MY UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE

Hey Guys!

First off let me start by saying thank you for all the positive feedback I have received so far on my university series! I'm glad it has been able to help so many people! =]
Nevertheless,  as much as I have given you guys lots of generic tips and tricks for surviving in university, I thought it would also be nice to give some more personal advice and share some of my own experiences with you all !
During my time at university I learnt a lot of great life lessons and skills that I will definitely carry into my future and will hopefully help you too..


1. KNOW AND LOVE YOURSELF. 

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This makes making decisions in university sooo much easier. Knowing yourself encompasses different factors, but they will all result in you
- Being confident in who you are inside and out-
When I started university, I realised very quickly just how diverse of an environment it really is. It almost felt like a mini-city and you really do meet people from all walks of life, different countries, different cultures etc. From a female perspective, this made me realise the important of confidence early on. As a fresher, for the most part, people are meeting you for the very first time so whatever appearance/character you present them with, they use to try that to assume what type of person you are. However, as a young woman if you are not comfortable or confident in yourself, being around a new bunch of young women can make you feel even more insecure or make you start questioning your appearance or personality as you want to be accepted and perceived the right way.

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MYTH: Being over the top to hide insecurities, means I'm more likely to make friends
REALITY: The truth is if you don't even know who you are and what makes you unique and awesome, other people are not going to know either! Don't get me wrong, we don't all wake up everyday, look in mirror and think 'Beyonce ain't got nothing on me' then strut through campus feeling like a million dollars. But, a big part of the independence of university life also makes it a place of self discovery. So just continue to be you and discover more and more wonderful things that make you unique and amazing along the way.
I can honestly say being confident in who I was really made people respect me and also helped me gain the right type of friends.

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2. BE BOLD, SURE AND PROUD OF WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN -
My relationship with God has been an extremely fundamental part in shaping the path in which my university experience took.
Let's be real, a lot of people have this perception that-
MYTH: 'being a Christian and going to university means ''you are limited'' because ''you can't go out'', ''you can't have fun'', ''it's true, you will just miss out on the wild side of life''.
REALITY: False!
I have had an absolutely amazing experience so far and if anything, my faith actually made it much easier for me to have fun. How you ask? Well look at it this way-
My faith reminds me that I am made in the image and likeness of God (Gen 1:26)  and that my body is a temple (1 Corin 6:9). In applying that to my life I already knew:
- I wanted to be a good example and inspire others- so I knew to behave in a way which reflected the characteristics of Christ and would even encourage others to seek him further, or for the first time




- Jumping From Guy to Guy was never an option. 

I love and respect myself way too much to allow any guy to even consider taking advantage of me, and I made sure my character never gave them the impression or opportunity to see me in the same light or category as the girls I knew lived a totally different lifestyle. Needless to say this doesn't mean you won't get approached or be told you're 'stoosh' 'dry' etc if you don't seem interested, but to be honest I didn't care. I knew and was confident in the woman God wanted me to be so I wasn't about to compromise my morals or my faith for anyone and the right people would respect me for that.
MYTH: 'University is such a free and diverse environment, so it's ok to 'broaden my horizons'. If I'm going to be meeting all these hot, older 'mature' guys and maybe find 'bae' then I want to stand out, so if I have to dress or act a certain way to do that it's not that serious.'' 
REALITY: No real MAN would look at the GIRL with the shortest skirt, the barely-there bodycon or the over the top flirtatious attitude and immediately think 'yeah that's my wife right there'.  And more importantly a WOMAN who respects and loves herself would be interested in the MAN God has for her and wouldn't need validation or want to be solely lusted after by a bunch of different BOYS.

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3. BE WISE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTS YOU EXPOSE YOURSELF TO 
Particularly when it came to going out, having clear morals and knowing what I did and didn't like, made me much more discerning of the type of events I went to and the type of people I would associate with.
MYTH: Christians can never go out at uni, they are so antisocial
REALITY: I met most of my good friends through socialising and going to events!
The importance of my faith and my morals meant that I was not someone who was easily influenced, so if I did go out, my intention for the night was not to get completely drunk, go YOLO crazy, loose control or fall all over the place and get with a bunch of guys (I know not everyone does this). Even if you have the best friends in the world you are ultimately responsible for yourself, so be wise and make your future self proud!
Being that my interests lay heavily in performing arts I would attend a lot of the live open mic or talent showcases on my campus with my friends as well as other events around London so boredom was never really a factor.
But who says you have to go out to have fun? My best friend and I hosted several movie nights, games nights and cook ups which meant we didn't even have to leave our flat as everyone came to us and we still had tons of fun!

