February 9, 2015, by studentcontributor
Transitioning from high school to university
Hey! I’m Riya and it’s been just 3 months since I started learning Medicine at Nottingham. Coming all the way from Thailand, I couldn’t ask for a better welcome. Although some things here are inevitably different (Why does the sun set before lectures end??), I believe I have made the right choice.
High school vs university
About a year ago from now, all I wanted was for these last months of Year 13 to fly by, dreaming of the freedom that graduation will bring. But, moving to university is a different experience all together. From learning basic skills like waking up yourself, doing laundry and more significant skills like time management, you really develop as a person.
Living in halls was also an aspect of university which I would recommend. I remember just before I came, I was looking through different options and deciding where I should stay for the year. I decided to go for catered and I currently share my room with one other person. One of the big advantages of living in halls is that you can meet loads of people, especially people from other courses.
One of the key things I noticed is the change in the style of education from Sixth Form to University. In high school, all the teachers knew you on personal basis and would notice if you were gone. In lectures, you wouldn’t be surprised if your lecturer didn’t miss your face in a crowd of 250 students. That being said, lecturers are very experienced in their certain area. Make use of it!
Exams
Just three months into my course, I was sitting my first set of University exams. I was shocked! It is a different experience. In school, teachers would provide you with past papers, they would go over key points until you understood them. Here, you are more independent. It Is up to you to do your own past papers and revision. Use this to your advantage. Everyone has a different learning style and different types when they concentrate best. And start revision nice and early!
Interviews
I know some of you are doing your interviews right now, or have interviews coming up. All the best! Remember to make use of this opportunity to see if you would like to spend five years of your life there. Ask questions, go on a tour and have fun!
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