Get ready for Warwick!
If you found out yesterday that you’re coming to Warwick — congratulations! In a year like no other, this is a huge achievement, so enjoy the much-earned celebration. I remember the relief of finally knowing for definite where I was headed in September, and I hope you’re looking forward to joining us soon.
Beyond that relief, though, there’s certainly a lot going on. Whether you’re excited to embark upon uni life, nervous about what it will be like, worried about the new independence, or frantically planning trips to IKEA for all the essentials, everyone in your position will be feeling more than a little apprehensive about what the next couple of months will bring. That’s definitely to be expected, but I found there were a few things I did to prepare for uni that helped to settle some of those nerves and put me at ease before I moved onto campus in September.
- Kitting out your room
I feel quite embarrassed by the number of trips I made to various homeware shops in August 2019. I pored over my new kitchen equipment and meticulously planned my room decor, and generally made the most of this step. I found that it kept me feeling positive about the move, rather than focussing on the nerves. If you’re a homeware fanatic like myself who enjoys a trip to Wilko more than most, maybe try to start planning this now so you not only feel prepared and organised, but also excited about your move.
2. Looking into societies and sports clubs
Societies and sports clubs are central to so many students’ uni experiences. They are some of the best places to meet like-minded people and discover new hobbies, so it’s no wonder that so many of us recommend getting stuck into them in your First Year especially. Head to the Students’ Union website (https://www.warwicksu.com/) to see the huge list of societies and sports clubs on offer at Warwick. Once I knew what there was on offer to look forward to, it made me feel really excited about getting started and trying all these new things.
3. Some practical preparation
There are lots of new things to get to grips with when starting uni, so any preparation you can do now will help in the long run. That might be learning a few basic cooking skills and recipes to see you through Welcome Week, figuring out how your new printer works, or reading a step-by-step guide on how to do your laundry. If you can put your mind at ease on some of these practicalities, hopefully it will make the transition as smooth as possible.
4. Take a look at some blogs!
A bit of shameless self-promotion never hurt anyone, but do take a look through some of the blogs here on OurWarwick. Hopefully some firsthand experiences will put your mind at ease, and give you the opportunity to get a better sense of what to expect.
I hope these tips are helpful, and congratulations!