4. DON'T BE AFRAID TO BE DIFFERENT.

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MYTH: If you act differently to everyone else you wont be able to make friends

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REALITY: From my experience I have realised that being a Christian means that not everyone is going to like you or what you believe in- but that's just life and that's ok. God already informs us that though we are in this world we are not of this world (John 17:14-15) so there's just certain things we wont do simply because we're just 'not about that life'. Even on my specific course, I met people of different religions and cultures but I respected them all and likewise they did the same. And, if someone ever asked me why I didn't want to do something, I just kept it real with them and though they may not have always agreed, they respected me for being firm in my decisions and standing up for my beliefs. If you flip flop in your beliefs and constantly compromise your morals, you not only show a lack of strength in your character but you also make it much more difficult for people to take you seriously.


5. BE WISE ABOUT THE COMPANY YOU KEEP.

My Best Friend

I really thank God for blessing me with the most amazing friends at university and people I can genuinely say are going to be life long friends, especially my best friend (shoutout to Harriet!).
During the first month of university, everyone is still trying to find their feet and that includes making new friends. I think that what helped me make good friends was finding like-minded people. Having like-minded friends meant I was around people that shared similar morals and constantly encouraged me in my talents, and we all motivated each other to do well and use our time effectively. For example if we had an event to go to on the weekend we would make sure we used our free time during the week to go to the library and get our work done so our academic work wouldn't be compromised.

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I would also stress the importance of being patient and taking time to really observe character. You may find that the sweetest, quietest girl in your lecture could be the wildest 'turn-up queen' at night lol! Spending time with people in different settings gave me a much more accurate idea of their character. I also found that joining societies also made making friends much easier as you usually join due to a common interest in a particular area, which makes starting conversations no way near as intimidating. In my first year, I joined the Afro-Carribean Society and a Christian Society called 'Kairos' which meant I attended various socials, concerts and outings for each society meaning I met a lot of new people and made some great friends.


6. INVEST, EXPLORE AND PUSH ALL YOUR GIFTS TO THEIR FULLEST
From my experience, I found that University is a place that really allows you to explore all your talents and discover the vast amount of opportunities the world has to offer.
Using your gifts is a great way to develop them and one of the ways this can be done is by joining societies.
MY STORY: Before I applied to be a student at my university I actually had the opportunity to perform there with the artist I currently work with, which I now believe was all part of Gods plan. Though I was interested and considering applying to the university, this gave me a chance to see the 'student experience' and 'nightlife' first hand,  as opposed to all the 'cute stuff' they show us at the open days lol. Coming here I could honestly say I felt a sense of peace and like I already belonged so applying that same year and getting accepted as a student, there really was no place like home! 
As mentioned before, I went to a lot of the Afro-Caribbean society events on campus particularly the music, poetry, dance and drama showcases. However, being recognised from previously being part of an act that had come to perform here, my experience ended up getting me appointed to be the Head of Music for the Afro-Caribbean society. This meant that instead of attending events, I now contributed to running them! The experience was definitely a blessing and I met some amazingly talented, funny and creative people along the way.

However, as much as I loved music I also felt that I really had a heart for people. I loved to make people laugh and to be a help or support system for my friends whenever I could. So when my best friend informed me that she was thinking of applying for an on campus job as a Student Mentor I figured I would jump at the chance too! But in the end my best friend ended up forgetting the application deadline as God had another role as President of another society lined up for her. I on the other hand, really felt this role suited my skill sets and kept thinking about it, as I loved helping and meeting people and learning about different cultures and lifestyles. After various stages of interviews I got the job and thoroughly enjoyed it, so much so that they recruited me again for my final year!
On both occasions I genuinely believe God was making a way for me to utilise my gifts even in an unexpected environment, but its my obedience and commitment that helped me obtain the roles and develop my talents. Both have made me even more determined and committed to
 'push myself in everything I do, and trust that God will always see me through' (cheesy but true)

All in all, I can definitely say I have thoroughly enjoyed my university experience and all the new friends, skills and adventures I have gained along the way have been more than awesome! 
My relationship with God was definitely the largest factor in ensuring I had the best and most rewarding experience and I hope sharing my experiences and advice will encourage all of you young Christians who are in, or are about to embark on this journey that it can and will be amazing !

Stay blessed!

Izzy x

FRESHERS WEEK AND BEYOND...

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The first week/month of university is usually the most memorable, as you are embarking on a brand new journey and essentially, a brand new chapter of your life! Here are some of my top tips to help you get through 3 of the tasks you may face in your first term at university: 

- Moving In

- Making the Most of Freshers Week

- Lectures, Seminars and Assignments. 

1. MOVE IN DAY

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From my own experience, move in day was both a fun and stressful experience because: I didn't want to leave anything behind, I was excited to be living in a new environment and I was curious to see what it would be like living with strangers and sharing communal spaces like the kitchen.

Some tips that helped me were:

1. Pack in advance. Leaving things till the last minute means you are more likely to forget something and leave things behind!

