PS117 2023

  A Beginner's Crash Course to Starting University: Navigating the Unknowns Every year, hundreds of thousands of students embark on the journey to University in the UK. It's almost certain that every single one of these students share the same doubts, fears and worries that you might. This crash course will give you invaluable advice from experienced First-Year University students, aiming to provide you with detailed insights that will ease your transition into this new chapter of life. 📚 Academic Life: Conquering the Odyssey of Knowledge. 📚 The academic transition to university is often intimidating because of unknowns about how challenging and how much heavier your workload may be. Here are a few suggestions to help relieve you of your worries, and remember, everyone is in this together! Mentor Motivation: McMillan (2013) found many students were worried about the unfamiliarity of academic work at university, not knowing what to expect and their relationships with lecturer...

Welcome to the world of higher education! Embarking on a brand-new journey into University can be a very exciting time in one’s life. The transition into higher education brings drastic change to every aspect in your life from meeting new people and partying every day, to getting access to new opportunities and world class education. However, with every new experience there will inevitably be many hardships such as loneliness, diet and struggling to stay on top of important deadlines. This quick guide will delve into the multifaceted aspects of navigating University life, sharing practical advice and top tips to equip you with the knowledge to tackle these issues head on and create a fulfilling and successful experience for you.   1.  Socialize to energise -  The most important piece of advice about transitioning to university is not neglecting your social life. Building new connections and maintaining old ones is imperative to creating a social support system t...

  Embarking on the university rollercoaster is like diving into a pool of unknowns - thrilling, a bit nerve-wracking, and occasionally making you question your life choices. The university experience is more than just attending lectures and doing exams—it's an opportunity for personal growth, holistic development, and creating unforgettable memories. Whilst struggling to cope with the shift from adolescence to independent adulthood.  Picture the university finance game as Monopoly, but with more responsibility and fewer get-out-of-jail-free cards. That termly accommodation loan isn't Monopoly money; it's real, and a chunk is earmarked for your landlord. Emergency loans are provided by the university in the case of a sudden financial crisis, but remember, it’s not free money; you'll be paying it back-, unfortunately, not in colourful notes.Hunt for applicable scholarships and bursaries – unlike loans, you don’t have to pay them back. University  can turn your three-meals...

  The transition to higher education can be daunting, so here are our top tips for making this journey a bit easier! We discuss how four major areas can make life at uni less stressful for the average student by contributing to a positive wellbeing, these include: physical activity, socialising, wellbeing and diet. Wellbeing   Being new to college, many students may feel curiosity, excitement, and a desire to explore, but at the same time, some students may feel anxious, overwhelmed, and even depressed. I'd like to introduce you to our school's excellent wellbeing organisation, which you can find at ( https://warwick.ac.uk/services/wss/ ). It provides professional counselling, therapy and some help with your academics! You can also go directly to the senate house for help during working hours, 10am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, or you can call 024 7657 5570 for further 24/7 help. Please trust our staff. They will do their best to help you with the problems you are facing. Whethe...

Transitioning while Transitioning; navigating facilities as a transgender student When coming to university, the issue of bathrooms can be particularly difficult for transgender students. Take it from three queer first years; the anxiety around knowing what spaces to use is very much real. Gendered bathrooms have become the means of reinforcing distinct gender boundaries, functioning as environments where societal notions of gender identity and associated behaviours are showcased and amplified (McGuire et al., 2021). For transgender people, this can spell trouble- we are often questioned or harassed about using the ‘incorrect’ bathroom, or even barred and refused access to these spaces. Something as simple as using the toilet can become nerve wracking or even dangerous.  Sometimes trans students experience verbal harassment and physical aggression directed toward them in an attempt to access binary-labelled loos (Seelman, 2014; Seelman, 2016; McGuire et al., 2021). Inaccessibility ...