First year at LSE, or at any university really, can be tough. It is a completely new atmosphere, unlike school. You have likely been thrown into a brand new cohort with no existing friends, maybe in a new city, living with strangers in halls. There is no experience quite like it. For all the challenges it brings, it can be exceptionally rewarding and there are absolutely ways to make life easier for yourself. 

Make friends!

Making friends is obviously a major part of life at university. My first day walking onto campus as a fresher was terrifying – but I was quickly reassured by the realisation that almost everyone felt that very same fear. So my first tip is to remember that if something is new to you, it is definitely new to someone else too, and you can share the nerves with them. Find that person and tackle new experiences together. Getting stuck in is the best way to meet new people. The Law School’s fresher events are where I met the people I remain close friends with a year later. It is also important to remember that you don’t need alcohol to do it – if you don’t want to socialise around drinking, there are so many events at LSE and in London generally to enjoy instead!

Travel in London – plan ahead 

Another challenge that comes with life in London is travel. We are incredibly lucky to have TfL – but it can fail us sometimes. Plan your routes ahead of time. Before the first time you walked to school by yourself, you might have been told to practice with someone else – that same advice applies here. If you are in halls, maybe you could have a go at it with your new neighbour, and figure out exactly how long it takes you door to door. This will reduce stress and allow you to maximise time in bed in the mornings. 

Manage your time well

Time management is difficult for everyone, but when you transition from the more structured, teacher-focused style of learning you get at school to university, where there is a greater expectation of independent learning, it can feel especially hard. For this, all of the boring pieces of advice you have probably been hearing for years will apply: use a planner, block out times for your different modules, etc. Something I did not do in first year, but did ahead of my second year, is to use the end of the summer to build up good habits. Wake up earlier, prepare your meals, use your time to read or practice skills you will use in your degree. Training your brain to get used to it will make the real deal heaps easier. 

Do the work

There is a tendency to say, “first year doesn’t matter anyway, so I won’t do this week’s readings”. Don’t become that person. As annoying as it is to hear, it does matter. Your first year lays the foundation for the rest of your degree. Falling behind is such an inconvenience in the long run – you will have to catch up sooner or later, and you will thank yourself later for doing it straight away. It can be a slog, but it is worth it – I promise. It might not feel like it straight away when you have to pass up going to Wednesday Sway night for one week, but staying on top of this is vital. 

So this is my first set of advice for you, first years. More will be coming your way in part two!