Little uni nerves

Hi @Gojishura,

Congratulations on finishing year 12! This is such a great achievement and you should give yourself a big pat on the back for getting through it.

You’re currently going through a big change in your life and I completely understand the feeling of being excited but nervous about it, especially in regards to the social side. I’m sorry to hear what you went through, and I hope that you’re doing better now. Uni is really different from high school, so I hope that you have an enjoyable time there.

I also did psychology at uni and one thing that I really enjoyed was that I was finally able to study it full-time while being surrounded by others who were as interested as me in psychology. I’ve always been into it since I was young, so to be able to talk about it to others who also enjoyed it was great. Although to be honest, I quite struggled with making friends too because I’m very shy and bad at small talk. Approaching people first was hard! But it’s definitely worth trying to strike up a conversation first. As you’re just starting uni, asking what their degree is or what other courses they’re taking can be a good conversation starter 😊

I can see that you’re also worried about the age gaps at uni. I feel like you’ll have no problems meeting people your age, especially during the first year. I think when I was in my first year, all the people I met were about my age and it wasn’t until I was in my second and third year that I met people older than me because they were just finishing some courses they weren’t able to before. So, I think you’ll be fine!

I wish you all the best with your studies and I hope that you have a great time at uni 😊

Hi @Gojishura, 

Congratulations on getting accepted into Uni! I also studied Psychology!

It's completely normal to feel nervous about starting Uni, I definitely was! During my experience at Uni, I found that there was not as much pressure with needing to make friends as there was in school. This is because you could only have one 2 hour class a day and then everyone goes their separate ways after it. That could be to the library, home, or to just sit somewhere on campus. You will also find that the majority of people won't already know other people in their classes either and they will be in the same boat as you. What's good about Uni is you already know that you have one thing in common, and that is you're there because you have an interest in Psychology. That could be a good conversation starter for the people you sit next to in class, or to ask them what school they went to. There will also be opportunities during class where you're asked to do group activities, and this could help you gain friends. Another pointer I would give you is to attend the orientation week, it's a fun and convenient chance for you to meet people before you start classes so that when you do begin you see some familiar faces.

In regard to negative exam experiences, I am sorry that you went through that. The pressure of the HSC exams is very stressful, but you should be so proud of yourself for getting through it. The good thing about the Psychology degree, is that you barely have any in-person exams. I probably had 2 in-person exams in my 4 years with the remainder being online quizzes and written assignments. I hope this structure takes a bit of the pressure of for you. 

I wish you the very best of luck with beginning University!

Hey @Gojishura, 

Congratulations for finishing year 12! That is such an amazing accomplishment and you should be very proud of yourself for getting through it. 

You're at a stage of huge changes in your life and that can often feel really scary, it's great that you have been able to acknowledge this and share it in a safe space such as ReachOut. Social life can feel like a huge part of University, but in reality it is completely within your control. You can choose to engage as much or as little with other students socially (keep in mind that you will have group assignments with other people so it is useful having some familiar faces). Universities often have social events that they encourage people to attend, when I first started my first year mentor encouraged me to go to a "Speed Friendship" (like speed dating but to connect with people). It was so great to talk to all these people from different degrees and gain confidence, however, I never actually stayed in touch with any of them and made my own friends in classes. I guess my advice would be to take it at your own pace, you may gravitate towards people naturally! Join Clubs, volunteer, gain experiences. It's invaluable for your resume but also you'll make amazing connections. 

In regards to exams, I hear you there! Exams have always been rough for me. Each university has different ways of approaching examination season so I recommend talking to a mentor or reaching out to a subject coordinator. You may be able to apply for special considerations or accommodations if you feel as though you're really struggling. Again, keep a look out for University events that teach students how to tackle exams, workloads, study times etc. Above all remember you are not alone in this!

Congratulations on getting into psychology, I hope you love it! 

Hiii @Gojishura 

I just graduated from studying psychology and counselling. I live in a different state, so I can't speak for Tassie, but I'll share my experience.

University is very different to Year 12. I haven't met any people so far who have been nasty at university. The biggest struggle about making friends at university is that everyone generally keeps to themselves. I really had to go the extra mile in being super friendly to make friends. I made most of my friends in tutorials, so it's worthwhile attending those! Tutorials give you the opportunity to talk to others. I remember going to tutorials/lectures and choosing my seat very strategically - I would find someone who looked like the type of person I could be friends with and then I would find a way to talk to them (e.g., compliment them on something, ask them a question to start a conversation, introduce yourself, etc...) i know it can be scary, but making friends at university is so worth it for a moment of discomfort.

