Univeristy: Is it for you?

This time last year I had just finished my A Levels and was enjoying summer, waiting for my results in August to see if I had been accepted into my first choice uni. Come August I was ecstatic, having achieved AAB and going to my first choice university,

By December? I was hating my course, missing home and in the process of withdrawing from university. So, what happened? In all honesty, I'm not really sure. I think that I simply just didn't put enough thought into my course choice, university choice, and whether university was really for me. So I thought I would write the blog post, as something I wish someone would have said to me this time last year.

• Ultimately; do you still want to be in education for the next 3/4+ years? 

Although university has a reputation for being constant parties and fun (which for the first couple of months it definitely is!) it is ultimately about education, and committing to study a subject for years in hopes of improving your job prospects. Before deciding to commit to university, think about if you could happily be in education for another few years. Is this really for you? Some people thrive in the academic world, however some would rather take a different route. 

If the thought of writing essays and revising all night is really putting you off, take a look into other options  such as vocational courses or apprenticeships. Improving your job prospects through education doesn't have to mean constant essays, revision and textbooks.

• Is the course right for you? 

When completing my application, I honestly put little thought into the subject I was choosing to study. Rather stupid, I know! But I simply picked a subject based on the fact that I thought it was quite interesting and I was good at it. 

When picking your course, many different university will teach it in different ways, so always look at the course structure in the prospectus, and see if each topic covered interests you. If not, see if they offer any similar course that you think would suit you better. For example: Last year I only applied for psychology courses. After dropping out and applying again I have chosen a social psychology and sociology course. Rather similar, but after looking at the course structure this new course is all the topics I love about psychology, so perhaps are more specific area of a subject would be better suited for you to study. 

• What kind of university do you want to attend?

Oxbridge? A Russell group uni? In a city or rural area? Far away or close to home? 

These are all important questions you should ask yourself when picking your university. I think most people automatically pick a uni thats far away from home in a massive city, and for some it ends up being their best decision ever. For others, homesickness can kick in and have a serious affect on their education (I know it did for me!). If you're worried about being homesick I would suggest picking a university that's no more then a couple of hours on public transport from home. That way you still get to explore a completely new area while still being able to visit home on weekends! 

When choosing your uni also look at the teaching methods. Would you prefect lectures of 100s of people? Or small classes where the teacher knows you personally? Think about how to learn best, by yourself or with the help and encouragement of others. You are paying to get the most out of your education after all. 

Please ignore the fact these are all from 2013!
They're just the ones I had from when I was first applying. 

• It's normal to be confused!! 

It may seem that all your friends know exactly what degree they want to do, what uni they want to go to, what job they want after etc. and you may feel and bit overwhelmed and confused but just know that is completely normal! 

University is a huge commitment in so many ways and it's perfectly fine to be unsure. If this is the case there is no harm is taking a gap year (or years!) to find out if it is truly what you want to do. Plenty of people go to university later in life once they've figured out what they want to do. Don't feel like you have to go to university simply because your friends are, your sixth form/ parents want you to. Just take your time and do what's right for you. 

Hope this helps a little bit! I've been through the uni process myself so if you have any questions I'll be happy to help. I'm also planning a freshers week advice post and what to do if you're unhappy with your university/course. 

Love, 

Hannah xoxo