How it feels to choose the perfect degree for you

Attending open days can be the best way to give you a real feel for whether you want to study at a university. It feels surreal visiting different universities to see which ones fit. It’s a feeling you can’t beat when you step onto a campus and just know that you want to be a student there.  

Immersing yourself in campus life – attending taster classes, exploring the facilities, talking to lecturers, speaking with students and seeing yourself in their shoes – can tell you much more than reading a prospectus. Plus, you’ll get to experience the city and some of the accommodation you could live in.  

There are few things better than opening your results and seeing that the hard work has paid off and you’ve got the grades you need to start your new adventure as a university student.  

All that time spent revising, all those late nights worrying about the outcome, and all those times daydreaming about university life and studying your ideal course will all be worth it when you get there. The day I received my offer to study at university was one of the most memorable days of my life so far. 

If you get to results day and don’t get the grades you were hoping for, don’t panic. There are still options and you can still achieve your goals. Reach out to your teachers and to your chosen universities to see what your next steps are.  

Some students are so excited to go to university that the wait is excruciating and they’re ready to go any day. Others find the move nerve-wracking and the feelings of excitement can be mixed in with self-doubt and fear of change. It’s completely normal!   

I chose to stay close to home when I studied my undergraduate degree and I still felt apprehensive about the upcoming change. I was going it alone, meeting new people and experiencing something I wasn’t sure I’d be good at. Spoiler alert – these feelings disappear once you’ve settled in, and you’ll look back with fond memories of your wait to go to university.   

University is likely to be different from anything you’ve ever experienced, especially if you’ve come straight from school. The feeling of independence is completely new. The rules are relaxed, schedules are flexible and there’s a newfound sense of maturity that didn’t exist in secondary school. You’re now in charge of your life and, alongside studying hard, you have to think about cooking your own meals, washing your clothes and making time for socialising.  

From my personal experience, the biggest change from secondary school was the flexible schedule from a jam-packed day of classes in school to having sporadic classes throughout the week.  

University can be overwhelming in the beginning, but it quickly becomes routine as you get used to your new life and sitting in that first lecture feels amazing.  

It can take time to settle into university. From my experience, that’s completely normal. One day, you’ll take a step back and realise you’ve settled in and have made the right decision. School will be a distant memory and your independent life will be the new normal. You’ll have friends around you, favourite places to spend your time and you’ll feel at home.  

If you don’t feel like this after a few months, do reach out to your personal tutor or the university’s support services for advice. It’s important that your time at university is enjoyable. If that feeling isn’t coming, it might be time to think about your options.   

Graduating from university was undoubtedly one of the biggest days of my life.  

All the time spent researching the course, the sleepless nights worrying about acceptance letters and results, wondering if I’d make friends and if I was making the right decision – it was all worth it. 

You’re ready to step into the working world and begin your career. Who knows where life will take you, but you’re on your way. Saying goodbye to my friends and my life as a student was sad, but I’d do it all over again.