2. Make sure you know where you are going! Some university campuses are hugeeee so make sure you find the entrance nearest to your specific halls of residence, so you don't end up lugging suitcases from one end of campus to the other!

3. Keep important documents such as ID and your accommodation and enrolment confirmation at hand so it will make moving in quick and easy

4. Secure your space! Particularly with communal areas like the kitchen it is important to ensure you secure fridge, freezer and cupboard space but also be considerate of your other flatmates.
Top tip: to prevent food theft and potential arguments, always lock your cupboards when they are not in use (but dont loose the key! lol) 

5. Be open, be confident, be friendly! Talk to your flatmates. Though this can be nerve racking, remember you are going to be living with them for an entire school year. The earlier you communicate, the earlier you can find common interests and also set ground rules and/or rotas for your flat if necessary. Particularly if you're living in a flat with other freshers thats all the more reason to talk! You are all in the same boat and can learn together, and you all come from a unique background. (use those differences as conversation starters and you will be amazed what you will learn plus, you may end up living with someone who does the same course as you!) University is such a diverse place that you may find you're living with someone who has just arrived from another country and was brought up on the other side of the world in a different climate and culture! This provides you potential to learn a new dish or two and make new connections! 

2. FRESHERS WEEK

This is definitely one of the most exciting weeks of university particularly for a Fresher as this essentially gives you a sneak preview of the infamous 'university life'. Every club and society is putting their best foot forward either through live events, showcases or simply an amazing stand at Freshers Fair; all in the hope of getting you to join them.

My top tips for Freshers Week are:

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1. As early as possible make sure you complete all online and physical enrolment/registration procedures and connect all your devices to the university Wifi.

2. Make a budget plan. This is the best time to start planning your expenditure for the term, ensuring that you set aside money to pay off your accommodation fees for the term and also money for books and essentials such as weekly food. You may also want to consider making a meal plan.

3. Get a timetable of the week and Choose Your Events. Find out from flatmates or student mentors where you can get one so that you are aware in advance of all the events taking place and can plan and select the ones you would like to attend. Keep up to date with events throughout the year so you can make the most of it.

4. Keep a university map on Standby. This will make navigating around to check out all the facilities so much easier, especially if your campus is huge and you need to know where your lecture buildings are.

5. Learn where all the essential spots are. This will usually include one on-site food shop, the library,  lecture halls, sports/gym facilities, medical centre, finance/cash office, your halls of residence.

6. Go to Freshers Fayre.  If you want to find out what extra curricular facilities, clubs, qualifications, etc are available then this is the absolute best place to go! All societies, from pottery to Afro-Carribbean to dance will all be there, to promote and inform you of what they do and encourage you to sign up and join them. There are all types of societies from academic, to sports, to cultural, to religious to creative arts so you're bound to find something you'll enjoy. Attending society events is also a great way to make friends as you've all chosen to be there due to a common interest! Throughout the year you will begin to realise which societies/clubs you would like to stick with or not- and who knows, you may end up creating your very own! In addition, Local businesses and restaurants usually stop by too, to inform you of their existence (e.g. Dominos Pizza, Nandos, Taxi companies) and provide you loads of freebies, vouchers and incentives for you to use their services! 

3. PREPARING FOR LECTURES, SEMINARS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Once the excitement from Freshers Week has worn off, its time to remember why you came to university in the first place- to get a degree!

1. Know where you are going. To avoid being late to your very first lecture, make sure you know exactly where you are going in advance and are familiar with how to get there.

2. Have your resources ready. Be it a pen and pad, laptop or dictaphone, take whatever you need with you to ensure you get the most out of your lectures.

3. Do the essential readings. Doing these prior to each lecture will ensure you have a deeper understanding of the topic. Doing the readings for seminars will not only ensure you actually have something to say during them, but will also make them much more interesting and informative for you as you can both share and receive ideas. 

4. Plan Ahead. The earlier you start your assignments the more time you can spend perfecting them. Particularly if you get multiple assignments at one time, planning ahead will enable to spread your time effectively and allow you to do your best in every area of study. 

5. Time Management. For university this is absolutely essential! University exams and assignments simply aren't something you can just wing and expect to do really well. They require proper effort and attention which requires time. Particularly if you have a job or extra curricular activity or simply just want to have a social life, effective time management and prioritising the right things will make all of that possible. Remember late work gets capped!

6. Use all the resources around you! As much as the internet is great lets not forget to use the library too! and don't be afraid to book an appointment with your lecturer or personal tutor if you need additional help. If you don't ask, you don't learn and you stay stuck!

7. Find a good study group. This may not work for everyone, but for some having a study group or friends who also do your course can be great. You can share ideas and you will each have someone you are accountable to to make sure you complete your work on time!

All these skills will teach you how to be independent and will help strengthen your character and prepare you for when you enter the real world

Hope you found this helpful and enjoy your first term at university! x

Izzy =]