The Run Up to Uni
If you’re planning to come to Warwick in the autumn, you might be thinking about how best to prepare. I make no great revelation when I say that the transition to uni (Warwick or anywhere else) is a big jump, involving a new lifestyle and likely also living independently for the first time. What’s more, at this point you probably don’t know for certain where you will be going in just a couple of months. If it’s any consolation, everyone’s in the same boat. The uncertainty seems to drag on forever, but looking back, it seems like a really short period of time.
Amidst that uncertainty, it made me feel better to start preparing in any way that I could for uni. In this blog I wanted to share some things you could do to ease the transition. By no means are these essential or things you need to do right now, but if you’re looking for things to do to help you feel more prepared, these might help.
- Take a look at the course website
If you head to https://warwick.ac.uk/study and go to your course page, you’ll be able to see a breakdown of what you will cover in the next academic year. Whilst this is absolutely not necessary, you could see if there’s any suggested reading or topics you want to refresh from A Level before you dive into the course. I personally didn’t do this, but if I had done some reading in advance, it might have eased the workload a little during term time.
2. Write a packing list
When I came to pack in late September, I couldn’t believe how much stuff I needed! With all the kitchen equipment, toiletries, clothes, and books, I had quickly filled a fair few bags. If I had been a bit more organised, I could have researched some packing lists online and seen what other students recommended taking and leaving behind. You quickly realise when you arrive that have three different sizes of frying pans is more of a hindrance than a help, and that you wished you had brought a warmer coat, and that you would rather have more space in your room than twelve scatter cushions. Taking the time to think about what you’ll need before you start throwing everything you own into a suitcase might make your life a little easier down the line.
3. Think about which sports clubs and societies you want to join
Going to the sports fair and societies fair in Welcome Week is essential. You get to see so much of what Warwick has to offer, and it quickly becomes clear that sports clubs and societies are a huge part of most students’ experiences. If you go to https://www.warwicksu.com/ and look at the ‘Sports Clubs and Societies’ tab, you can scroll through a very long list of all the clubs and societies you can join. There is pretty much everything you could think of, and I remember feeling really excited to get involved once I knew what was on offer. If there’s something on the list that grabs your attention, you can make sure to visit them at the fairs in September.
