Starting university can be a concoction of strange emotions. Some students feel anxious, others excited, sometimes both. In my case, it was definitely both – a bit uneasy not knowing much about where I was moving, but a lot of excitement for the new experiences and independence.
When it comes to your course, it may feel a bit obvious to say, but having an inventory of reasons why you're passionate for it, and some skills to help you start off strong, will enable you to go a long way. I’ve put together some advice based on my personal experience with first year, ranging from tackling coursework to social connections in an unfamiliar setting. I hope that as first-years, or any student starting a new year at AUB, you will benefit from at least one of these!
Initial impressions might be daunting, but they can be used to strengthen you
People may go into first year with you, knowing more. Don't let it intimidate you. Let it inspire you. Talk to them, talk to second-years, even if it's scary. Just go for it, and you’ll be surprised how they learned it, or how easy it is to learn yourself.
I started university with nothing but a pencil case and a fragmented dream, and a desire to continue my grandfather’s legacy. And admittedly, it was challenging to watch others know software better than me right from the start, and have a more confident approach to industry-level design. I had no clue what I was doing. You could say I was analogue in my method, advanced in my use of technology. But the more you seize opportunities from the start and show your interest in the course to others, the more you’ll thrive.
People around you are more likely to be intimidated by you, even if you haven’t figured it out as much as they think you have – share what you know and help your fellow course-mates. You're in it together.
Know your software
I would’ve found first year better had I have been aware of the software that industry professionals use in the field of commercial design. As I previously mentioned, I tend to work analogue in my method, like drawing floor plans and basic sketches, and prefer to keep my work hand-drawn as much as possible – but in the industry I quickly learned it was crucial to be up-to-date with software that I’ll use after graduation too.
In any course, having a knowledge, even if vague, of the practice akin to professionals, would help as a first-year and make it known how much passion you have for the industry. If you're still unsure what kind of designer or creative you're going to be, that’s all right – just knowing the basics will help in so many creative fields. For example, I wish I’d paid more attention to Adobe softwares in school, as that is an easily transferable skill that many creative industries use. Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator – introduce yourself, understand the basics of how to use it, and it will make first year a breeze, and you'll learn the specifics for your course as it progresses. I found the university’s IT department useful for any technical issue I had last year, and learning software is as easy as a quick YouTube search or even just asking your course tutor for some advice.
Improve your communication skills, even if they’re good already…
If you’re an introvert like me, you could be forgiven for struggling with this one. But trust me, it doesn’t need to be complicated. All you need is the ability to make someone else feel important to you – be interested in them, ask questions, even if the answers aren’t quite what you're looking for in a friend. And be genuine about it – feigning interest will backfire, but genuine interest will be the key to making connections. You’ll (more likely than not) make someone’s day, and that’s important in establishing good acquaintances. Eventually, you’re guaranteed to meet someone who you meet on common ground with. You never really know what’s going on in someone’s life – my advice will be to be as kind and forgiving as much as you can.
The University is there to help
Dealing with a close bereavement just a month into university came as a deep shock for me, and I admittedly struggled a lot last year. But the University was keen to stay in touch with me and ensured that I was comfortable, attending wellbeing sessions and counselling, and generally able to continue with my studies.
It was also a great help to have access to mitigation as a lot of time and attention came off my studies due to grief, and a lot was uncertain for me. AUB provides many resources, both in sessions and online, to assist students when extenuating or internal circumstances occur, to manage wellbeing and studies. It is unlikely that students would experience the kind of first year that I had, but if anything happened that affected your studies in any way, there is always help to access for free. Don’t be afraid to reach out if you need it – I hesitated for a while and it made things harder to handle, and the moment I accepted assistance, I was able to complete my studies and advance to the second year.
Throughout your first year, there will be many new experiences and situations you might face. But alongside the uncertainty is a plethora of support, and students like me who will tell you the ways we coped with challenges and overcame them, so you can too. So long as you can develop or possess a mature mindset and keep on top of things you need to learn, and take care of yourself and be mindful of others around you, you are likely to have an incredible start to the year. Good luck!
