my first year in university essay

Home — Essay Samples — Education — Why Is College Important — The First Semester in College: Personal Experience

My First Year College Experience

• Categories: College Education College Experience Why Is College Important

About this sample

Words: 1214 |

Published: Aug 30, 2022

Words: 1214 | Pages: 3 | 7 min read

Works Cited

• Bruni, Frank. “How to Get the Most Out of College.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 17 Aug. 2018,

Should follow an “upside down” triangle format, meaning, the writer should start off broad and introduce the text and author or topic being discussed, and then get more specific to the thesis statement.

Cornerstone of the essay, presenting the central argument that will be elaborated upon and supported with evidence and analysis throughout the rest of the paper.

The topic sentence serves as the main point or focus of a paragraph in an essay, summarizing the key idea that will be discussed in that paragraph.

The body of each paragraph builds an argument in support of the topic sentence, citing information from sources as evidence.

After each piece of evidence is provided, the author should explain HOW and WHY the evidence supports the claim.

Should follow a right side up triangle format, meaning, specifics should be mentioned first such as restating the thesis, and then get more broad about the topic at hand. Lastly, leave the reader with something to think about and ponder once they are done reading.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Dr. Heisenberg

Verified writer

• Expert in: Education

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

2 pages / 811 words

1 pages / 462 words

3 pages / 1347 words

2 pages / 703 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Why Is College Important

Rose, Mike. 'Why School? A Student in a Community College Basic Skills Program.' Why School?: Reclaiming Education for All of Us, The New Press, 2009.

For generations, the pursuit of higher education has been regarded as an almost unassailable pathway to success. However, in the 21st century, the landscape of success and career achievement is undergoing a transformation. This [...]

Debates surrounding the value and relevance of higher education have intensified in recent years, prompting a reconsideration of the assertion that college is a waste of time and money. As the cost of tuition rises and [...]

Many people think college education in several individual terms that comes with it at the end. Parents and students have invested significant energy, time and resources in trying to build the future generations through [...]

To answer the question “is college worth it?”, essay should provide persuasive arguments. In today’s world it is primarily essential for a high school student to continue their education to college. However, earning a Bachelor’s [...]

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” These words of Nelson Mandela set the idea that with an education you can alter society for the better. Education is usually thought of as a tool to [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

Student bloggers

Subscribe to student bloggers.

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 120 other subscribers

Email Address

A Reflection on My First Year

Posted in: First year

I can’t believe how fast these 9 months went by – it feels like only yesterday that I was in the car with my stuff in boxes, driving up to campus to move in. This time, however, the car was taking me back home. My first year finished as quickly as it started, but it’s been a year to remember.

In just a couple of months, I went from being a wide-eyed teenager to a young adult with no restraints. But of course, with great power comes great responsibility. It took time to get used to waking up on time for those 9 AM lectures and staying on top of errands, but that’s part of being an adult. As unsettling as it is to grow up, it becomes slightly easier when everyone around you is also in the same boat.

In semester one , things went quite smoothly. The workload for my degree wasn’t too tough and I was enjoying getting to know my flatmates and meeting other people. It was great to be living in a new city, studying a subject I loved, with all the independence in the world. I settled in swiftly and was looking forward to spending the next few years in Bath.

However, in semester two, the workload became much more intense and so did my university life. It was around this time when lockdown measures were starting to be eased, and that meant a multitude of new opportunities for socialisation . My days consisted of lectures, coursework, and research, whilst my nights involved going into town or socialising. Sleeping in the early morning and waking up at 8 AM soon became a natural part of my routine, which in retrospect, did cause some of my burnout during the summer exam season.

Even though there was never an idle moment, I feel that semester two really did shape my first-year experience, and I wouldn’t have changed anything.

Reflecting on my first year, I’ve grown as a person and learned a lot. I’ve broken out of my comfort zone and expanded my skill set. Some of the key things I learned were to do with the workload, the people, the city of Bath, and the freedom.

University is different from sixth form or college in the sense that preparation and organisation become more important than ever. It’s close to impossible to learn an entire module’s worth of material the night before the exam. There will also be several deadlines in one month that need to be met, which is no walk in the park either.

One of the first things many students learn when coming to university is that time management is key to success. If I had to tell my fresher self a single piece of advice, it would be to have a monthly calendar with the dates of all the deadlines and social events written in. I started doing this in semester two and it made my life so much easier.

Another tip I can’t stress enough is to check your student emails every single day! This will prevent you from missing new assignments and deadlines, which is just unnecessary stress.

The thought of moving to a new city where you don’t know anyone is daunting. It’s easy to get caught up in a whirlwind of worries but we often tend to forget that everyone else is also in the deep end. At the end of the day, we’re all looking to meet new people and make friends.

Some you’ll speak to once during Fresher’s, maybe get their Instagram handle, and never see them again. Others you’ll keep in touch with, see them often, and they’ll become your best friends. Everyone is generally accepting at university, and there’s no need to reinvent yourself or have a makeover. It’s a time to be true to yourself and comfortable in your own skin. If people don’t like you for who you are, it’s their loss!

One of the aspects of student life I’ve enjoyed most life has been meeting people from diverse backgrounds. Some of my closest friends are not only from the UK, but from Spain, India, and Hong Kong as well. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there! As long as you are on top of your work, never say no to an opportunity for socialising. Some of my best memories have been last minute-plans where I’ve only had 30 minutes to dress!

Bath has so much to offer, and with a great transport system and short walking distances, there’s no reason not to explore it! The Royal Crescent is a gorgeous picnic spot, and the Roman Baths are pretty impressive – students get free entry, which is a bonus! In the summer, Warleigh Weir is a popular place to hang out and take a dip in the water for those that can brave the cold (bring a towel!)

I ate out at least once a week in semester two – it’s a great way to get some fresh air, a satisfying meal, and a catch-up with friends. Thaikhun serves up authentic and fragrant Thai food, while Framptons does a brilliant offer every Tuesday: burger, fries, and a drink (alcoholic options too!) for a tenner. For quick bites, I’d recommend Tealith for unbeatable bubble tea and Ben’s Cookies for those sweet cravings.

Many of Bath’s hidden gems lie in the narrow alleyways and it’s worth having a explore through them all on a sunny day.

There’s a great variety of clothing stores from Urban Outfitters to JD, though many of them do tend to be out of the range of student budgets. Student discounts do come in handy to save up the coins here and there – Unidays or StudentBeans are essential for keeping costs low not just when shopping, but also in certain restaurants and bars as well. Unfortunately, clubs have remained shut throughout the year for obvious reasons, but at least they’re something to look forward to next year!

The Independence

For some, living away from parents is delightful, and for others, it’s a disaster. As impressionable as we are when starting university, it soon becomes evident that it’s not all fun and games. Chores slowly start to creep up on you, and those missed lectures appear at the back of your mind.

However, life doesn’t revolve around school anymore. Once your work is done for the day, you can spend your downtime playing sports or heading into town; the options are limitless. Even your schedules aren’t as rigid – Bath students get Wednesday afternoons off, and it’s up to you how to spend it.

