How to settle into university life

Our second year BSc Management student, Shubh shares his advice on the best way to battle homesickness and get used to living independently.

As an international student myself from India, I know that staying 3000 miles away from home is not always an easy task. However there are many things which will help contribute to you having an easy and supportive transition to university life. At home we get used to always having our parents support, helping us with whatever we might need. However, at university we have to try to deal with things on our own. For most of us, this is our first step towards becoming independent and getting a taste of the real world.

Being the first person from my family to study abroad was a big step for me. When I arrived at the University of Warwick I was extremely nervous, and my first task was to step out of my comfort zone and start making friends. I feel that making friends is the easiest part when transitioning to university as everyone is in the same boat as you. That is where having an open mind really helped me, as I tried to have conversations with everyone I met. I found that to be best way to make friends when I first arrived on campus.

Welcome Week

In collaboration with the Student Union (SU) the university organises ‘Welcome Week’ during the first week of term where the whole week is filled with ice breaking activities, campus and library tours, an inflatable fun day and food markets. This week provides you with a great opportunity to explore campus with your flat mates and get to know lots of new people. It was during Welcome Week where I met most of my current university friends and made some of my most cherished memories.

Settling into your accommodation

To try and overcome the feeling of being homesick I recommend that you bring some home comforts with you to make your room feel as homely as possible. Decorating your room with family pictures helps you to settle in as well as bringing some home cooked food or ingredients with you. Your room will soon start to feel like your comfort zone but do not let this limit you from exploring the campus and meeting new people.

Societies and Sports Fair

During Welcome Week you have the opportunity to find out about the huge variety of societies and sports clubs on campus. There are over 250 societies on campus so there is something for everyone, and if you don’t find anything you’re interested in you can always start a society of your own. Societies are a great way of ensuring students can engage with like-minded individuals from different backgrounds, on a wide variety of topics ranging from economics and finance to magic! There are also great sports facilities on campus allowing you to participate in many different sports clubs. You can try something new by participating in taster sessions which run during welcome week and also get involved in the sports club socials which take place on and off campus.

Student support

There are lots of opportunities for you to settle into campus life from academic writing sessions to booster courses and library guidance facilities. The WBS CareersPlus team also run workshops during Welcome Week where you can learn about the essentials of writing your CV, cover letters and job applications. The Student Opportunity hub is also a great resource helping students to find part-time jobs in and around campus if you’re interested in earning whilst you study as well as developing your employability skills. There are lots of support services available on campus including an onsite healthcare centre and the efficient campus security team which means that you always feel safe to travel around campus at any time which is really reassuring as an overseas student.

I have come a long way since welcome week, the uncertainties and the fears which I had when I first started university have all gone and I can say that coming to WBS has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

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