Things to Take Advantage of at Uni

Emily Harrison

Going to university can be an intimidating and daunting experience and for a lot of people, University is just another step we have to get through in our lives, but there are many things available to students that should be taken advantage of.

Your Education

This is something that may seem obvious to most, but many students tend to overlook the fact that they have a unique opportunity to be educated. A university education is not an opportunity that is readily available to every South African and is something that should be appreciated. Any student should take advantage of the opportunity to be educated at UP, where they will receive a world-class education. Besides the degree and courses students have registered for, there are many other opportunities to educate yourself, such as popping into a friend’s lecture or checking out events on campus, such as public lectures and seminars. It is tempting to skip lectures, especially in first year, but by simply attending all the lectures you have paid for, you will be taking advantage of the rare opportunity that you have been given.

New People and New Ideas

It is a guarantee that you will meet a diverse range of people with different ideas when you go to university and for most new students it will be a more diverse group of people than those they met in high school or even in their hometown. This is something that should be taken advantage of as it is unlikely you will every interact with such a diverse range of people again in your life. Not only is it a wonderful opportunity to make new friends but it is also a good opportunity to start networking. The people in university could become useful contacts in your career when you leave university. Even if you do not view yourself as a ‘people-person’, you might find it easier than you think to start conversations with people in the university environment.

New people also mean new ideas, everyone has different ideas, and this is something that should be taken advantage of. New ideas mean an opportunity to broaden your own thoughts and to see new perspectives. Every student should come out of university a better and more well-rounded person, a good first step to do this is to listen to and acknowledge the new ideas around you even if you do not agree with them.

Social Life

An active social life is something many students struggle to fit into their busy academic schedule, but it is an important part of the school-life balance. A ‘social life’ does not only include going out but also just spending time with friends. University offers you the chance to experience the beginnings of adulthood without too much responsibility. A flexible schedule allows time for socialising. Academic commitments should always take priority, but it is also important to make time for yourself. Remember to enjoy this phase of your life. Once you have entered the working world, there is much less time to socialise.

The Independence

The newfound independence that comes with entering university may seem a bit intimidating, especially if you are coming straight from high school, but it is actually one of the biggest advantages you will find. Your new independence will mean that you can finally start figuring out things for yourself and taking that little bit of weight off your parents or guardians. The new independence also means that you will be proficient at ‘adulting’ by the time you finish your degree.

Figuring out who you are

University is the perfect environment in which to figure yourself out. It is where you can figure out what type of people you gel with and what type of people just are not the right fit for your life. It is the perfect place to figure out your passion and realize your dreams because people