There’s no point in waiting around or moping. Here are a few pointers to making the most of university as soon as you arrive:

1. Do as much as you can – If you find yourself at a loose end and don’t know what to do with yourself in the first fortnight, you must be hiding under your desk or something. There should be LOADS going on. If none of it sounds like your cup of tea, either force yourself to try it anyway (checking out something new can surprise even the most stubborn of us) or try and get some interest in something you ARE interested in. University is all about your interests, so you’re bound to find other people who would share the same likings as you. More about that in a future post.

2. Chill out, relax, and be yourself – how else are you going to enjoy the experience? No need to put on an act because you’ll be found out eventually and you’ll find like-minded people without the need to act.

3. Ask for help – There should be people on hand to assist you in pretty much anything you need. When I started, there were Senior Students, there were guides to show me the way and put me in the right direction, here were promotions, there were Student Union Reps who work for the students, there were…let’s just say here were lots of people available to help with pretty much anything. If you have a question, you’ll only find out the answer if you ask.

4. Unpack! – I was amazed at how many people didn’t bother unpacking everything to make their room look a bit more homely. I was one of those people. Not only does it feel a lot better once you’ve unpacked, but it’ll be much easier for people to relax in your room and feel welcomed. I remember how popular the first people were to make their room look as though they’d always lived there. A homely room is a comfy and welcoming room. If you’re the first person in your student digs to be unpacked and settled in, be prepared for company, especially if you’ve brought a doorstop with you! Just don’t let everybody outstay their welcome when it gets to the studying part of uni life…

5. Goodies – Bring photos, ornaments, and anything that will make you feel at home. Just as it’s helpful to unpack, it’s always good to have all the things you love around you. And it’s a boost to have little reminders of friends and family too. They’ll be willing you on to have a good time.

6. Don’t spend all your money straight away – It’s wonderful to have the money arrive in your account, but you need it over a longer period of time than the first copule of weeks… A blinding first week won’t feel anything like as good if you come out the other end of it with nothing in the bank.

7. Study – You what!? How can studying be a good thing? Well, the quicker you get on with your reading, the easier it will be to grasp the concepts you’re being taught when the lectures and seminars begin. In fact, there’s no time like the present, so if you’ve not left for uni yet, get reading as soon as possible. Get some of it out of the way before the fun begins.

8. Be prepared for better – Freshers Week helps get you in the mood and aims to settle you in to a few years of brilliance. The events lined up are designed to sound like the biggest party imaginable that won’t be repeated during your degree, but it’s not like that. Try to imagine your entire stay at university as the party. There’s a lot more goodness to come.

9. Long–distance Relationships – Are you about to embark on a long-distance relationship, or are you currently in one? If not, skip to the next tip. Otherwise, read on.

A recent article in The Times gives the following advice on long-distance relationships:

“Abandon all hope of continuing that relationship with your current boyfriend or girlfriend, and do snog strangers. It is the only time in your adult life, possibly with the exception of the next few New Year’s Eves, that you will have an excuse.”

Okay, well there is a point in there if you’re looking to snog a few people. Other than that, consider things carefully. Ask yourself exactly what you want at this stage of life. From personal experience, I survived a long-distance relationship without fuss and it was one of the best things I’ve ever done. So it all depends on how much you want it and how you want to play it.

Now you can stop reading.

10. Not in a long-distance relationship? – Well get out there and start snogging people then! Erm, make sure they are happy to snog you too. These things do have to be reciprocated, you know.