Starting university is a huge and exciting milestone, but it can also feel a little overwhelming at first. In this blog, MSc Digital Marketing student Tracy reflects on her first year of uni with fresh perspective.
Hindsight really does change everything. Now that I’m a postgraduate student, I can look back at my first year of university with a lot more clarity than I had at the time. Back then, everything felt urgent. Every deadline felt massive, and every decision felt like it would define the rest of my life. I didn’t really know what to expect, and I put a lot of pressure on myself to get it all right from day one.
If I could sit down with my first-year self, these are the things I’d tell her:
You don’t have to have it all figured out
Going into your first year, it feels like everyone else knows exactly what they are doing and where they belong. People immediately sign up for clubs and societies, become active in causes and spaces that interest them, and make career plans that seem way too advanced to comprehend.
And if you start later than others, like I did, you might feel extra isolated because most people form their social circles or make a good impression on lecturers during the first few weeks.
What I’ve learned since is this: most people are experimenting, not executing a master plan. University is an adjustment period, not a performance. You’re allowed to change your mind, rethink your path, and grow out of old expectations.
If I could go back in time, I’d stop comparing myself so early on and focus more on finding my own pace.
Time disappears faster than you think
Your first year gives you something you probably haven’t had before – total independence.
If you’re in your first year right now, and you’ve lived under very strict parents like mine, you might be majorly excited about this independence. No one is chasing you to study, start your assignments, or wake up on time to attend classes.
As freeing as this sounds, it’s not as fun when you neglect schoolwork and suddenly have three assignments stacked into one stressful week.
I learned quickly that waiting for motivation doesn’t work. What does work is structure. Putting every deadline in one visible calendar. Starting assignments earlier than feels necessary, even if it’s just outlining ideas. Breaking big tasks into smaller, manageable blocks.
Independence is powerful, but it needs boundaries.
If you give your time direction early on, your first year becomes far less overwhelming.
Your life outside of lectures matters just as much
I’ve never been the most social person, and I thought university would automatically give me a clean slate, and friends would just appear.
But when I continued my introvert lifestyle, running home right after classes, never attending any social or extracurricular events, and never striking up conversations with people, I quickly learned the hard truth.
You have to put yourself out there a bit.
Say yes to random events. Join a society even if you feel awkward. Start small conversations before lectures. Those tiny efforts might feel uncomfortable, but that’s what builds connections.
And on the flip side, it’s okay if you don’t love every moment. Feeling lonely or out of place at first is more common than anyone admits. It doesn’t mean you’re doing uni wrong. It just means you’re human.
Some of my best connections came later and from random interactions, not in the first week like everyone expects.
Ask for help sooner, not later
This is the one I really wish I’d learned earlier.
As someone who typically enters every situation convinced I can figure it out alone, I usually consider support as a last resort.
But this is wrong.
At Teesside, I found support was far more accessible than I’d expected. Your tutors, wellbeing services, and support teams that your uni offers are there to stop small problems from turning into big ones.
If you feel like something in your personal life will affect your academic performance, speak up. If you’re struggling mentally, reach out.
During my first seminar presentation, I was dealing with anxiety, but I convinced myself I just had to “push through.” A friend encouraged me to email my lecturer, and the response surprised me. I was met with understanding and flexibility, not judgement.
That moment changed how I view support.
You don’t get extra credit for handling everything alone. You get further by using the support around you.
You’re allowed to grow and change
Your first year quietly changes you.
New routines. New people.
You start discovering a part of yourself you hadn’t known before. Some changes are intentional. Others happen without you noticing. You make friends, and you lose some.
The version of you that arrives at the start of the school year won’t be the same person walking into your second year, and that’s a good thing. You outgrow habits. You build confidence. You learn what you actually care about.
If you’re about to start university, or you’re still deciding whether it’s right for you, know that you’re not expected to arrive fully formed.
If I could go back, I wouldn’t try to perfect my first year. I’d slow down, ask more questions, enjoy the moments, and trust that I’d figure things out eventually.
I can see how much that first year shaped my confidence and resilience. I didn’t have everything figured out, but I learned how to adapt.
And honestly, that’s what prepares you for everything that comes after.