You are going to meet so many awesome people in university. These are all people who share your common interest in psychology too, which is great for striking up conversations. I had so many deep conversations that were both psychology- and non-psychology-related. And above all else, most of these people are going to be really nice because we're studying in the helping profession! So all of them should be friendly by nature 🙂

Hey @Gojishura 

Congratulations on starting uni this year! I am studying psychology too, and I love it so much. You're right, it is such an exciting time, but its also reasonable to be nervous about it too. It's a completely new experience, and I remember feeling a bit nervous too.

I am sorry to hear you've struggled to make friends in the past. In my experience, making friends at uni is so much easier than in highschool. You're surrounded by like-minded people that are studying the same course as you, and also surrounded by wayyy more people! So finding people that are a right fit for you is much easier. 

I made my uni friends by trying to be as friendly and open to new conversations as possible in tutorials and lectures. Don't get me wrong, it can be super scary. But, chances are, everyone else is nervous too! So people will be so happy to start talking to someone new. You could even try joining a club, like a psychology club or any other club that aligns with your hobbies or interests. Also, most unis have fun o-week activities that are awesome for meeting new people!

Even though its scary, this is such an exciting time of your life and you are not alone in feeling apprehensive. Wishing you all the best and would love to hear about how you go 🤗

Hi @Gojishura,

It's awesome to hear that you're going to be studying psychology!

Reflecting on my first year at university I remember feeling nervous about my ability to achieve good grades and make new friends. It's a brand new experience so many other people will be feeling that way too. It helped keeping that in mind when I approached new people in each class to start conversations. While not each of those people turned into friends, quite a few did and we keep in touch to this day.

Also, being organised throughout the semester was very helpful. I tried staying on top of the calendar by planning out my week, noting things down like assignment due dates, in my calendar each Sunday evening. This was in addition to staying on top of my course content. Especially when we were learning new terms that were initially hard to understand. Creating palm cards, where I would simplify concepts each week was also beneficial.

The most important thing, however, was consistently practicing self-care. When life gets busy, it can be difficult to make time for it, but even scheduling it in your calendar can make a difference. At least it did for me. In the end, taking time for myself is what allowed me to come back feeling more focused and grounded across each tutorial, class, and assignment.

Wishing you the very best moving forward! I'm sure you'll do amazing things 😊

Hi @Gojishura 

Wow, it sounds like you're a little nervous about starting university, and that is completely understandable. I felt the exact same way when I started. 

University can certainly be fun and I have had an amazing time there. Honestly, half of it is because of the class and particularly the lecturers who in my experience make it very social and fun. That being said not every class will be like that you will potentially meet some boring lecturers and even very hard ones but when you do meet those amazing lecturers value that time. They help with the social side of things and will often make group discussions a fun time. This will help make friends, on the first day find a seat near some people and over time you'll start talking and eventually, when you have classes together you might find yourself drifting naturally towards them. This is how I often take my classes and find some amazing friends out of it. Another tip I would also recommend is to join a club or at least go to O week, there are plenty of people to meet outside of your degree that can be beneficial to your life at uni. My uni does quiz nights if your uni does something like this they are always great ways to meet new people as well. 

Besides the social side of things, a couple of other tips I would recommend before starting uni to ease potentially some other nerves are just to be organised. I like whether it's in O week or the first week of uni, to go and find where all my classes are so I know exactly where to go. One thing I wish I had done when I started was familiarise myself with the main courtyard where the library is and utilise that space as best as I could, when I did start doing that it also helped with the social side of everything as well. I would also recommend preparing your study space at home, making it clean, and tidy and with everything you might need etc it can help calm some of those nerves you might experience. 

University has a much better environment than high school, people tend to care less about what someone else is doing and focus much more on themselves and their studies. Its more down to if they want to be social at uni or if they don't. 

Howdy Gojishura, 

It's wonderful to hear that you're planning to study psychology.

It sounds like you're a little nervous and excited, which is understandable and a very natural feeling.

As someone who is finishing up their undergraduate in psychology as well, my main tips are to try and find enjoyment out of your classes. The greatest thing about going to university is reinventing the wheel, when I graduated from high school, I kept none of my friends and in that aspect, it pushed me into making friends at university, despite the awkwardness.

