Kaldora, '21 cohort

Make friends with lots of upper years. Find a medic family, or peer mentor, and take advantage of their advice. They've been in the exact same position and are a fountain of wisdom when it comes to what to expect from the course, revision methods and all things Coventry.

Try to be present and enjoy your time. They say you need to survive first year to thrive in the next years. True, but there are moments of thriving that you can relish, so relish them. Remember, if you're going through something, the likelihood is someone else is experiencing it too. So talk, it helps.

Abi, '21 cohort

Trust the process, as difficult as it feels sometimes. It's okay to feel like you don't really understand the lecture materials/workshops at the time - most the time I didn't get it the first time, and neither will lots of your peers!

Always ask questions and seek help if you're worried.

Keep steadily plodding on and keep on top of lectures as best you can. Everything honestly will make more sense in the end when you come to revise, and with some hard work, all will seemingly somewhat magically fall into place.

Rav, '21 cohort

Take time for yourself. Your mental wellbeing will be a big factor in your success over the long term.

Try new things! WMS has many people with a diverse range of interests - use your first year to find out what works for you outside of studying.

Jeremy, '21 cohort

Take breaks. Phase 1 is intense and the amount you have to cover can be overwhelming. So yes, work hard - but find time for your hobbies, sport, or a Netflix binge. You’ll feel much better when going back to learning all that anatomy.

Ask for help. Something I wish I did more, rather than 'suffer in silence'! Your lecturers and other staff are there to help you get through the course and answer questions - and your peers are there too to help if you don’t quite understand something! Older years have a lot of resources and advice too, so reach out if something isn’t clicking.

Millie, '21 cohort

Take the time to get involved in extracurricular activities that you enjoy! I have found sports and societies to be a brilliant way to get to know others in my cohort, as well as in the years above. Getting to know friendly faces in other years is invaluable as a source of support, comradery, and reassurance, especially when the going gets tough!

I think it is also really important, in making your efforts sustainable, to have some fun built in during the week to break up your (also fun...) studying.

Izzy, '21 cohort

Try not to get too overwhelmed if you find yourself getting behind with lectures. It took me a while to find the balance between getting through content at a good speed and taking the time to understand it. You will find this balance eventually!

It's okay if you don't understand something the first time you come across it! As you build on your knowledge throughout the year, some concepts come up again and again, giving you opportunities to consolidate them.

Priyanka, '21 cohort

If you’re thinking of working alongside your studies this year, the medical school advises keeping paid work at a cap of 20 hours a week.

I wouldn’t touch that figure with a stick, I found that 12 hours a week was probably the maximum I could do on top of completing all the required learning for the week.

Nick, '21 cohort

Enjoy yourself! This is a challenging year, but it's nowhere near as impossible as some people make it out to be - it’s very enjoyable and very doable.

But it’s only what you make it. Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. Don’t worry about being behind on lectures, don’t worry about using Anki, and don’t even think about exams. Work at your own pace, take days off, meet people and have fun!

India, '21 cohort

At times this year will likely seem impossible, whether that is due to the workload, the “end goal” or demands of the course and life, but it is possible. This is proven by the years that have gone before, so my first piece of advice would be to reach out to older years and get all the insight you can from them.

Plan time for yourself amidst all of your “to-dos”. In order to succeed in year one you actually have to be and feel well, so please try to do things for you!

Benny, '21 cohort

Make contact with your personal tutor early. I would recommend building a good relationship with them as they are the first point of contact when you need any support, and the start of a great support network for all things WMS!

Take every opportunity to get to know your peers across the years! They are the most likely to know what you are going through and make the best support. So many of us regret not getting to know each other sooner!