I’m sad to see my first year go, but there’s a lot more to look forward to in the future! There’ll be periods of homesickness and stress, but there’ll also be good times and lots of laughs. It’s natural for there to be ups and downs, and it makes life worth living. And if anything else, there’ll be lots of amusing messes you can look back on in the coming years.

Share this:

Click here to cancel reply.

• Email * (we won't publish this)

Write a response

Why University encouraged me to embrace my disability.

Before I started university, I was excited for a fresh start. I had made it my life’s mission to avoid being known for my disability- Cystic Fibrosis (CF), a lung and digestive system disease- all my friends were aware I...

Finding Community at University

Feeling nervous/anxious Approaching the start of university can bring up a lot of conflicting emotions. I remember feeling both excited, and also pretty terrified. It is easy to jump to the worst-case scenarios in your head and worry about making...

Student Finance - What you need to know

The university application process is full of big decisions, deadlines and results days and so student finance is often an afterthought. Admittedly anything finance isn’t the most exciting, but the process is paramount to starting your course on time, so...

• UCL Accommodation
• Prospective residents
• Students with Additional Requirements
• Current residents
• Alternative Accommodation
• Fees, guidance and payment

Top tips for writing your first university essay

28 October 2021

Moving from A-level (or equivalent) standard of writing to the expectations required for a degree might seem a little daunting, so to help, UCL student Saumark Bhaumick lists her top tips for writing effective essays.

1. Set the standard 

Understanding your academic discipline in relation to your year is the first step to writing a great university essay.  A final-year history essay is going to be very different from a biology essay set for a first-year student.

You should identify what the basic requirements of essays in your field are. This includes common essay structure, tone, and referencing.

If you’re not sure on the answers to these, ask your module tutor for essay examples from previous first year students with similar work from relevant sources. 

2. Understand structuring

Now that you’ve identified what the expectation is for your first essay, you can begin to think about your structure.  To do this, consider what the word limit is. Using essay examples from step 1, allocate a rough percentage for each section in your structure.

For example, you may decide to give 20% of the word count for each main body paragraph, and 10% each to the introduction and conclusion.

3. Plan your essay

At this stage, creating a plan and allocating the appropriate time for each of the stages will really help you. Here’s an example:

• Research two points for my main argument (3 days)
• Research two points for my counter argument (3 days)
• Write the main argument (1 day)
• Write up the counter argument (1 day)
• Write my introduction and conclusion (1 day)
• Referencing and asking someone for feedback (1 day)

4. Research your sources

The research stage will most probably be the most interesting, and the most time-consuming.  Here you should focus on learning and building up your notes, so that when it comes to writing, you can simply reword what you’ve already found.

To do this, know which websites to use for sources (journals, papers etc.) such as UCL Explore , Google Scholar , JSTOR . You can also do this by asking your Module Tutor for recommended sites and databases.

Make sure to read through sources efficiently and track what parts are relevant to your essay question by making your own notes from these sources.

5. Write from your sources and reference correctly

Now you can use the most relevant parts of your research notes to write the essay.

Make sure you don’t copy your notes (created from the sources) word for word! You don’t want to plagiarise for a number of reasons, and UCL’s Turnitin System will find out. 

Add in the sources for each relevant idea to get references. You can reference properly at the end or as you go – both are fine – but make sure you have a rough way to keep track of which sources you’ve used!

Having identified which style of referencing you should use (e.g. Harvard, Vancouver etc.), you can use websites such as Mybib , Citethisforme or Mendeley to easily create a proper, error-free Bibliography and In-text citations.

Find out more about academic integrity at UCL

6. Get feedback 

If you have enough time for this stage, you’ve done well! It would be wise to send your essay draft to your Module Tutor or Personal Tutor and ask for some feedback. 

Nice job! You have written your first university essay. The good news? Every time you write one it gets easier, and you get better!

Photo by Corinne Kutz on Unsplash  

Related News

Tips from my first year - essay writing

This is the third of a three part series giving advice on the essay writing process, focusing in this case on essay writing.

Daniel is a first year BA History and Politics student at Magdalen College . He is a disabled student and the first in his immediate family to go to university. Daniel is also a Trustee of Potential Plus UK , a Founding Ambassador and Expert Panel Member for Zero Gravity , and a History Faculty Ambassador. Before coming to university, Daniel studied at a non-selective state school, and was a participant on the UNIQ , Sutton Trust , and Social Mobility Foundation APP Reach programmes, as well as being part of the inaugural Opportunity Oxford cohort. Daniel is passionate about outreach and social mobility and ensuring all students have the best opportunity to succeed.

History and its related disciplines mainly rely on essay writing with most term-time work centring on this, so it’s a good idea to be prepared. The blessing of the Oxford system though is you get plenty of opportunity to practice, and your tutors usually provide lots of feedback (both through comments on essays and in tutorials) to help you improve. Here are my tips from my first year as an Oxford Undergraduate:

