so i've been thinking about writing one of these blogs for a wee while, and while i'm sure hpft is not the most prominent of platforms to post advice like this i'm sure there are a few people in this community who are due to start tertiary study soon - so this post is for you. im gonna try and keep it as universal as i can, though i am more familiar with the UK-style university model because i'm from new zealand and colonialism is a thing. 

for those of you who don't know me - hi, i'm lisa. i've just completed a masters degree and am a tutor (read: TA if you're in the US) for a 100-level medieval history course this semester. this is my eighth year at uni. i like to think i've picked up a few things.

PART ONE: MAKING FRIENDS

• always remember: everyone is in the same boat in first year
  • this is amplified by about ten times if you're in a hall/dorms/campus accommodation in your first year because everyone else has left home too and they don't know anyone, except maybe a couple of school acquaintances who they're gonna realise they don't have much in common with anymore
  • i was a deeply uncool kid in high school but i ended up with surplus friends in first year because everyone's on the Friend Market. i picked up some weirdos in first year, kids. weirdos
• making friends in your classes is always a good idea because a) you already have this thing in common; b) you have someone who you can ask for notes if you're away, or help with an assignment; c) complaining about the class is a sure-fire way to connect on an emotional level with other people
  • your tutorials/labs are a good starting point for making friends because they're smaller classes than your lectures and, if your tutor is anything like me, they will help you along by putting you in groups
    • this technique this semester alone has, by my own estimation, resulted in at least half a dozen group chats. i believe many share memes
  • there will be at least one person in your lectures/classes who has cool fandom stickers on their laptop. this is your in to talk to them. put stickers on your own laptop
  • mature students are usually really interesting people with great stories. befriend them. you may find they take you under their wing and impart their wisdom. friendship lottery
•  clubs. join clubs on campus that relate to your interests
  • galaxy brain: if you're nervous about showing up to their events without really knowing anyone, volunteer early to be on the leadership team/executive of the club. this gives you a) a smaller group of people to get to know; b) a purpose to work towards so you're not stuck making small talk; c) cameraderie. working together with people on something you all care about is the ultimate adult friendship hack
  • clubs look good on your CV and show you're getting something more out of your time at college/uni than just your degree. also they can lead to some interesting opportunities

PART TWO: PRACTICAL TIPS

• backpack. satchels look cool and all but you can't fit all your shit in them and they will destroy your back
  • you may want to cultivate an Aesthetic on campus and while this is encouraged, cool little satchels are only practical if you live on campus and can go home to grab stuff on a regular basis
    • also if your laptop is really tiny or you've gone analogue for your note taking. bold move
• Dropbox/Onedrive/whatever cloud storage system your institution has a subscription to
  • Keep everything on the cloud and back up to a flash drive or external on a regular basis - especially if you're working on a major assignment
• As soon as you get your university email account, set up email forwarding to the account you check/have synced to your phone, or set it up directly using the app on your phone. For most institutions this would be Outlook
• Don't buy food on campus it's a trap
  • do as i say, not as i do
• follow your institution's social media accounts
  • this is often where they post important updates
  • follow the relevant meme pages as well
  • join the buy/sell or textbook exchange FB groups
• find the following places on campus:
  • the nicest bathrooms or, if there are no nice bathrooms, the ones with the graffiti that best aligns with your political affiliation
  • the 24 hour study spaces. all-nighters will probably happen
  • your favourite spot in the library
    • the area/floor of your library where the books relevant to your majors can be found
  • an all-weather lunch spot
  • the best coffee place, if you drink coffee

PART THREE: ASSIGNMENTS

• read the course outline/syllabus
  • r e a d. i t.
  • find out the basics like deadline (including time!), where you submit (inc. online or hard copy, etc), word/page count, presentation requirements, referencing style, how much of your grade it's worth, and the penalties applied for late submission, going under/over word count, or anything else
• you can write an essay overnight but you can't research one overnight
• if there's a suggested reading list for an essay/assignment, read the things. cite them. they're recommended for a reason
• get a friend to proofread before you submit
• read your feedback!!
  • seriously it takes so long to write

PART FOUR: ASKING FOR HELP

• if in doubt, ask
• disability support
  • most institutions should have something like this
  • this is where you arrange accommodations/support for any physical or mental health issues you have that might affect your studies
  • ours send out confidential learning support plans to the teaching staff of the courses you're enrolled in
  • support can range from having reader-writers for exams, extra time/a quiet room for exams, a note-taker, flexibility with assignment deadlines, permission to record lectures, etc
• academic writing workshops/skills centres
  • again, most institutions should have something like this
  • these focus on teaching technical skills like grammar, spelling, how to structure an essay, etc
  • this is a good option if you don't need help with course content but aren't confident with writing
• tutors/TAs
  • if you have one, these are your first point of contact for everything related to your course
  • i encourage all my students to discuss essay plans with me
    • take your tutors up on this offer, even if you think you're fine
    • they can offer you feedback at an early stage, recommend readings, and make sure you're on the right track
  • tutors are typically postgraduate students (Masters or PhD)
    • this means you'd usually be on first name basis with them
• contacting lecturers/professors
  • your lecturer/professor is your first point of contact if you don't have a tutor/TA
  • as a general rule they are happy to help and particularly to explain course content but they are Very Busy People
  • when you email lecturers/professors, use their correct titles. if in doubt, check their staff page
    • even if it's normal to be on a first-name basis with your lecturer (eg in Australia/NZ) it's best to use Dr/Professor [X] the first time you contact them by email
    • In the US 'Professor' is a generally used title for academic teaching staff, whether or not they have a PhD
    • In the UK system 'Professor' is the highest academic rank and it is incorrect to use it unless they've reached that rank
      • If in doubt use Dr
    • n. b. there is a whole Thing with people not recognising or using the titles of academic women so if you have a female lecturer/professor make sure you address her using her professional title unless she tells you not to.