7 Things graduates wish they had known as freshers

One minute, you’re arriving at university as a fresher ready to take on the world (or at least that next round of jägerbombs), and the next, you’re throwing a cap in the air as a graduate and wondering where all the time went. Before we go into it check our guide on 15 vital money lessons you should have been taught in school

University can fly by, and when you’re caught up in all the excitement and deadlines, it’s easy to make some common mistakes and take student life for granted.

To make sure you’re making the most of your uni experience, we’ve rounded up a group of nostalgic graduates to hear what they wish they’d known when they were freshers.

Before we continue, Read: 15 Stupid Mistakes That Are Killing Your GPA

so let’s take a minute to remember those things we wished we knew upon entering the university for the first time, so those still there can learn from it and not make the same mistake.

The most important things to know about university

1. Year one is the easiest it’s ever going to get

Thee lecturers are easy, the courses are simple and exams are mostly going to be objectives, but as you proceed, it gets tough and harder and if you are failing at year one, you probably should drop out. 

Lacking a basic grounding of first-year knowledge will make it much trickier to get good grades in second year, and your tutor will be less likely to help you out if they’re concerned you haven’t been making the effort already.

Read: Four things that you didn’t know you could get from your university

2. University attendance is important even in first year

At uni, no one’s going to chase after you if you decide not to show up to class or hand in your coursework.

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking this is a blessing. It takes some serious self-discipline to drag yourself to those 7am lectures when you could easily just stay in bed.

But, when you’re paying such high tuition fees to be there, you’d be a fool to waste it – especially when you consider 12 Signs Your Village People Don’t Want You To School.

Read: 8 Signs You Bought Gala With Your School Fees

3. Do work experience when you’re at university

Unfortunately, these days most employers expect more on your CV than just your degree.

Building an arsenal of relevant work experience, and getting involved in extracurricular activities before you graduate will massively help you leapfrog your application to the top of the pile. check the list of our 10 Best Small Business Ideas To Start At Nigeria University

Getting some work experience is also really helpful if you’re not quite sure what you want to do career-wise, as you’re able to test the water in a few different industries and roles to see what you enjoy (and what you don’t).

Make sure you get cracking with work experience as early on as possible, as you’ll have less time in your final year when you’ve got the dreaded dissertation to deal with.

Read: 5 Prices Of Business And Academic Success

4. Never Take Group courses to heart

Any course that has about 6 to 7 departments taking them are probably not worth most of your time, instead focus on your department course, they are more serious and assignments and test count, unlike the crowded courses.

Read: How To Study For Long Hours At Night Without Sleeping Off

5. Stay on good terms with your housemates

Surviving shared living can be tough, and it’s natural that things might get a bit tense every now and then.

But try not to fall out over things that will seem irrelevant in a few months time. Having dirty dishes stacked up in the sink is an annoying but inevitable part of uni life, so try not to get too worked up about it.

If flatmates are being difficult, you could think about setting up a cleaning rota or bringing everyone together to have a chat about it over a cuppa. Just make sure you don’t let it escalate, as you’ll regret losing friendships over a bit of washing up.

Read: How to handle problem housemates

6.  Going To School Is Not For Reading Alone

Forget what your parents told you and focus more about finding yourself in Uni because not everyone is a bookworm and the university actually provides opportunities for everyone depending on your interests.

Read: 8 Steps To Know What You Really Want In Life

7. Think about what you want to do after university

You might not have a clue what you want to do after uni – and that’s completely fine. But it’s worth at least having a think about your options and coming up with a general plan as something to aim for.

Having an end goal in sight will help a lot on days when you’re lacking motivation and drive as a student – it reminds you that the hard work really is worth it.

Whether it’s taking time out to travel the world, setting up your own business or doing an internship, it’s important to see the bigger picture as graduation will come round much sooner than you think.

Read: How To Customize The Picture Of Your Future