• Plan for success – a good plan really sets your essay in a positive direction, so try to collect your thoughts if you can. I find a great way to start my planning process is to go outside for a walk as it helps to clear my head of the detail, it allows me to focus on the key themes, and it allows me to explore ideas without having to commit anything to paper. Do keep in mind your question throughout the reading and notetaking process, though equally look to the wider themes covered so that when you get to planning you are in the right frame of mind.
• Use what works for you – if you try to use a method you aren’t happy with, it won’t work. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t experiment; to the contrary I highly encourage it as it can be good to change up methods and see what really helps you deliver a strong essay. However, don’t feel pressured into using one set method, as long as it is time-efficient and it gets you ready for the next stage of the essay process it is fine!
• Focus on the general ideas – summarise in a sentence what each author argues, see what links there are between authors and subject areas, and possibly group your ideas into core themes or paragraph headers. Choose the single piece of evidence you believe supports each point best.
• Make something revision-ready – try to make something which you can come back to in a few months’ time which makes sense and will really get your head back to when you were preparing for your essay.
• Consider what is most important – no doubt if you spoke about everything covered on the reading list you would have far more words than the average essay word count (which is usually advised around 1,500-2,000 words - it does depend on your tutor.) You have a limited amount of time, focus, and words, so choose what stands out to you as the most important issues for discussion. Focus on the important issues well rather than covering several points in a less-focused manner.
• Make it your voice – your tutors want to hear from you about what you think and what your argument is, not lots of quotes of what others have said. Therefore, when planning and writing consider what your opinion is and make sure to state it. Use authors to support your viewpoint, or to challenge it, but make sure you are doing the talking and driving the analysis. At the same time, avoid slang, and ensure the language you use is easy to digest.
• Make sure you can understand it - don’t feel you have to use big fancy words you don’t understand unless they happen to be relevant subject-specific terminology, and don’t swallow the Thesaurus. If you use a technical term, make sure to provide a definition. You most probably won’t have time to go into it fully, but if it is an important concept hint at the wider historical debate. State where you stand and why briefly you believe what you are stating before focusing on your main points. You need to treat the reader as both an alien from another planet, and a very intelligent person at the same time – make sure your sentences make sense, but equally make sure to pitch it right. As you can possibly tell, it is a fine balancing act so my advice is to read through your essay and ask yourself ‘why’ about every statement or argument you make. If you haven’t answered why, you likely require a little more explanation. Simple writing doesn’t mean a boring or basic argument, it just means every point you make lands and has impact on the reader, supporting them every step of the way.
• Keep introductions and conclusions short – there is no need for massive amounts of setting the scene in the introduction, or an exact repeat of every single thing you have said in the essay appearing in the conclusion. Instead, in the first sentence of your introduction provide a direct answer to the question. If the question is suitable, it is perfectly fine to say yes, no, or it is a little more complicated. Whatever the answer is, it should be simple enough to fit in one reasonable length sentence. The next three sentences should state what each of your three main body paragraphs are going to argue, and then dive straight into it. With your conclusion, pick up what you said about the key points. Suggest how they possibly link, maybe do some comparison between factors and see if you can leave us with a lasting thought which links to the question in your final sentence.
• Say what you are going to say, say it, say it again – this is a general essay structure; an introduction which clearly states your argument; a main body which explains why you believe that argument; and a conclusion which summarises the key points to be drawn from your essay. Keep your messaging clear as it is so important the reader can grasp everything you are trying to say to have maximum impact. This applies in paragraphs as well – each paragraph should in one sentence outline what is to be said, it should then be said, and in the final sentence summarise what you have just argued. Somebody should be able to quickly glance over your essay using the first and last sentences and be able to put together the core points.
• Make sure your main body paragraphs are focused – if you have come across PEE (Point, Evidence, Explain – in my case the acronym I could not avoid at secondary school!) before, then nothing has changed. Make your point in around a sentence, clearly stating your argument. Then use the best single piece of evidence available to support your point, trying to keep that to a sentence or two if you can. The vast majority of your words should be explaining why this is important, and how it supports your argument, or how it links to something else. You don’t need to ‘stack’ examples where you provide multiple instances of the same thing – if you have used one piece of evidence that is enough, you can move on and make a new point. Try to keep everything as short as possible while communicating your core messages, directly responding to the question. You also don’t need to cover every article or book you read, rather pick out the most convincing examples.
• It works, it doesn’t work, it is a little more complicated – this is a structure I developed for writing main body paragraphs, though it is worth noting it may not work for every question. It works; start your paragraph with a piece of evidence that supports your argument fully. It doesn’t work; see if there is an example which seems to contradict your argument, but suggest why you still believe your argument is correct. Then, and only if you can, see if there is an example which possibly doesn’t quite work fully with your argument, and suggest why possibly your argument cannot wholly explain this point or why your argument is incomplete but still has the most explanatory power. See each paragraph as a mini-debate, and ensure different viewpoints have an opportunity to be heard.
• Take your opponents at their best – essays are a form of rational dialogue, interacting with writing on this topic from the past, so if you are going to ‘win’ (or more likely just make a convincing argument as you don’t need to demolish all opposition in sight) then you need to treat your opponents fairly by choosing challenging examples, and by fairly characterising their arguments. It should not be a slinging match of personal insults or using incredibly weak examples, as this will undermine your argument. While I have never attacked historians personally (though you may find in a few readings they do attack each other!), I have sometimes chosen the easier arguments to try to tackle, and it is definitely better to try to include some arguments which are themselves convincing and contradictory to your view.
• Don’t stress about referencing – yes referencing is important, but it shouldn’t take too long. Unless your tutor specifies a method, choose a method which you find simple to use as well as being an efficient method. For example, when referencing books I usually only include the author, book title, and year of publication – the test I always use for referencing is to ask myself if I have enough information to buy the book from a retailer. While this wouldn’t suffice if you were writing for a journal, you aren’t writing for a journal so focus on your argument instead and ensure you are really developing your writing skills.
• Don’t be afraid of the first person – in my Sixth Form I was told not to use ‘I’ as it weakened my argument, however that isn’t the advice I have received at Oxford; in fact I have been encouraged to use it as it forces me to take a side. So if you struggle with making your argument clear, use phrases like ‘I believe’ and ‘I argue’.

I hope this will help as a toolkit to get you started, but my last piece of advice is don’t worry! As you get so much practice at Oxford you get plenty of opportunity to perfect your essay writing skills, so don’t think you need to be amazing at everything straight away. Take your first term to try new methods out and see what works for you – don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Good luck!

Ultimate Guide to Writing Your College Essay

Tips for writing an effective college essay.

College admissions essays are an important part of your college application and gives you the chance to show colleges and universities your character and experiences. This guide will give you tips to write an effective college essay.

Want free help with your college essay?

UPchieve connects you with knowledgeable and friendly college advisors—online, 24/7, and completely free. Get 1:1 help brainstorming topics, outlining your essay, revising a draft, or editing grammar.

Writing a strong college admissions essay

Learn about the elements of a solid admissions essay.

Avoiding common admissions essay mistakes

Learn some of the most common mistakes made on college essays

Brainstorming tips for your college essay

Stuck on what to write your college essay about? Here are some exercises to help you get started.

How formal should the tone of your college essay be?

Learn how formal your college essay should be and get tips on how to bring out your natural voice.

Taking your college essay to the next level

Hear an admissions expert discuss the appropriate level of depth necessary in your college essay.

Student Stories

Student Story: Admissions essay about a formative experience

Get the perspective of a current college student on how he approached the admissions essay.

Student Story: Admissions essay about personal identity

Get the perspective of a current college student on how she approached the admissions essay.

Student Story: Admissions essay about community impact

Student story: admissions essay about a past mistake, how to write a college application essay, tips for writing an effective application essay, sample college essay 1 with feedback, sample college essay 2 with feedback.

This content is licensed by Khan Academy and is available for free at www.khanacademy.org.

Writing Repository: The First-Year Essay

• For Faculty
• Writing and Grammar Handouts
• Plan Writing
• The First-Year Essay
• The Senior Plan Essay
• Action Verbs

Writing the First-Year Essay Handout

• Writing the First-Year Reflection Essay

Writing the First-Year Essay

WRITING THE FIRST-YEAR ESSAY 

GATHER: Collect the basics about your coursework, co-curricular work (anything outside of your courses that relates to your studies) , and FWT information (if you have done it already) to begin. 

List your areas of study so far: 

List your favorite ideas, things, and/or figures in your studies so far (authors, artists, creators, scientists, historical figures, activists, inventors, movements, organizations, etc.). This list is a good way to gather examples for your 2-6 links in the essay: 

OBSERVE: Fill in these sentences. 

INQUIRY & RESEARCH: I’m curious about or I want to learn more about… 

CREATE AND COMMUNICATE: I want to create/make/examine/test/explore… 

ENGAGE: I have engaged with these people/sources/things/groups… 

CONSIDER: Fill in these sentences. 

I wish to develop my skills in… 

I see parallels and connections between… 

I thought that I understood…, but I discovered that I… 

WRITING THE ESSAY 

INTRODUCTION 

• You can begin the essay in a number of ways—with an anecdote, a memory, a fact, an observation, a quote, an idea, or a question. 
• Your audience is your Faculty Advisor and the Provost and Dean’s office, so the tone can be academic and personal. 
• You can organize your reflection in several ways: by answering each of the prompts in the Dean’s letter; by discussing your work thematically; by Capacity (engage, inquire, communicate, research, create), or by writing about courses, co-curricular work, and your FWT experience separately. 
• Do you have a main interest, question, or idea? For example: “My work at Bennington so far has focused on biology, but I’m also drawn to contemporary photography and its representations of the body.” A focus may emerge from a question, a problem, or an enthusiasm, but it’s not necessary at this point! 

