Five foolproof tips to settling into uni

It doesn’t matter whether you’ve never been to uni before. Whether you’re returning after some time working. Or whether you’ve taken a gap year that quickly turned into five years of working in hospitality to fund your travel addiction.

Whatever your story is, whatever has drawn you to apply, transitioning into uni life can be a challenge for even the most prepared.

But it can be particularly intimidating for, what we call, mature age students.

Now, we’re not calling you old! We’re calling you ‘mature’, because you’re applying to uni after being in the real world. So, we know you’re bringing a whole lot of life experience to the classroom and your classwork.

So, to ease your transition, we’re sharing 5 foolproof tips for transitioning into uni.

No matter your background, university life has its challenges. Whether you’re having difficulty writing an essay, or need some career advice, you can always contact our support services. After all, they're there to be used.

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We understand that as a mature-age student, you’ve got extra commitments and responsibilities.

Maybe you work part time? Or maybe you have to make the early school drop offs every morning?

Well, you can adjust your timetable to suit your life outside of uni. Make sure you take note of the date that the timetable drops. That way you can jump online and adjust your timetable to fit in with your life.

Read more about how to make an effective study plan and stay on top of your schedule.

It’s always nice finding a group of friends you can turn to. Let’s face it, studying is more fun in groups. It’s also nice having company when cramming for exams. But we know it can be daunting to make friends at uni when you’re a mature age student.

The thing is, despite what you might think, you’re not going to be surrounded by boozing 18 year-olds. In fact, mature age students make up 50 per cent of our student population! So there will definitely be other mature age students in your classes.

Don’t be shy, start talking to your class mates. And when you think about it, you’re all studying the same thing, so it’s very likely they’re all interested in the same things. You may even find a study buddy, to help you ace your learning goals.

As a mature age student, you probably have other things happening outside of uni. And that’s totally fine! But this is when your time management skills come in handy.

It’s also a good idea not to leave everything to the last minute. Getting an assignment done ahead of time is always a good idea! That way, when multiple assignments are due at the same time, you can sit back and relax knowing you’ve managed those projects like a boss.

The truth is, if you do the work, you’ll reap the benefits. So when your teacher tells you to read chapter three, then you know what, read chapter three! When you come to class prepared, you’ll be able to get involved in the conversation and really learn something. And that’s the point of uni right? To learn something.

As a mature age student, transitioning into uni can be daunting. But it doesn’t have to be. With these 5 foolproof tips to transitioning into uni, you’ll adjust into uni life in no time.

Writer: Chelsie Mew