University woes? Look no further!

Friends of HDA, I hear you loud and clear! You are worried about starting this new step of your life and don’t know who to turn to!  Well we here at HDA are here to give you some advice and hopefully ease some of that worry away!

For those who do not know me as of yet. Hello there, I am Rainbow_Pandas and I am going to be going into my third and final year of university (after a long battle!). I personally wanted to go to university so that I could better myself and prove to myself that I could do it. I remember feeling very shy and nervous on my first day! (New country…. new city…. New…. EVERYTHING!) My experience has been overall positive and I am Course Rep as well as Faculty Rep! My advice for those starting would be to always ask for help if unsure (no question is a stupid one!) As well as grab each opportunity that is presented to you! Also BE YOURSELF! University is a time for you to express who you are and develop your own personal self!

Now less of me and onto some wonderful people and their experiences….

We have Vibrational aka Lana and she is a founder at HDA! _Imagination who is Co-Owner at HDA. SarahR50 and is Acting Director of Transfers and Junior EC. PUREBLOOD2159 aka Tori and she is a Junior Owner. Melongenophobia aka Stevie and her rank is Council Associate. Then lastly we have SourBerries, aka Mercedes who is the new Chief of Advertisement.

What made you want to go to university/college in the first place?

Lana: I wanted to give myself a chance to get a good job, and all my friends were going. I probably could have done a trade or gone to Technical and Further Education (TAFE) but I always wanted to go to uni it always seemed like something I was meant to do. ​

_Imagination: I wanted to go to college because a) I'm a nerd and actually enjoyed school and b) it seemed like the most obvious choice to start a career.

SarahR50: I wanted to go to Uni because I always wanted to be a teacher, to be a teacher you must have a degree.

Tori: Well aside from the fact that in the UK, an education till 18 is compulsory. I love school and I love learning, even though I don’t seem the type.

Stevie: I found out my current career path as an automotive body technician would lead to a lot of medical problems down the road such as arthritis and decided I should pursue something that wouldn't cause me crippling pain in the future.

Mercedes: I wanted to go college to get my English GCSEs as well as some qualifications to help me hopefully be eligible to go to University either next year or 2021.

Do you remember how you felt on the very first day?
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Vibrational: SO NERVOUS! But I was also really excited, I remember arriving really early to my first lecture (I was a nerd) and happened to meet all the other nerds that sat outside the lecture theatre waiting for it to start! So we all chatted, they are now some of my BEST FRIENDS and I’m so glad I’m a nerd cause they were all as well!

_Imagination: Yeah, I wasn't overwhelmed about starting classes. I was just nervous about getting lost and being late to them.

SarahR50: The first day of Uni I cried because I was so nervous about going to the wrong class or the wrong building. I also remember feeling lonely because I knew no one.

Tori: So my first day at college was awful because all my friends were back in the town I actually live in at college and I had to go to a whole other town. So I didn’t know anyone and the whole environment was completely new

Stevie: I was excited and nervous. I was hyped that I was actually there and it was real, but I was crazy scared because I never did well in traditional schooling environments. The pressure of deadlines, test dates and crowds never mixed well with me.

Mercedes: On my first day of college, I didn't actually speak to anyone at first, because of my anxiety. But after a while I made friends with a couple of the girls in my class. It was really a mix of emotions lmao.

What was/is your experience like of university/college?

Vibrational: I had a really fun experience at uni! I learnt a lot, met a lot of fantastic people and ended up with a pretty cool job at the end of it as well!

_Imagination: I'm in my 2nd year right now and we only just moved back a week ago. I was excited to be back with my friends. As far as classes go, they have gone extremely well and I feel like they are just like high school classes.

SarahR50: After I got used to university it was awesome. I made a few friends that are still my friends after graduation. I also enjoyed the learning. I even took some classes that had nothing to do with my degree to learn more.

Tori: It’s better than I expected, the students there are all really nice, though I ignore most of them because they disturb me when I’m working, and the teachers are really supportive so I’m glad my mum made me come to this college

Stevie: It's going pretty well. My school is great. There are people from all walks of life there. Most of my professors are amazing people who are always willing to help, they have counselors on site if you ever need someone to talk to, beer league teams, private study rooms, and a million clubs. 

Mercedes: Tbh I think the college I am at could do with improvements, and offer more support rather than saying they will but then not doing so. I have so many memories with the friends I have made. We all went to Thorpe Park, bowling and even got to joke around with teachers and the security. It's like a huge family!

What advice would you give to people starting university/college this year?

Vibrational: Participate in EVERYTHING say yes to EVERYTHING and talk to EVERYONE, a lot of industries its not what you know but WHO you know, if you have lots of friends from uni, chances are when they get a job they can help you get one too! Which after all is the most important thing you want after uni! Other than that, just enjoy the experience! It is such a short time of your life and you will miss it when it's over.

_Imagination: Just take a deep breath and try your best. It's okay to ask for help. Also, don't eat any fish at the dining hall.

SarahR50: My advice would be to put yourself out there. Make new friends.

Tori: 1) bring your own loo roll 
2) do not wear a pencil skirt because some people are pervs 
3) for all chemists, pay attention when the teacher is talking about Hess cycles

Stevie: Oh man, where do I start? I think the key things would be Discipline, Health and Habits. The keys to success lay in those. You need to discipline yourself to get things done. You can't wait for motivation to kick in. Motivation is only an emotion, therefore temporary. Take care of your health, physically and mentally. Remember failure is a learning experience, and that it's going to happen. Just breathe, you're going to be okay.

Mercedes: If you're starting college/uni, don't rush into getting into relationships straight away. Focus on learning what the course you've chosen is going to offer, what you need to do to pass and generally just put your coursework as your main priority. I failed to do that in my first year, and I had to fight for my place at the college this year. But now I have to prove myself. Don't follow my path.

This is how I feel now after typing up everyone's responses......

Anyways, that is it from me, if you ever need a chat then I am always around! (My discord is Rainbow_Pandas #8454) Or if you see me in base feel free to chat to me if I ain’t busy.

This is Rainbow_Pandas signing off….

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Blog post written by Rainbow_Pandas