll have a good time and meet new people with interesting stories to share!
2. Give Time To Yourself
Sometimes, everything can be overwhelming and it is hard to find solitude during busy days in Uni but don’t forget to always give time to yourself. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Yes, wanting to achieve things and being ambitious is great but don’t let it all took a heavy toll on your body and especially your mind. Your wellbeing is the most important thing at the end of the day. If you’re feeling stuck or having a block, it’s always nice to take a walk, eat at your favourite restaurant, and maybe treat yourself with a little thing that you’ve been wanting for a while now.
3. Seek For Help If You Need To
Being a fresher in Uni and not understanding how things work is completely normal and you are definitely not alone. That’s why we have university counsellors. I always go to them whenever I feel stuck with my work or if I don’t understand how to even begin with my project and research. You can also ask for peer mentors and ask your friends for opinions too, you’ll be surprised at how nice people can be and how willing they are to help you.
4. Don’t Compare Yourself To Others
One thing that I realise since going to an Art University is that everyone is so creative and most of them have such great ideas that might not even be thinkable to your mind. I would honestly advice to take it slow and just be yourself. Yes, feeling down and self-conscious will likely to happen when surrounded with all sorts of people but comparing yourself all the time will only take a heavy toll on your mental health. By this I don’t mean that you can just chill and not care about projects; if anything, you should feel even more motivated to do more research, study more, and challenge yourself even more to be on their level too. It’s totally okay to take it slow and failing a couple times along the way. I’m sure great things lie ahead if you keep on trying so do not ever give up on your dreams.
5. Expand Your Skills
Finally, I would like to give this advice which is to always learn new things and expand your skills. If you’re interested in things that might not even be in your area of studies, don’t be afraid to reach out to someone who understands and ask them to teach you. There are also a lot of resources in every universities that would accommodate students to make their learning and research abilities better. Always remember that you are doing this to make yourself better and don’t lose sight of that thought, even if it can feel tiring at times. But, don’t forget to take that break you need if you want to. Take it slow and you’ll get there, I promise.
All the best,
Nakezia Avilly.
darkmacaroni 