BODY PARAGRAPHS 

• The body paragraphs are a great place for you to add the 2-6 links to your work. You could link to essays, projects, artworks, videos, collaborations, homework, notes, etc. 
• Try to address each of the questions in the Dean’s letter. Most importantly, include specifics for each answer: quotes from texts you read; ideas, images, or facts; anecdotes from class discussion; details and evidence from your projects, research, or creations. Communicate to the reader a vivid picture of what your first term and FWT experiences have been like for you. 
• You can address any of these things: what you have discovered, created, and accomplished so far; the inquiries you have made and the challenges you have encountered; which skills you want to develop; what you wish to learn more about or research; what risks you have taken; what you want to make, test, examine; what you want to engage with more deeply; and, how your Field Work Term and co-curricular work connect to your studies. 

CONCLUSION 

• • What else do you want to add to reflect upon your experiences thus far? What are you proud of? What personal or academic goals do you have? 
• • Which classes do you want to pursue in the coming years at Bennington? Are there faculty you want to work with next year? 
• • How can you end on a powerful note? As in your introduction, you might include an anecdote, a memory, a fact, an observation, a quote, an idea, or a question. 

WRITING TIPS 

• The essay should be 3-5 pages long; it should be double-spaced and include a header with your name, advisor, and a title. It should include 2-6 links to samples of your work. 
• Make time to write a first draft. Often you will discover your best idea at the end of the first draft. Take that idea or argument, and put it in the first paragraph of your next draft. Then, take time to edit and proofread. 
• You may visit a Peer Writing Tutor or the professional ELL and Writing Tutor to work on your reflection essay: https://bennington.mywconline.com . 
• Share your essay with a friend. One of the best ways to edit your writing is to read it out loud; you will often hear your mistakes and be able to generate ideas to fix them. 
• Edit generalities like “Since the dawn of time, people have liked to tell stories.” Always use specifics! 
• If necessary, have you properly cited your quotations and evidence according to the expectations of your disciplines (MLA, APA, or Chicago styles)? 
• Check your punctuation. Have you accurately used commas, semicolons, quotation marks, colons, dashes, brackets, etc.? 
• << Previous: Plan Writing
• Next: The Senior Plan Essay >>
• Last Updated: Jun 16, 2023 1:56 PM
• URL: https://libraryguides.bennington.edu/writingrepository

Student success: why first year at uni is a make-or -break experience

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), James Cook University

Disclosure statement

Sally Kift received funding from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council for a Senior Fellowship on the First Year Experience and from the Office for Learning and Teaching on supporting LSES student success.

James Cook University provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.

View all partners

Starting first year at university can be a daunting experience and a big adjustment for new students. Some adjust easily and thrive. As many as one third do not and think about leaving .

If first year goes well, it sets students up for successful university study and future careers. But if students struggle or become disengaged they can under-perform or just drop out completely.

Why the first year matters

First-year students arrive with very different academic and social skills, and from different backgrounds and cultures. Many are also making big life adjustments: for example, by living away from home for the first time.

Despite their diverse backgrounds, the one thing that all students have in common is that they come to university to learn. The first-year curriculum is the obvious centrepiece of that learning. The institution controls it, all students must access it and it is where time-poor students are entitled to expect relevance, support and engagement, both academically and socially.

In response, whole-of-institution approaches should be “comprehensive, integrated and co-ordinated” . Their organising device , the missing link in our understanding of the first-year experience until recently, is the curriculum. What works and what is sustainable in resource-poor universities is, in short, better curriculum delivered by good teachers: what’s known as a transition pedagogy .

Adding urgency to the challenge is the sharp rise in the number of students at Australian universities in recent years. Traditionally under-represented groups are accessing higher education in greater numbers. Many students who start university in 2014 will still be the first in their family to do so.

For these students in particular the first year is critical. Early and disappointed departure – attrition – is a big issue for the first-year student experience.

Overall, the rate of attrition, which varies from state to state, institution to institution and between domestic and international students, is high – almost double that for second year. This is so even after accounting for “positive attrition”, where students leave after discovering where their true interests lie.

Bad attrition is morally indefensible and hugely wasteful. A 2010 study of retention in the Australian higher education sector estimated that the total cost of first-year attrition was more than A$1 billion per year. The cost for each public university is $20-$36 million.

But it gets worse. Official attrition statistics do not account for the significant percentage of students who leave without ever being counted in the first place. This includes those who don’t take-up their offer, don’t make it to O-Week or don’t make it to the official week four census date.

The unfortunate reality for about one-third of students is that first year is when they drift in an anxious journey from the known and familiar to unknown and indecipherable.

Decades of research tell us that students consider leaving for many complex and often inter-related reasons. Most frequently, these centre on perceptions of course and teaching quality, lack of clarity about what is required for success, limited engagement and expectations mismatch.

Rarely is the support students need to succeed provided “just in time” or “just for me”. Students are expected to go and find it for themselves. This is hard for students who have no one at home or in their social networks to ask or help them.

What to do?

Fortunately, what needs to be done is reasonably clear, though not necessarily easy.

While students do need to adjust to the general and specific cultures of higher education and particular disciplines, as higher education experts Nick Zepke and Linda Leach have observed , institutions also need to adapt to support student diversity.

To do this, universities have to adopt whole-of-institution approaches, where academic and non-academic staff work together quite intentionally to level the academic playing field and support student success. This gives all students an equal opportunity to be successful, regardless of their backgrounds.

Using new learning analytics, it is possible to examine the patterns of students’ online access to university resources and intervene if necessary to provide learning support before it is too late and students drop out.

If we are intentional about student success, we can anticipate and mediate known first-year obstacles. For example, we know that many school leavers are uncertain about their course and career choices. This is easily fixed: class time can be used for course advising and discipline career exploration to normalise that indecision.

Early in tertiary study, self-management skills are vital. Tutorials in the first weeks should be used to equip students with the self-help skills of time management, help-seeking behaviour and goal setting.

The research on first year is clear. Universities need to stop blaming students for perceived inadequacies. They need to come in from the periphery of the curriculum where they have let first years wander for too long in search of unmediated transition assistance.

Universities need, quite intentionally, to make first-year student learning, success and retention their core business.

• Universities
• Higher education

Lecturer / Senior Lecturer - Marketing

Communications and Engagement Officer, Corporate Finance Property and Sustainability

Assistant Editor - 1 year cadetship

Executive Dean, Faculty of Health

Lecturer/Senior Lecturer, Earth System Science (School of Science)

The writer of the academic essay aims to persuade readers of an idea based on evidence. The beginning of the essay is a crucial first step in this process. In order to engage readers and establish your authority, the beginning of your essay has to accomplish certain business. Your beginning should introduce the essay, focus it, and orient readers.

