Starting University: Make Life Easier for Yourself

From accessing student support services to getting on top of your finances, find out what you can do to make the first weeks of university a little easier for yourself.

The first week of university. You either love it or hate it. And if you hate it, rest assured it's probably temporary.

Strange environment, new people, the daunting thought a undergraduate university degree you're not quite sure you're intellectually up to, and possibly the worry that funds may run short - it can all seem a bit less than relaxing.

Not to worry, most people are likely to be feeling the same way, regardless of whether they're 3km from their family or 3,000km. The good news is that within weeks there's a good chance you won't even miss home.

One of the first things you may want to do during the first few weeks of the school term is become familiar with all of the services your university or college has to offer.

Universities around the world offer a range of student support services, including healthcare, international student support, university housing, access to academic tutors, student finance advice, and career support. Many of these services are free, so make use of them.

Health comes first

Most universities have student health centers on or near campus. One of the first things you should locate is your health center. Know where it is, how to use it, and keep a note of its phone number.

These sound like very basic tasks but you would be surprised what confusion often arises in times of emergency. Your student health center is likely to be free and can give you access to basic services like contraception or travel vaccines.

Most health centers also have counselors on site. Don't be afraid to seek advice if you are stressed about being away from home or suffer from depression or anxiety. Remember that many other international students share your feelings.

Dr. Olivera Bojic-Ognjenovic, counsellor and therapist at the Counselling & Learning Skills Service at the University of Toronto, reports an increase in the number of undergraduate students using the counselling services, particularly to help deal with stress.

"It's imperative that students tackle stress before it builds up, and students are realizing this," Dr. Bojic-Ognjenovic says.

Not only does the University of Toronto offer one-to-one counselling but more infrastructure, including a non-denominational meditation room have been set up to help the increasing number of students wanting to decrease stress levels, according to Bojic-Ognjenovic.

Feeling at home

Institutions that host international students are likely to have an international student centre to make students from abroad feel most at home. Universities like Bristol University or the University of Manchester, both in the UK, offer international students a wide range of services, including help with visas and work permits, English courses, and organized trips out.

Chinese alumna of the University of Surrey, Limei Lamari, turned to the school's international office when she needed support.

"They helped me deal with my immigration status by making things very easy. Instead of having to wait in a queue at the Home Office, all I had to do was fill out some forms and hand them to the international staff," says Limei. "It wasn't only faster, but cheaper."

Limei also used the school's career center before graduation. "They were very encouraging, and actually acted as life coaches at a time when I wasn't really sure where I was headed after graduation," she says.

If you are really worried about studying abroad and think it will help to be around other students with the same concerns, you may want to see if your selected school has a centre for international students.

Some schools even provide special international student accommodation purely for international students. UC Berkeley's International House or 'I-house' as it's known, provides such accommodation with the hopes of fostering multicultural respect and understanding, lifelong friendships and leadership skills for the promotion of a more tolerant and peaceful world, according to the I-house site.

When the 'Bank of Parents' is closed...

What do you do when your parents refuse to give you that extra bit of spending money you received during high school? If you don't want to go the loan or part-time job route, it's time to cut expenses.

Take advantage of concession prices. Cinemas, theatres, galleries, and even some restaurants offer the 'starving student' a discount. Major cities also offer students a discount on trains and buses.

If you are still struggling to make ends meet, look into applying for a student loan. Venkatraman Gopalakrishnan, a current student at Tuck, has a bit of advice for international students requiring loans.

"The loan I received was part of the admissions package for international students, and the amount was based on the estimated self-funding ability at the time of admission."

Banks are sensitive to students and often offer interest-free loans to students throughout their studies. But do your research before signing anything. Debt is not something you want to carry with you too far into your career.