The first thing you need to know about is living independently. Sounds fun right? It is. Trust me once you get in the swing of thing you sometimes won't even remember what a family is! Though living "independently" obviously comes with some responsibility. Like not blowing your entire student loan on alcohol.... who did that? You should probably budget your money... or at least attempt to. You also have to do things like, washing up, now believe me when I say the most tension that will ever be felt, and arguments that will occur in student accommodation will be over the washing up. You'll get the people who will "do it tomorrow" and then come back a week later and there is mold growing over it, and then you wash it up due to the disgustingness and then you will be taken advantage of and become the designated washer-upper for the whole flat, and their friends. (This became me, sorry for just being clean). And then, the notes will appear, you will enjoy reading the "Please wash up, it makes me sad" as much as the person enjoys writing them. fact. It's probably best that you learn how to use a washing machine aswell, even though they'll cost a ridiculous amount of money, resulting in you using your sink & washing up tablets to wash your undies..... I wasn't the only one. And finally. You need to learn how to cook. Take a cook book, please. Supernoodles are bad. Before I left for uni I visioned myself living on supernoodles, let me tell you now, there is only so much you can take. -Also, they're very fattening and aren't good for you-. Eat good, please. However, with all these things to consider, living away from home is a glorious experience, you can stay out, you can make your room as messy as you want, you can eat what you want, you are free, embrace it! ALSO EXPECT TO PUT ON WEIGHT. - I put on two stone in my first year, remember, just because you eat good doesn't mean alcohol isn't the most fattening thing in the world!
Now, obviously, some people can feel some emotions whilst starting uni.. (not me though, definitely outgrew my hometown and it was time for me to go) this is perfectly normal, I personally think that parents find it more emotional to leave their children than the other way around, but yes, leaving your family for the first time is obviously daunting, the worst way to deal with this is to lock yourself away. Dry your eyes mate and get out there meeting people. This is your chance to be whoever you want to be, nothing is stopping you, none of these people know you, and as the old saying is first impressions are everything, these are the people you're going to be living with for a year whether you like it or not, you're going to want them to like you! I kinda threw myself in there, as I've mentioned before I'm quite a shy person and it takes a while for me to come out of my shell, well, when I started uni, there was never a shell I was in. It was amazing. I was extremely lucky in the sense that the block I was in was rather small and we all clicked really well immediately, I guess you could say they've become my uni family. We're pretty much a massive family, I've accepted the fact I'm stuck with these people as friends, for life. We are all a force to be reckoned with, it's amazing.
Obviously, don't forget that you are there to learn, and you will be pestered by your friends if you skip your lectures, trust me. As much fun as it is, remember that you've an opportunity that many others don't have and you're extremely lucky to be furthering your education.
Yes, anyway, university life is fabulous, you also get so much time to yourself, I used this time to discover new bands, and increase my musical knowledge (with a little help from my brother sending me new bands, I had no radio signal where I lived and surviving without a radio was hell). It's also a good place to find yourself and have fun! I had the best first year of my life, and I'm sure you will too!
