Moving to higher education
I recently wrote an article regarding how to step up from secondary school to college – transitioning from GCSEs to A-Levels. The full piece can be found here but, to summarise, the main focus was on choosing the right courses. This difficult decision is essentially repeated in the second year when picking the right degree, amplified by having to also opt for the right university. Add exam stress and possibly moving out of your family home for the first time on top of it all, and progressing to higher education can be a very anxiety-inducing time. So, here’s what you can do this summer to feel more prepared for University.
Take a break
Across June and July, it’s important to take a break before going back into education. Feeling any of the emotions in the first paragraph can have lingering, long-term effects on your physical and mental wellbeing. Continuous pressure and stress worrying over the future will make studying new content more difficult, especially in unfamiliar surroundings. To counterbalance this, resting up will reinvigorate you for the next part of the journey.
If possible, take a holiday with your friends. Many people will be in the same situation as you, so sharing those feelings can help dissipate them. This can also act as a microcosm of the University halls of residence experience. Shared living accommodations in a new location for a week is the perfect taster session before the upcoming year. Ultimately, it may be a while until you see your friends again next before leaving, so make this time with them last.
Internships / Summer Jobs
However, if you are anything like me, taking time off is no easy feat. After only a few days off, I get itching to go again at something stimulating. Therefore, why not consider a summer job or internship for these coming months. One of the most popular choices is Camp America, a fully inclusive programme perfect for your CV. There’s several different roles available there too, from maintenance to kitchen, so it’s well worth exploring if you fancy travelling transatlantic.
Alternatively, there are plenty of opportunities closer to home. By being proactive, you could email companies that you would be interested in working with after your degree has finished, gaining some work experience now to aid employment later. Even if you are not successful, they may send across some career advice and note down your interest for future interviews. Even shadowing someone for a couple of days shows the passion employers are looking for.
Finally, but certainly not least, picking up more hours at a part time job is always a sensible option. Many college students already multitask studies with work afterwards, and then continue to do so during higher education. However, it can be inconvenient to search for a decent supporting role as you’re trying to acclimatise to the new setting, especially when exams come back around in January. So put some extra hours in this summer (or acquire a job if you haven’t already) to allow some breathing space at University and make new friends!