We have asked our very own alumni to pass on some wisdom. Here is what they said.

Clare Burrows, Early Childhood, 2022

1. Remember your ID card.

The lovely staff in the library are very helpful but it makes everyone’s life easier and saves much self-admonishment if you just take it.

2. Check and double-check what time your seminars/lectures start…

There are never any seats left at the front and the walk of shame is embarrassing.

3. Having checked you have your ID card and what time your seminar starts, make sure you know where it is being held.

Check this again and don’t assume you know where it is. Trust me on this one – the doors are specially designed to stop distractions from outside, but this means you cannot see inside either. There is nothing worse than walking into the wrong room, usually when the lecturer is mid-flow and realizing you recognize no one and having to extract yourself once more. You then have to find where your seminar/lecture is….which often then leads to point 2.

4. The vending machines have a life of their own.

They will dispense or not dispense their wares depending on what mood they are in. I’m sure they can identify how desperate you are for coffee/water/food and act accordingly. Perhaps someone in engineering could do their thesis on this and help us all out?

5. If you don’t understand something, ask.

I guarantee there will be at least a few others who will thank you because they haven’t got a clue either. I’ve lost count of the times someone has been brave enough to admit they don’t understand and the whole group breathes a collective sigh of relief – including the one who asked because they thought they were alone.

6. Finally, getting a certain mark in every essay is nice but not essential.

The gut-wrenching feeling of having missed it will pass. Talk to your tutor as it is easy to misunderstand their written comments – again, trust me on this. Use what they tell you to go forward. Make use of the well-being department, if necessary, but most importantly don’t try and deal with these feelings on your own. You’ve got this and there are a lot of people to help you on your journey. Good luck!