First Week at University – A Survivors Guide

While all the fun of Freshers’ Week is going on you will also need to make sure to do some practical things too… Get this list covered, and you will have set yourself up well for university life. By Fiona McKenzie, Gabbitas Dubai & Jane Phelps, Admissions Tutor, New College of the Humanities…

Medical
• Register with a Dr– do this in the first week – if you leave it until you are ill, you could struggle to get an appointment.
• And a Dentist - you do not want to be finding one when you have excruciating tooth ache.
• The University will be able to help you with both of these – just ask for help

Laundry
• Make sure you know how to use a washing machine and learn to keep on top of your laundry – a laundry bag will only hide so much and your wardrobe will only last so long.
• Read the labels in your clothes for washing instructions – unless you want to shrink or dye everything.

Personal safety
Wherever you go to University it is unlikely to be as safe as Dubai… Take precautions…
• Keep valuable items such as phones and ipods out of sight
• Avoid travelling alone in quiet areas at night.
• Walk facing the traffic so you can see oncoming cars.
• Be extra vigilant when using cash machines – protect your pin.
• NEVER leave your drink unattended.
• Let someone know where you are when you are out.
• Only use authorised taxis.

Study Habits
• Get into good study habits from the beginning. To do this you need to be there!
• Make sure you attend all your lectures and tutorials – you many not have that many so make the most of them.
• Good study habits include different skills, time management, self discipline, concentration, organisation and effort.
• Set goals – daily, weekly and termly.
• Prioritise – have a strategy – tackle tasks in order of importance and urgency and don’t procrastinate – it is tempting to leave everything to the last minute but the longer you leave things, the more they build up.
• Schedule – have on line or a hard copy diary or planner and write everything down, it will help you see what has to be done when and what spare time you have for other things.

Careers Centre
• You may have just started but it is as well to be thinking about your “exit” plans already.
• Make sure you are on the Career’s Department mailing list so you get all the news regarding summer internships.

University is one of the most formative times of your life, it will be exhilarating, exhausting, exciting and hopefully educational!

There will be times when you feel homesick – don’t worry that is normal.

There will be times when you feel snowed under – don’t worry there will be people to turn to.

Most of all ENJOY your time there – have fun, work hard and get the best degree you can.

-- xx --

By Fiona McKenzie, Gabbitas Dubai and Jane Phelps, Admissions Tutor, New College of the Humanities.