Introduce the Essay.  The beginning lets your readers know what the essay is about, the  topic . The essay's topic does not exist in a vacuum, however; part of letting readers know what your essay is about means establishing the essay's  context , the frame within which you will approach your topic. For instance, in an essay about the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of speech, the context may be a particular legal theory about the speech right; it may be historical information concerning the writing of the amendment; it may be a contemporary dispute over flag burning; or it may be a question raised by the text itself. The point here is that, in establishing the essay's context, you are also limiting your topic. That is, you are framing an approach to your topic that necessarily eliminates other approaches. Thus, when you determine your context, you simultaneously narrow your topic and take a big step toward focusing your essay. Here's an example.

The paragraph goes on. But as you can see, Chopin's novel (the topic) is introduced in the context of the critical and moral controversy its publication engendered.

Focus the Essay.  Beyond introducing your topic, your beginning must also let readers know what the central issue is. What question or problem will you be thinking about? You can pose a question that will lead to your idea (in which case, your idea will be the answer to your question), or you can make a thesis statement. Or you can do both: you can ask a question and immediately suggest the answer that your essay will argue. Here's an example from an essay about Memorial Hall.

The fullness of your idea will not emerge until your conclusion, but your beginning must clearly indicate the direction your idea will take, must set your essay on that road. And whether you focus your essay by posing a question, stating a thesis, or combining these approaches, by the end of your beginning, readers should know what you're writing about, and  why —and why they might want to read on.

Orient Readers.  Orienting readers, locating them in your discussion, means providing information and explanations wherever necessary for your readers' understanding. Orienting is important throughout your essay, but it is crucial in the beginning. Readers who don't have the information they need to follow your discussion will get lost and quit reading. (Your teachers, of course, will trudge on.) Supplying the necessary information to orient your readers may be as simple as answering the journalist's questions of who, what, where, when, how, and why. It may mean providing a brief overview of events or a summary of the text you'll be analyzing. If the source text is brief, such as the First Amendment, you might just quote it. If the text is well known, your summary, for most audiences, won't need to be more than an identifying phrase or two:

Often, however, you will want to summarize your source more fully so that readers can follow your analysis of it.

Questions of Length and Order.  How long should the beginning be? The length should be proportionate to the length and complexity of the whole essay. For instance, if you're writing a five-page essay analyzing a single text, your beginning should be brief, no more than one or two paragraphs. On the other hand, it may take a couple of pages to set up a ten-page essay.

Does the business of the beginning have to be addressed in a particular order? No, but the order should be logical. Usually, for instance, the question or statement that focuses the essay comes at the end of the beginning, where it serves as the jumping-off point for the middle, or main body, of the essay. Topic and context are often intertwined, but the context may be established before the particular topic is introduced. In other words, the order in which you accomplish the business of the beginning is flexible and should be determined by your purpose.

Opening Strategies.  There is still the further question of how to start. What makes a good opening? You can start with specific facts and information, a keynote quotation, a question, an anecdote, or an image. But whatever sort of opening you choose, it should be directly related to your focus. A snappy quotation that doesn't help establish the context for your essay or that later plays no part in your thinking will only mislead readers and blur your focus. Be as direct and specific as you can be. This means you should avoid two types of openings:

• The history-of-the-world (or long-distance) opening, which aims to establish a context for the essay by getting a long running start: "Ever since the dawn of civilized life, societies have struggled to reconcile the need for change with the need for order." What are we talking about here, political revolution or a new brand of soft drink? Get to it.
• The funnel opening (a variation on the same theme), which starts with something broad and general and "funnels" its way down to a specific topic. If your essay is an argument about state-mandated prayer in public schools, don't start by generalizing about religion; start with the specific topic at hand.

Remember.  After working your way through the whole draft, testing your thinking against the evidence, perhaps changing direction or modifying the idea you started with, go back to your beginning and make sure it still provides a clear focus for the essay. Then clarify and sharpen your focus as needed. Clear, direct beginnings rarely present themselves ready-made; they must be written, and rewritten, into the sort of sharp-eyed clarity that engages readers and establishes your authority.

Copyright 1999, Patricia Kain, for the Writing Center at Harvard University

Real-life tips on surviving your first year at university

The start of university can be overwhelming, but these tips from current university students and recent graduates can help you start off on the right foot.

Callum Dawson

Your first year of university is, without a doubt, character-building. Of course, this could be either a good thing or a bad thing.

To help every student make the most of their first year, we got in touch with a group who made it through that awkward transition and lived to tell the tale. These individuals gave us some fantastic tips that will guide you through first year.

Go your own way

“My best tip for the first year of university is not to be afraid of attending events alone. I went to so many gigs on my own to begin with, purely because I hadn’t formed a solid group of friends yet.

“Later down the line, it actually helped me because I’d met and became friends with a lot of people outside the uni and was more involved in the city I lived in. It made me way more social.”

– Willow Coldwell (@WillowDemelza), g raduate, m usic business at British and Irish Modern Music Institute, Brighton

Independence is vital at university – and, as Willow says, it helps you to build your network beyond the university bubble. Doing so, you get a stronger experience of your city, which gives you the confidence to put yourself into situations that might previously have terrified you.

Get work experience where you can

“Start getting real work experience during first year. Internships count! Even if it’s a few hours a week.

“That way you can graduate with years of experience and land an awesome job. It will also help ease anxiety because you are building for the future – there’s peace of mind knowing that you will be more highly qualified for good jobs.”

Adam Gingery (@AdamGingery1), g raduate, journalism at the University of Manchester

Work experience consistently catches employers’ eyes, helping graduates to land top jobs every single year. Being able to prove that you’ve spent time working with accomplished professionals in your chosen line of work is important.

There’s often a lot of anxiety around landing your “dream job”, and a bit of work experience is a fantastic way to combat this.

Respect deadlines

“Deadlines are deadlines. Some tutors may be more lenient than others, but it’s a good habit to respect deadlines from day one, and note them in your diary so that you’re prepared.”

Sophie Wagstaff (@explorewithsoph), g raduate, music journalism at the University of Staffordshire

It’s easy to let things slip when you’re halfway through the academic year and the deadlines are stacking up. But you’ll manage your time far better with forward planning and a sincere respect for deadlines.

Develop a regular sleeping pattern

“Get into a routine of not sleeping in too much. It’s way too easy to miss those 9am lectures!”

Lois Connell (@LoisConnell_), second- year student, nutrition, diet and lifestyle at Sheffield Hallam University

We’re all guilty of hitting the snooze button every now and then, but at university it can turn into a regular occurrence. Developing a sensible sleeping pattern is easily neglected, but don’t make the same mistakes that many other students will.

Grades do count in first year!

“It’s important to still try hard with your work in first year, even if you only need 40 per cent to pass. Otherwise, you get a massive kick in the teeth when you get to second year and you don’t do as well as you could.”

Suzie Rhead (@suzie_rhead), g raduate, law and economics at the University of Liverpool

Complacency in your first year will have a knock-on effect throughout your degree because it’s arguably your most important year. It’s your introduction to university-level learning and scholarship and all its demands. You’ll need to learn how to manage your time – in terms of both study and social life – and also how to work, independently or in groups.

Try a society

“Join every club and society going. It’s a great way to meet lots of different people aside from housemates and coursemates.”

Kate Chapman (@_KateChapman), g raduate, history at Trent University

Enough with the serious stuff. Join a society! You may have been told that this is exactly what you’ll do and that you won’t attend a single social, but that doesn’t matter. Joining societies is a numbers game – each society you do join will increase the chances of your meeting new people and making friends.

