As I approach the end of my second year at LSE, I’ve had a chance to look back and reflect on my time here. I’ve changed a lot – from starting as a wide-eyed fresher with no clue about the future, to preparing for my upcoming internship and thinking about my final-year dissertation. I’ve learnt a lot along the way, and I hope these lessons are useful for anyone reading, whether you’re just about to finish school and start university or about to graduate.

Lesson 1: Move at your own pace – don’t let anyone make you feel pressured

Undoubtedly, one of the best things about studying at LSE is the comprehensive and experienced Careers team, able to support you in a variety of ways, be it a CV review or job-hunting tips and tricks. With this emphasis on discovering what your professional future looks like, it’s easy to feel anxious and “left-behind”, especially if you don’t know what your “dream job” is. Your professional journey doesn’t have to be linear, and it can take several tries and job changes to hone down your ideal work environment, so don’t let the pressure of securing spring week or internship offers dampen an otherwise exciting experience of being at university. Want to know more about LSE Careers? Read Hanseul’s blog to find out about the support LSE Careers can provide 

Lesson 2: Find your community

One of the hardest things about going to university is making friends and also keeping those friendships alive. I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t remained friends with many of the people I initially met during Welcome Week – it can be a highly overwhelming environment where you end up making several acquaintances but few life-long friends.

Finding your community and creating a healthy support-system is essential for making the most of university while avoiding burnout and feelings of isolation, but this can sometimes be easier said than done. My advice? Talk to the people around you. I’ve made several close friends just by regularly talking to people in my class, meeting up before and after seminars for coffees and bonding over the readings or stressing about essays. Finding and maintaining this community, whether through classes, accommodation or participation in societies, will serve you well and give you life-long memories to take with you beyond the degree. Nervous about making new friends? Don’t worry, Miranda’s blog has you covered with her tips. 

Lesson 3: Go outside your comfort zone

“Be comfortable with being uncomfortable” is a phrase I never fully related to before joining LSE. Stepping off the stage after performing with my dance group at the LSE Korean Entertainment Society’s Annual Showcase last year made me finally understand the importance of going outside your comfort zone. I went from having zero professional or recreational dance experience before rehearsing for the Showcase, to performing an entire four minute routine with my peers, supported by several friends in the audience. “Be comfortable with being uncomfortable” is a phrase I never fully related to before joining LSE. Stepping off the stage after performing with my dance group at the LSE Korean Entertainment Society’s Annual Showcase last year made me finally understand the importance of going outside your comfort zone. I went from having zero professional or recreational dance experience before rehearsing for the Showcase, to performing an entire four minute routine with my peers, supported by several friends in the audience.

While I don’t think I’ll be making the Strictly Come Dancing line-up any time soon, the principle of trying new things is so important to ensure that you develop new skills and make the most of being at LSE. There’s a society for almost any and every interest you can think of, and if not, there’s always the chance to create your own and start a legacy. Consider trying a new hobby or joining a new interest group – you never know where it might take you! Read more about joining LSE societies in my blog.

These three lessons were the most important ones I learnt over the course of my first year, creating the foundations for an enjoyable and exciting second year at university. All of these lessons are linked to developing a “growth mindset” – embracing new opportunities and being less fearful of change and taking a risk, so hopefully you can start implementing them with small steps. Talk to someone different in a class or lecture, tag along with a friend to a society event you weren’t initially going to attend, or consider a different approach to your professional future, and see how incremental change creates great results over time.