As for the academic side of things, try and find enjoyment in the things you do, and really try and apply the things you learn in class to the outside world. A degree is not a function of intelligence, it is a function of determination, and I'd go as far to say that it is curiosity that matters most.

All in all, be young and free and enjoy the nerve-wracking experiences while you still can!

All the best,

-Stego

Hello @Gojishura,

I take it there are some mixed feelings of excitement and nervousness for the upcoming start at uni. I think it is good to feel a little nervous about starting, because that means that you care about this experience.

I'm one of those people who had some negative experiences in Year 12 and just high school in general, especially with making friends and the pressure on performing well. You are going to start a course where everyone is going to be studying psychology like you are, which means you may already have common interests with others. Additionally, everyone is in the same boat, so everyone's going to want to make some friends you.

To get that exciting uni social life going, I think it'd be great for you to get involved in different societies/clubs. If there is a psychology club (which I'm sure there is) that is such a good place to get involved with people starting off like you and they'll also have 2nd and 3rd years whom you can ask for more advice and their uni experiences also.

From my experience and from what I've heard from my family and my friends, uni is such a good experience even from a social perspective, and I can almost guarantee it'll be such a better atmosphere than high school. I reckon you'll meet some nice and friendly people who'll be a lot like you and will want to get to know you (which has personally made most of my fun experiences).

I'm looking forward to hearing more from you once the exciting uni time starts!

Hey @Gojishura 

Everyone else has said lots of helpful things around making friends and settling into uni but I just wanted to give my perspective of someone who's gone through the 'worse case scenario' of not making any friends in my first year. My biggest fear before uni was not making any new friends and that did end up happening but in that time I ended up deepening my already existing relationships with my high school friends and learnt to be a lot more independent and confident in doing things solo. Loneliness can be really hard and scary, but you can be alone while not feeling lonely if you learn to enjoy life solo and the company of yourself. I've also had a fabulous time at uni and would never want to go back to learning high school style since starting. Hopefully my experience can help take the pressure off making friends and just add a caveat that even if you don't make friends you can still have a really good time at uni.

Hey @Gojishura 👋

Believe it or not I actually went to the first day of my orientation week today for psychology! and it was great! 
I was also really nervous before today, and it’s completely normal to feel this way. Coming out of year 12 it may seem like uni is a scary new experience. In a sense it is, since it’s likely a bigger campus, and way more new people to meet. But at the same time, it’s really exciting, as you get to learn about things you are interested in, and meet people who are interested too! 

I may be biased but I also feel like everyone who studies psychology is super nice as they want to learn about and help others, so I agree with the previous replies, don’t be afraid to just chat with others and put yourself out there. Or if that’s too daunting, I find joining facebook groups for your uni, course, or even specific subject are a great way to meet others in your situation. 

Let me know how you go, lots of love 🫶🏻

Hi @Gojishura 

Welcome, and thanks for posting.

I completely understand where you are coming from when you say you have struggled to make friends in the past, as that is something I have experienced too. Starting university can feel daunting, but as you mentioned, it is also an exciting time with so many new opportunities.

One of the best pieces of advice I received when I started university and was unsure about the social aspect was to remember that so many people are in the same boat — nervous, excited, and eager to make friends. Even though I am quite shy, I found that simply approaching someone who was also by themselves and starting a conversation worked really well. Most of the time, they were just as relieved that I made the first move.

I also agree with the advice in the post below about attending orientation and joining clubs that interest you. Personally, I found Facebook groups for my university really helpful for keeping up with events and meeting new people. Many course-specific groups had study sessions, and I made friends by joining those as well. There are plenty of opportunities, and I encourage you to explore them with an open mind. While not everyone you meet will become a close friend, each conversation makes it easier to introduce yourself and build connections.

Wishing you all the best!

Hey @Gojishura

I would recommend going to the welcome week (orientation day) in the uni, it's really fun.  You will get to know about different clubs in uni, also some good resources to help you getting started for uni lifes, even freebies. It feels like a little festival.

Go to events from clubs you are interested in as this is where you will likely find some good friends, look through careerhub for good opportunities. 

Never be afraid to ask questions, there will be many people whose job is just to do this. You will get all kind of support. 

Uni is a life changing experience, I wish you all the best. Explore all kinds of services available in your uni. If possible get a mentor to help around