“My top tip for surviving first year would be to plan your week beforehand. This includes meal planning (to cut down cost and waste), scheduling your essay prep, and writing well before the deadline.”

Stephanie Jones (@stephanie0jones), PhD student, sociology at Bangor University

Here’s a tip that helps the environment. It should help you organise your work better, too.

If you know, you know…

“Here’s a good tip for saving money: when a new food place opens in your area, they’ll usually want to test out their new menu, so what I’d do is ring them up and say I was willing to test the food and give them feedback for a free dinner. It worked a fair few times.”

Liam Solomon, g raduate, marketing at Sheffield Hallam University

It might take a bit of cheek, but it’s worth a shot! With a bit of know-how and a whole load of chutzpah, you’ll be dining for free on a fortnightly basis.

Start your first year with a smile and don’t try to reinvent yourself too much

Above all else, a smile goes a long way. You’ll come off as more approachable and with an open and friendly demeanour.

One more thing: be wary of trying too hard to “fit in”. It’s common for first-years to fall in with certain groups and act in ways that don’t necessarily reflect who they are. Make sure that you socialise with people who share your interests and your values.

And, take it from our students, you might get the urge to pack your bags and head home within the first few weeks. Unless you’ve really thought about it and are sure that the university or course isn’t for you, try to stick it out.

Read more: Top 10 university hacks from some of the UK’s most successful students and graduates

Register free and enjoy extra benefits

• Health & wellbeing

Reflecting on my first semester as an undergraduate

Finding my way around uni these past few months has really taught me a lot. It’s opened my eyes to just how difficult, but rewarding independence can be. I’ve gained new friendships, connections, and most importantly, it’s revealed a strong, confident personality in me that I never knew I had.

Workload and stress

To say I haven’t enjoyed the semester would be a complete lie – I absolutely adored it. Yes, there were times where I had work piling up, on top of three novels that I had to have read. Plus all of the usual student stresses like lack of money and food. Despite this struggle, I think I’ve handled the first semester really well. I’m getting grades that I’m proud of and I’ve found amazing friends. (Plus I’ve finally managed to get a sense of order in the madness that is my desk!)

Saving money

One thing I really have struggled with is money management; finding a way to stop spending my fortnightly wages within a couple days! My family always told me it would be hard, but I just thought I’d be fine, having a job and a bit of money saved up. Now I know, money goes  so  quickly! But now I’m shopping in cheaper shops and trying to cut back on little things, like the unnecessary Primark trips and stopping at Eskimoo on my way to a lecture…

A big factor in how I dealt with leaving my family and my home was the advice they gave me. I owe a lot to my family, especially my Dad, who always goes out of his way to make sure I’m okay and happy. He’s visited me frequently in this first semester, and it really helped me to feel that I wasn’t just by myself at uni; that I had support and love, no matter how far away I was from them. I’m forever grateful to my family for helping me through my homesickness and initial sadness at becoming ‘independent’. They got me out of my slump, and ultimately gave me the motivation I needed to really get stuck into my work at Uni, and I couldn’t love them more for doing so. They also brought my dog to Lincoln for the day, which in itself is the best thing that anyone could ever do (honestly, it was the best day ever).

A Personal Highlight

A personal highlight of the semester for me was the connections I made over the past few months. I’ve experienced enthusiastic, passionate teaching, which made the seminars and workshops really enjoyable, and on top of that, when it came to independent rehearsals for the end of year performance in our Drama module, I laughed harder than I’ve ever done before. Some of my favourite memories from University so far have been from those two-hour meet-ups in ATB. (Of course, we did actually get some work done, even though our Snapchat stories said otherwise…)

Honestly, if I had the chance to go back and do things differently, I wouldn’t. I’ve had a truly fantastic first semester, even though it had a shaky start, I’ve powered through and I simply can’t wait to see where the next one takes me.

• Life skills
• Undergraduate

Meet the author

We use cookies to understand how visitors use our website and to improve the user experience. To find out more, see our Cookies Policy .

• Visit & Learn
• Apply & Afford
• Connect With Us

Looking for more? Browse the main college website .

A Reflection on Freshman Year

Andriana reflects on her freshman year experience at Carleton!

• Facebook logo Share on Facebook
• Twitter logo Share on Twitter
• LinkedIn logo Share on LinkedIn
• Envelope Share through Email

Hi everyone!

It is now fifth week at Carleton! Students are working on midterm papers, preparing for exams, and anticipating Midterm Break on sixth Monday! At this halfway point, I have decided to write a reflection post on my first year at Carleton.

I recognize that my freshman experience—and that of the entire class of 2023—was unique due to the circumstances brought on by the pandemic. But here goes, anyway.

First, freshman year was harder than I had expected. I knew that college would be an adjustment, but I don’t think I had fully internalized that fact. My first term was challenging in that it was hard to meet new people, especially at a school where I didn’t know anyone beforehand. Because I knew that the workload and my jobs would demand a lot of time, I held off on joining student organizations . This also made it a bit harder to meet new people.

It’s hard to offer advice on how to get through this. If you are the kind of person who loves to join lots of clubs and be really involved in your school community, then it might be worth signing up for a couple of activities just to meet new people. If you are nervous about the academic and social transition, however, joining a lot of organizations might add unnecessary stress. In that case, don’t feel pressured to overcommit—it’s okay to take time to adapt to your new environment.

Beyond this, know that there might be lonely moments. You might be someone who becomes best friends with their roommate. Or not. You might form strong bonds during New Student Week . Or not. You might gravitate toward people on your floor, in your classes, or in extracurriculars. Or not. If you feel like you are struggling socially during your first term—or even your first year—that is okay . I guarantee that other people are feeling exactly the same way. Take comfort in the fact that you will meet new people as you interact with your classmates and gradually become part of the Carleton community.

In my experience, the first two terms I had a hard time meeting people. Luckily, I made friends with my roommate, Maya, and with a few people in my classes. But as I mentioned earlier, there were lonely moments. By the end of my winter term, I had finally started to feel settled in the Carleton community. Unfortunately, this was exactly when everything happened with the pandemic, and I have yet to return to campus. So…

Along with the social aspect of college, I found the academics to be an adjustment. I have talked a bit about this in previous posts , but I’ll go into more depth here. I noticed my first term that many freshmen were somewhat panicked about the workload. People would leave meals early in order to do homework, they would skip social gatherings, etc. While I prioritize my work, I also feel like college is not a strictly academic experience. It is important to balance schoolwork with socializing (this is partly how you meet new people!) and to recognize when you need to make sacrifices either way.

Just to be clear—I don’t mean, “Forget homework, just party!” I’m suggesting that you give yourself a night or two during the week where you decide, “Yes, I will go watch a movie with my floormates!” Take a break, even if that means that you stay up later or get up earlier to finish your homework. If you’re enjoying dinner with friends, let yourself relax and be present instead of worrying about everything you have to do after. It is  so important (I really cannot stress this enough) to give yourself a breather. Not only will you be more productive when you work, but you will enjoy your college experience so much more.

