University is known to be some of the best years of your life. If you want to find out how you can make the most of your student experience, then keep reading and learn how to meet lots of new people and which events to attend.
There are so many hidden experiences that lots of people at university don’t know about. University can offer you opportunities you wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else so make the most of it while you can!
Sort your accommodation
When you are first signing up for university you will want to start thinking about where you are going to live. If you are happy to move into a shared flat and live with other people, then I fully recommend you do this. The more people in your flat, the more people you will get to know and might have lots in common with.
If you live university or private blocks of flats, then not only will you be able to socialise with your own flat but you have lots of students in flats around you. Go and knock on their door and invite them round. Invite them to your night out and get to know them.
Alternatively, if you would rather have your own space and live in a studio then you can still get to know the other students in your block by knocking on their doors.
TIP: Get a door stop which you can put under your bedroom door or under your front door. This way your flatmates walking past your room will feel more welcomed to chat to you. Or students in flats on the same corridor may pop their heads in to have a chat.
Join a sport
You do not have to be a pro athlete to join in with sports at university. They offer lots of play for fun classes as well as beginner classes. This is another great way to meet new people. Plus, you’ll get the bonus of being part of sports Wednesdays (social night out for all sports clubs at the majority of universities).
You can either join a beginner’s club or you can simply turn up to the different activities each week. The sports available will include: Netball, Volleyball, Basketball, Football, Badminton and Tennis (of course different university may offer more or less).
There may be some sports available that would surprise you such as snow sports! A good idea is to go to your fresher’s sports fair to get a good idea of all the sports available.
Join a society
If sports is not your thing, then joining a society will be! There is a club for everyone so again, attend your fresher’s society fair to see what’s available. Here are some societies I have seen before: Chess club, cocktail society, gin society, mixed rounder’s, makeup society, formula 1 society and so much more. Normally there will be over 100 societies at university so you will definitely find one that suits you.
Societies will run events that fit everyone, if you drink or don’t drink you will fit it! They will offer things such as movie and pizza nights, pub drinks and club nights.
A lot of the time universities offer societies for separate courses. Such as the Law society or the Accounting society. So not only will you be able to meet lots of new people with similar interests to you, but being part of a society is also an excellent thing to put on your CV.
Research student hotspots
To make the most of your student experience, you will want to get to know your city. Research and find out what bars offer the best deals for students. See which bars students in the year above would recommend to you.
You may want to find a nice café where you can sit and get your university work done. Or you might want to try and find out which clubs have the best student night.
In your first week, or prior to your first week at university it is best to go for a little walk around town so you can start recognising a few places and get your bearings.
Attend your seminars
Of course, it would not be the full university experience without the actual university part. I know it might be hard to wake up for your 9ams but getting your degree is what you are here for. There has been a tonne of research that shows that the higher your attendance, the better your end result. A lot of the time, your seminar tutor will give hints and tips about the exam or what you need to include in your coursework in class, therefore if you don’t turn up you are at a disadvantage.
If for some reason you cannot attend there will be a university procedure you need to follow to let the right person know you won’t be turning up. It is best to follow this procedure to show you do care about your degree and you didn’t just skip a seminar.
Guest speakers
Your university will offer a range of guest speakers to come and speak at your university. I would recommend giving these a go as they can be super useful. If you can find a guest speaker who is a part of the industry you want to work in, then this is also something you can add to your CV.
These guest speakers can offer a lot of advice and help, sometimes you may also get to chat to them at the end.
Internships and placement years
An internship or a placement year is one of the most valuable things you can do with your time. Internships can be paid or unpaid depending on the industry. You can get internships over summer or within the Easter break. If you were looking to do a placement year then this would normally be after your second year at university.
An internship or placement can offer you real life experience in the industry you would like to work in. You will be able to gain a range of skills that your peers may not have. So it gives you a little bit of an edge when going for graduate jobs. A lot of employs are now looking for graduates that have a bit of experiences so if you get the chance to do a placement or internship then go for it!
Global experiences
University is all about new experiences. What people son.t know is that there is always the opportunity to get work experience abroad. Whether that be during a placement year or over summer.
The best thing you can do is find your global student services. This may be a desk at university or there may be a whole building dedicated to global studies.
Additional workshops/ job fairs
Similar to attending guest speaker lectures, your university will offer workshops and events such as job fairs. These workshops can include things like learning how to do your best in interviews, or how to set up your LinkedIn profile.
There may also be some events such as job fairs. At these fairs a number of employers will attend, you get to speak to them and ask them questions. This could be a great help for you and you may even get offered some work experiences right on the spot if they like you.
Final Thoughts
University can be the best three years of your life if you manage your time well and get involved. There are so many ways you can meet new people and make new friends so you are guaranteed to find likeminded people.
If you ever feel a bit lost, then reach out to student services or message one of the society leaders/ wellbeing officers. They can offer to meet you before a social event so that you don’t have to walk in on your own. Or if you think you want to join a different society they can help you out.
When you think back to your university experience in 10 years’ time you want to think about all the opportunities you took up and how many people you met and had good times with. You don’t want to think back and remember all the seminars you missed and the hours you spent on Netflix.
It is your individual university experience so make the most of it!
