Going to university is a unique experience and can be the best few years of your life if you make the most of all the opportunities thrown your way.
As a final year student I have put together a list of things you should try before graduating from university. We’ve even got other Freshered writers to weigh in with their thoughts and advice too. Remember, this is just a starting point, and you can add as many or as few things to your own list as you fancy.
Explore the city
Lots of people go to a university in another city. But it is all too easy to spend your three years stuck on campus without seeing much of the new town in which you live. You might only be in your uni town for those three years, so why not make the most of it and see what it has to offer?
Freshered writer Jennifer Prince says:
‘If you move to a new city for uni I think it’s so important to explore the area around you. There will be so much going on outside of campus that can really enrich your experience there. You won’t be the only one new to the area, so there will be lots of people looking for new opportunities and experiences too, especially because plenty of students are young and have the freedom and independence to try something new or visit new places. Moving away is such a huge jump. It makes sense to make the most of it.’
Join a sports team
While Freshered has some brilliant articles on getting involved with university sport and BUCS, (check them out here) there are other options for people wanting to stay active at uni even if you aren’t the best at sport. I personally spent my first two years at university staying far away from sport. The trials seemed intimidating, it was expensive, and I just wasn’t good enough to play for a university team. However, in my final year, I came to realise that, by joining a campus league team, I was able to reap all the benefits of sport (playing with a team, keeping fit, releasing those endorphins) without the pressure, financial stress, and time commitment.
This year I play for two campus league teams (football and netball) and getting on the pitch with my friends every week and working as a team is something I really look forward to.
However, you can also…
Start your own campus league team
If you fancy getting involved with campus league sport, why not set up your own team? Rope your mates in, give your team a daft name, and get our there each week for a kick/throw about and a laugh.
Here’s what Jasmine Sandhar had to say about setting up your own team:
‘Initially I decided to set up a netball team for our campus league as a team-bonding exercise. I thought it would be a nice way to get everyone together outside of the everyday activities we usually do. This semester, the team a way to do that and much more. Not only have I found joy thorough working in a team with some of my favourite people, but also by getting into sport again. One of the things I hated about playing sport during my school years was the toxic atmosphere surrounding it and never feeling like I fit in. However, now that I’m engaging with sport from a social angle, I have found a home within my netball team and campus league.’
Get involved with a society
In my opinion, this is the most important point on this list. Joining a society was the best thing I ever did at university. I struggled to make friends on my course as it was so big. However, by joining a society (the university newspaper, in fact!), I found my group. It may be a cliche, but joining a society is the perfect way to find your people. People with similar interests, values, and goals and, in all honesty, I’m not sure I would have made it through university without mine.
Seth Nobes, who is on the committee of one society and a member of two others, said:
‘It’s a great way to meet new people and try something that you’ve never had the opportunity to before. From my own experience I have been able to connect with likeminded individuals whilst forming my best memories during my time at university. Joining a society was honestly the best choice I made.’
Try a new recipe every week
This doesn’t have to be difficult or particularly expensive, as there are plenty of great resources out there to help you get started. TikTok pages are great place to look for student recipes on a budget and some of our favourites are here.
@mealswithmax – They have a whopping two million followers on the platform and gained popularity for sharing simple and cheap meals. Max takes a lot of requests from fans to make a variety of meals such as recipes for fussy kids, quick packed lunch ideas for adults on the go, and cheap meals for university students.
@kwo.owk – They upload videos cooking a variety of meals they say ‘anyone can cook.’ The recipes are simple, delicious-looking, and attainable for college students. They also have a $1 recipe series where they show you how to make things such as an entire chickpea bowl for $1.63 per portion, a pasta dish for $1.55 and a burrito for $1.53.
Read next: Why you should join the pantomime society