Additionally, in terms of academics, I was admittedly in for somewhat of a rude awakening. In high school, writing was my strong suit—I have always loved writing, I received positive feedback on my papers, yada yada. When I reached college, I expected that writing, again, would be my strong suit. And it was, BUT… I still had a lot to learn about college writing. My first paper in college was for a political science class, and I worked hard on it. I spent the entire weekend researching, writing, visiting the Writing Center …

Here’s the thing. At Carleton, students don’t make a habit of discussing grades. One of the best things about Carleton is that the culture is very collaborative rather than competitive. But on my first paper, I got *hushed voice* a B. Minus! I was disappointed—I was not used to getting Bs in my favorite subject. Math? Sure. Science? Why not. But writing? And on a paper where I had worked the hardest I had probably ever worked on a single assignment?

In the wake of the *B That Must Not Be Named,* I realized that I seriously needed to step up my game. What would have been considered A-level work in high school would not achieve the same results at Carleton. I responded to my disappointment by attending office hours to discuss my professor’s feedback in detail. This was crucial. My professor was able to tell me what needed work in my paper, and also gave me encouragement which really helped my confidence. On my next paper, I got an A.

This experience, getting a B- in college, was surprisingly formative. Once again, I knew going into college that I would probably not be a straight A student, but I hadn’t really internalized this. Oddly, I felt shame about getting a B- (yes, I know how bad that sounds), and had the weird idea in my head that I was the only person who wasn’t getting As.

Ultimately, getting a B- on an assignment that I thought I would do well on was a humbling reminder that college is  not high school. That getting As is not the only metric of success. That you can work  really really  hard on something and still not achieve the desired result. That one B (or B-, as it were), or two Bs, or all of the Bs, or Cs, or anything else… will not be your downfall. I have gotten more Bs since the First B(-), and I have learned to use these Bs as motivation and an opportunity to learn and improve. I am a better student because of it.

Much of what I have written about must be experienced first-hand to really be meaningful. The point of writing this post at all is to let freshmen know that any challenges they might experience are not unique to them. These challenges can feel isolating, unsettling, frustrating. It can be embarrassing to talk about how you are struggling, especially when you haven’t yet formed strong relationships. Give yourself time to find your place here. You will.

Andriana  is a sophomore at Carleton, where she plans to major in  English  and double minor in  Creative Writing  and  Cross-Cultural Studies . Although she will be spending this fall at home in Richmond, VA, Andriana is already excited to return to Carleton and escape the southern heat. When she isn’t busy avoiding Virginia’s never-ending summer, you can find Andriana binge-reading, playing music, or watching a favorite movie or show for the umpteenth time.  Meet the other bloggers!

• Free Samples
• Premium Essays
• Editing Services Editing Proofreading Rewriting
• Extra Tools Essay Topic Generator Thesis Generator Citation Generator GPA Calculator Study Guides Donate Paper
• Essay Writing Help
• About Us About Us Testimonials FAQ
• Studentshare
• Reflection on the First Year of the University

Reflection on the First Year of the University - Essay Example

• Subject: Education
• Type: Essay
• Level: Masters
• Pages: 6 (1500 words)
• Downloads: 6
• Author: cristopherdietr

Extract of sample "Reflection on the First Year of the University"

• the day they came for our house
• Cited: 4 times
• Copy Citation Citation is copied Copy Citation Citation is copied Copy Citation Citation is copied

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Reflection on the First Year of the University

Reflection on therapeutic interaction, developing reflective practice: learning about teaching, implication & challenges faced by the teaching profession, management: recruitment and selection, loyalty programmes..reflective statement for dissertation, learning log articles critique, coaching: a reflection on experience, quitting my first job.

• TERMS & CONDITIONS
• PRIVACY POLICY
• COOKIES POLICY

Cookies help us to give you the best experience on our website. You can change your cookie settings if you wish. Otherwise we'll assume you're OK to continue. OK See our policy

April 10, 2017, by Siobhan

First Year Reflection: A Transition

The past seven and a half months have passed by quicker than I could ever have imagined. I know I’m not exactly old, but I realise how true it is that time seems to fly by as you get older. There’s no more sitting in classrooms struggling to keep my eyes open on a Friday afternoon, only to then come to the heartbreaking realisation that it is in fact only Tuesday. Instead, I seem to blink and an entire semester is almost over.

I wanted to write something a bit more personal, about my journey from being a frightened fresher in late September, to a happy, confident university student now that teaching is over and we’re on our Easter break. It really has been a transition; when I think back to how I was those many months ago, I barely recognise myself. And it truly is for the better.

When I arrived at the University of Nottingham on Saturday 14th September 2016 at around 2pm, I had all my family with me, my boyfriend too, and I was so excited I resembled a 5 year old who looks down at the end of the bed to see a filled stocking, and they realise Santa has been. I was in a nervous, excited bubble; I couldn’t stop talking (much to the displeasure of my family, I’m sorry) and I felt as though I was in some sort of hyper-reality. Once we had unloaded the car of my eighteen years worth of belongings, it was time to say goodbye. I’ll never forget the feeling I got when I gave my mum a final hug, and they all left. I felt truly alone. It’s hard to describe really, but with my arms round the woman who I’d never spent more than about 3 weeks away from, I realised that for the first time in my life, I was just that. Lonely. All the excitement disappeared, and I knew I had to go inside and start to make friends. It was the most daunting experience! All of us had just been smushed together at random and we were now expected to spend every day for an entire year all together? Most of my friendships at home had curated over a number of years. My girls at home (who are absolutely amazing, might I add) have formed our friendship over about five years, and in reality I had a week to form bonds with all these strangers with weird accents and alternative pastimes. How was I supposed to do that?

It turns out, it’s not quite as daunting and horrible as that. Everyone is feeling the same way, a bit lost, sad, excited, anxious. Everyone wants to make friends. The best bit about it is that no one at all knows who you are; no one has an agenda, no one has a clue about your past, that embarrassing thing that happened to you, nothing. You are free to be who you want to be. I’m not saying that university is a time to ‘re-invent’ or ‘find’ yourself, because lets be honest, that is disgustingly cliche. What I’m saying is that its a time to be true to who you are. Throughout sixth form, I would never go into school without perfect makeup, or a beautifully put together outfit. The most important thing to me was the way I was perceived by others. Within a few weeks of being at university, I realised how unimportant it is for people to like me for what I look like, and instead I should prioritise actually liking myself, and who I am. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love doing my makeup and throwing together a nice outfit (if you know me, you’ll know I’m ALWAYS late because I’ve spent about six hours creating the perfect cut crease), but there are other things that I value too. I’m not scared to go out without a full face of makeup, and I’ll happily go to lectures in a pair of leggings and a ‘should have washed about a week ago’ jumper.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that university is terrifying to begin with, at least it was for me. I hated every second. I woke up in the mornings with a feeling of pure dread in my stomach, and I felt as though I was floating in the middle of the ocean with no one to help me, to care for me, completely isolated. I felt like this for a long time, but soon, I made some amazing amazing friends who I soon learnt felt very similar to myself. Top tip: a little self disclosure will work wonders when it comes to settling in. Gradually, I began to love my new life in Nottingham. I had freedom, independence, and I felt truly happy. Something that I hadn’t felt for a very long time. Like I was saying, who I am now, is virtually nothing like I was. I’m confident, comfortable in my own skin, and I’m happy. I’m studying a subject I love, on a beautiful campus with even more beautiful friends who I treasure. I’ve learned that it’s okay to feel sad, to miss home, to get stressed, but also that it’s okay to be happy, to enjoy your own company, to spend a little bit too much money and to get into some delightful messes that you’ll look back on fondly in the years to come.

