5 Things To Do In Your First Year At Uni

For most students, the grades achieved in their first year of university don’t count towards their final grade. While assessments shouldn’t be taken lightly (more on that later), first year is the perfect time to tick some things off your bucket list.

Whether related to fitness, travel or education, as a first year you should make the most of being a little freer. Include your friends or go it solo, but definitely try your hand at something new or that thing you’ve always said you’ll do.

Run a race

The benefits of running are plentiful and, as a first year, you could begin or intensify your current training to build up for a race. You could train for a 5k, 10k or a half marathon. Train a few times a week and you might find you’ve gained a hobby that will see you through the stressful parts of second and third year too.

Exploring your new home with a pair of trainers on a course designed to see your area in its best light could be pretty special. At the very least, you might achieve that balanced lifestyle everyone talks about. Shots, cheesy chips and a half marathon to boot? Tick, tick, tick.

Learn a language

Many universities offer a handful of ways to learn a language. Everyone claims it’s something they want to do but we Brits are particularly terrible at getting on with it.

Join a local evening class, choose a foreign language module or take advantage of your university’s language schemes. Language classes are often a great way to socialise too. Plus, having a language printed on your CV will look pretty impressive to employers.

Travel

Hop on the train and explore the area an hour or so away from your university. Visit a local big city, the countryside or even the beach.

Go one step further and book a city break for your reading week. The first year of university could be the perfect time to do the travelling you’re aching to get under your belt. It also could benefit you greatly.

Visit a local attraction

Whether it’s going to watch a game of rugby, see a band or wander around a museum, make the most of your city’s best bits. If you don’t you’ll leave uni with a list of things you’d wish you’d done.

Wherever your uni is, you’re bound to be living in a place known for a type of food, sport or even home to some important history. First year is for discovering all of your city’s charms.

Get in the swing of working hard

Boring but necessary, first year is designed to get you used to essay writing, exams and the whole university process. Take advantage of your library, tutor and office hours. Try and understand how you work well and what you need to do to improve.

When you’re less free in the next two years, you might just regret not taking the time in first year to get to grips with university assessments. First year is a brilliant time to have fun and explore but it is also a crucial part of kicking off the next two years of hard work.

It’s essential to live first year well – to make friends, begin to understand university and ease the homesickness. Ensure you attempt a few things you’ve always wanted to do; go home for your summer holidays with lots of stories to tell. A few that don’t actually involve alcohol.

Kathryn─known as Kat even though she prefers Kath─studied English Language at Cardiff University and now wants to finally write that book she’s always been meaning to write. Check out her Twitter, Instagram and blog to delve into her mind further.

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