University Life: Expectations vs Reality

Studying at University:

What are your expectations of University? Maybe you’re thinking it will be easy? University can be an amazing adventure, and while your time here will open many doors it can also be a demanding time, encouraging you to develop new skills (Cifuentes Gomez et al., 2022). Compared to your previous studies, University takes a more independent learning approach, and this may require you to be more organised with your time to balance the new workload (Cook & Leckey, 1999). The transition may cause some students to experience burnout during their studies (Vizoso et al., 2019). But don’t worry! Warwick University understands that this transition can be a big jump and has provided lots of support for students. Here are some support systems available to you:

- Your Lecturers. Always know that you can talk to any academic member of staff at Warwick. They are always willing to meet with you and answer any questions you may have.

- Personal tutors. Every new student is assigned a tutor who will guide you throughout your Warwick Journey.

- Wellbeing services – a welcoming and friendly support service.

Never forget, you are not alone and there is always someone cheering you on here at Warwick!

Living Away from Home

When moving to University most students imagine a new life of independence, living with new friends in a new city, leaving their old life behind. But for many, moving into halls is not so picturesque. 17% of students report they have no positive relationships with any of their housemates (Foulkes et al, 2021). The reality is conflict among flatmates, most often stemming from noise or cleanliness issues.

So, what can you do to ease tension within the flat? Holton (2016) suggests conflict occurs due to opposing values and habits students bring from their home lives. Try to consider how your own habits will impact others and maintain communication between flatmates for resolving issues.

Flatmates can provide support in your first few months of University. Most students feel apprehensive and over 70% will experience homesickness at some point (Peterson, 2019). Top tips for easing homesickness (Thurber & Walton, 2012):

- Connect with other students before moving – Knowing someone can help you feel less alone.

- Establish healthy coping strategies for when you feel homesick, e.g. exercising, to clear your mind.

- Go easy on yourself! Moving away from home is a big change and it is normal for you to struggle with this at first.

Healthy eating

When moving to University, eating healthily is often the last thing on your mind. However, this can make a huge difference to your physical and mental well-being. Eating food that contains protein can support your mental health, helping you to control your thoughts and feelings (Mind, 2023). This can make it easier for you to socialise and interact with others, enabling you to build friendships and making your time at University more enjoyable. A lack of healthy eating is mainly due to the high cost of food and limited time to prepare fresh meals due to completing work (Hilger et al ., 2017). Therefore, when you can, it is important to try and make time to cook healthy meals between studying. Some ways that you can achieve a healthy diet are:

1. Bulk cooking using fresh ingredients.

2. Always have a piece of fruit in your bag as a quick snack.

3. Eating high protein foods such as nuts, eggs and dairy.

So, make sure to try and maintain a balanced diet, no matter how tempting the local takeaway sounds!

Socialising:

When entering University we all have similar expectations, as well as worries, such as “will I even find people who I will get along with...”. From my own experience, a good place to start to conquer concerns is simply having little conversations, and communicating to others. Consequently, this will bring you out of your comfort zone and enable you to find people you like. This is further supported by Brouwer et al (2022) who highlighted that communication in higher education is significant, not only for academic purposes, but also for social aspects of life.

Tips:

In reality, University isn't really as lonely as you think, there are many like minded people like you! A good place to start is by looking into and joining societies. Warwick offers over 300 societies, and there will definitely be something for you. Regardless, joining a society related to your culture, music taste, hobbies, interests, etc, there is lots the University has to offer. So instead of feeling worried (which we all fall victims to) go out, explore, and have fun. This is important because according to M.S Salzer (2011) “less engagement on campus and poorer relationships...were associated with lower graduation rates”.