Making the transition from high school to University: Top tips on how to settle into your new routine
TOP TIPS
By Tierney Marey, Manager, Student Experience Arts, Design & Architecture, PhD Candidate UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture
From your time at the University, what are some of the main challenges that first year students face when settling into their new uni routines?
Time Management
Given the differences between high school and University, and other changes that often accompany this stage of life, this comes up a lot. Finding a time management system that works for you is important because:
- it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you have lots of free time because your University timetable has more ‘free’ hours than what you had in high school. While you may spend less time physically or digitally “in class” there is a lot more independent work such as readings, writing and revising notes, or doing quizzes and labs.
- the pace of uni is also much faster; you are expected to learn and cover much more content per week than you did in the HSC, assignments and exams come around very quickly, there are more emails to keep on top of, and the term flies by.
- it’s a juggling act; many students may be working part-time, commuting long distances to uni, living independently, or be busy having fun with new friends and social activities – there are lots of exciting ‘firsts’ that students need to get used to when starting their University journey.
Being Proactive
Students need to learn to be much more proactive at University than when they were in high school. This is a great life skill and one that just takes practice.
You probably won’t have someone checking to make sure all your homework is done, reminding you constantly about deadlines, or telling you exactly what to do. The expectation is that you’ll take the initiative and manage these things independently (though of course you should reach out for help if you need it!).
The same goes for friendships, unlike high school you’re likely to not be in the same classes with people every day so you need to be proactive about making friends. Reach out to someone in your class and see if they want to hang out or study with you. Join a student society. Establish a group chat for one of your online courses.
Navigating University
Now this can mean literally navigating to your classroom on campus (pro tip: use the Lost on Campus app and allow extra time at the beginning to find everything) or figuring out the online systems we use like Moodle, Blackboard or myUNSW. For extra support in familiarizing yourself with the new systems and processes at University, I’d recommend checking out the eLearning website as well as the Prepping for Success workshops.
Asking for help
Knowing where to go and who to ask can also be challenging at the start. My rule of thumb is: if you have a question, it will be someone’s job at UNSW to answer it, you’ve just got to find them.
Have a look at the support services available at UNSW, or try Googling what you're after with 'UNSW' in your search and this can often get you what you need, e.g. “free food UNSW”.
Sometimes going to University can feel like learning a whole new language. Don’t be afraid to ask someone what they mean when they say things like ‘flex week’, ‘tute’, or ‘rainbow steps’, but also check out this glossary of common uni words.
What are some important things for students to consider when thinking about getting ready for University?
Take a moment to be excited and be proud of yourself. You’ve worked super hard to be here and this is a big moment! So that you can make the most of this opportunity from the beginning, set yourself up to succeed.
Make sure you’ve done everything on the Getting Started page, check your emails (personal email and UNSW student email) regularly, and try logging into Moodle and having a read through your course outlines if they’re up. Course outlines are so important - read them and then read them again as they’ll tell you everything you need to know for your course.
Of course, try your best to attend as many O-Week events as possible, in-person or online, as they are a great way to start making friends and understanding what to expect.
Some extra tips would be:
- Figure out a time management system that works for you before term starts – whether it's an app, a handwritten schedule, or the calendar on your phone. Write down all the ‘big’ things in advance so that you can see them coming up and plan for them, such as holidays, exams, birthdays. To be honest, you probably won’t find the system that works best straight away but the earlier you start, the faster you will!
- Write out a self-care plan if you don’t have one already! This may include meditating, listening to a podcast, going for a walk, a night out with your friends, reading, listening to music or playing sport. It’s nice to be able to have some things to draw on without having to think of them in the moment. Sometimes though self-care involves doing the hard things now to avoid harder things later. For those of you interested, I think this article is great.
Who should students reach out to if they need support with creating a new routine?
Everyone knows and acknowledges that it is a big adjustment transitioning from high school to University – and you are not expected to do it alone!
Support looks different for everyone, but here are some that I have used and recommend as useful services you might consider when creating your new routine:
Why is it so important for students to make sure their routine includes a balance of study, work, down-time and fun?
We’re human beings, not human doings. There is so much evidence which proves that having a balanced routine leads to better mental and physical health, more sustainable study and work habits and even better grades. Balance is hard, and we don’t always get it right, but building balance into your routine from the beginning can help.
It can also be useful to check-in with yourself at the end of each week to see how balanced the week ended up being. Based on what comes up from that check-in, I’d recommend making at least one, small, manageable change for the following week.
What are your top three tips for creating a new routine?
I have my own habits that work well for me but that doesn’t mean they will work for you! I recommend searching online for tips and some inspiration.
My top three tips for anyone creating a new routine would be to ask yourself:
- What am I currently spending my time on? (Count all the hours in the week and where all your hours go – you can usually find lots of ways to save time and use your time more efficiently!).
- When am I most productive? (Are you super productive in the morning or more of a night owl? Play to your strengths).
- What is the main reason that a routine falls apart for me? (e.g. procrastination, too many things on, boredom, being overwhelmed).
Use the answers to those three questions to start shaping a routine and schedule that works for you!
What are some considerations to bear in mind when setting realistic expectations for your first year?
1. Everything is new! New things are exciting and are incredible opportunities for growth and learning, but they can also be challenging. It's likely going to take you longer than you think it 'should' to do your work, find your class, meet new people, and it also might feel like things take a lot of energy. That’s completely normal and will lessen with time, but make sure you keep that in mind and allow both the emotional space and the time for things to feel 'new'. You’re learning!
2. Your marks will look different than they did in high school. Firstly, University grades tend to not look as high as they did in high school, but it doesn’t mean you’re not doing well.
At University you may receive a Pass (50-64) which means you’ve demonstrated acceptable understanding and application of knowledge, a Credit (65-74) which means you’ve achieved a good level of performance, a Distinction (75-84) which indicates superior performance, or a High Distinction (85-100) which represents outstanding performance.
The majority of students sit within the Pass to Credit mark with fewer students landing in that 75-100 band than they did in high school. That’s completely okay! You also may fail an assessment or exam (I certainly did) in your first year or a whole course.
Please don’t take a mark that you’re unhappy with as indication that you don’t belong here or that you aren’t good enough. Most often it is simply that the content and style of assessment was new and required more practice, you didn’t really understand the requirements and expectations, you found managing your time challenging or the content difficult. Marks are not an indicator of whether you 'should' be at University or not - you’re here for a reason; they’re simply an opportunity to learn.