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Google+
• Share on LinkedIn

Previous Post

No comments yet, fill out a comment to be the first

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe by email

About this blog.

Want to know what student life is really like at the University of Nottingham? Well, you’ve come to the right place! Our team of student bloggers will tell you all you need to know about the University, the city of Nottingham and a whole lot more.

Student life on social

Recent posts

• Staying active at university (and making it fun!)
• Sleep is an investment: making my sleep routine
• Going Home after Uni for the first time.
• Societies Aren’t All About Sport
• Highlights on a few interesting societies at UoN

Useful links

• Undergraduate study
• Postgraduate study
• Request a prospectus
• Nottingham life
• Student life
• Visiting us

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Welcome to the Purdue Online Writing Lab

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

The Online Writing Lab at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material, and we provide these as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue. Students, members of the community, and users worldwide will find information to assist with many writing projects. Teachers and trainers may use this material for in-class and out-of-class instruction.

The Purdue On-Campus Writing Lab and Purdue Online Writing Lab assist clients in their development as writers—no matter what their skill level—with on-campus consultations, online participation, and community engagement. The Purdue Writing Lab serves the Purdue, West Lafayette, campus and coordinates with local literacy initiatives. The Purdue OWL offers global support through online reference materials and services.

A Message From the Assistant Director of Content Development 

The Purdue OWL® is committed to supporting  students, instructors, and writers by offering a wide range of resources that are developed and revised with them in mind. To do this, the OWL team is always exploring possibilties for a better design, allowing accessibility and user experience to guide our process. As the OWL undergoes some changes, we welcome your feedback and suggestions by email at any time.

Please don't hesitate to contact us via our contact page  if you have any questions or comments.

All the best,

Social Media

Facebook twitter.

AC Grayling: ‘I ran away from school to escape the thrashings and beatings’

The philosopher, educationalist and founder of the New College of the Humanities shares the story of his African childhood

I was born in Africa and didn’t leave until I was 18, so all my schooling was there. My father was a bank manager; we were living in what is now Zambia in a big old colonial bungalow on the Copperbelt, just a couple of miles from the Congo border. 

My parents were rather remote individuals and I never had a close relationship with either of them, especially my mother. She was a bit of a landmine, really, and didn’t particularly like children, so I kept away from her as much as I could.

Although my mother hated Africa , we lived a very comfortable life with lots of servants, which was the reason she put up with it, although she was a dreadful racist. She was frightened of Africans, called them “black bastards” and so on. But Johnny Penze, our head servant, used to sleep on the stone floor next to my bed when I had night terrors, which was very often, and I loved him, and his wife, who was my nanny. They inhabited the kitchen, which was where the nice food was, and the fun and the laughter too. The rest of the house wasn’t like that.

I suppose the salient memory of that time of my life was the immense pleasure that reading gave me. There wasn’t any telly then and you couldn’t go for a walk as you would have been eaten by lions, so I would read about Plato and Aristotle and Socrates in these encyclopaedias we had, bound in dimpled red faux leather, which I spent many hours paging through, lying on my stomach on the cool flags of the verandah during school holidays. Many were the discoveries and sensations provided by those volumes and I longed to understand what these works were about. 

In the heat of the tropics, junior school started at seven in the morning and ended at midday, so we went home at lunch time, and the afternoons were so hot that everything then just stopped. My father would be at the office, my mother would take to her bed, the servants would have a nap, and so for several hours there was nothing to do but read. In the rainy season there would be this spectacular sequence of events in which the storm clouds would build up and this fantastic storm would develop: a deluge of rain accompanied by great thunder and lightning, and then for a little while after the air would be fresh and the birds would sound as if they were delighted at the very smell of the air. Those were the times I read. I read vast amounts, and those were the happiest of times, losing any sense of myself. That was where I had my education, not really from school. 

My first boarding school was in what is now Zimbabwe, a school called Falcon College, located on the site of a disused mine. My brother and sister were considerably older than I and, when I got to Falcon College, my brother was chief prefect and head of my house. I was full of admiration for my brother: he was a great sportsman and a very good prefect. All the boys liked him, so I was proud of him. And we are still the best of friends and as close as you can imagine, although, all through our childhood and even now, all these decades later, we still call each other by our surnames, as a result of being at boarding school together. 

At the beginning of each term my brother and I would travel to the school by train. It took four days to cross Africa, but the train journey was terrific, I absolutely loved it. For one thing it was a narrow gauge railway, so the speed at which the train went was just perfect for being lulled to sleep. Also, these trains were full of schoolboys, and schoolgirls too, although in separate carriages, all running amok. It was just hilarious and great fun, and when we got to Victoria Falls we all waited with the carriages’ leather bolsters in our hands, and as we crossed we would hurl them out of the window.

Falcon College was a boarding school which ran itself along English boarding school lines. I have no memory of any teacher at that school who was in any way impressive or made an impact on me, other than one, negatively. That was my housemaster, a dreadful man called Montgomery Woolley who I believe to be dead, but – if he isn’t – let us libel the hell out of him because I would like to be able to do him an injury. A week never went by without two or three beatings administered by him. I was being caned for every misdemeanour, and I was frightened and terrified of him, and in pain a lot of the time. I mean, this was a pretty serious case of abuse, really. It got to the point where I had blood blisters, bruises and stripes all over – my backside was an awful mess. One morning I couldn’t get my pyjama trousers off, they were sticking to me as all the blisters had burst, and that is when I decided, right, that’s enough, I’m off. I ran away to get away from all the thrashings and beatings. 

I made it to a railway station hoping to catch a train going north but I was caught by the police and taken back to the school. The headmaster, a deity who was held in great dread and awe, wanted to see me. I went to his study and was immediately ushered in. “My dear boy, what is this all about?” he purred, in the gentlest of tones. Now, had I been more on the ball, I could’ve said, “What is it worth for you not to have it told that I was beaten to the extent I ran away?” and held him to ransom. But he was there before me. “There will be no more beatings this term,” he declared. 

When I got home in the holidays I told my parents what had happened, and my mother, who was a very unsympathetic character, said, “Well if you’ve been caned so much it’s probably because you deserved it.”

For many many years I dreamt of Falcon and the brutality there, and the dream would involve being told that I would have to go back, and not wanting to go back because I was in the presence of an enemy, a hostile force, this awful man, Montgomery Woolley. 

Anyway, my parents finally took me out of that school, and I then went to a place called Llewellyn for a year. But some lights were turned on for me at my next school, St Andrews in Blantyre, because there were two teachers who really did spark some things. One was a man called Jim Marshall who taught English. He taught it with great relish, and had a love for poetry and language, and was very at home with Shakespeare and quoted him all the time. His classes were the vestibule to revelations, introducing a brilliant sense of possibilities. And they turned me on; I was always the kind of boy that, if I got interested in something, I wanted to know everything about it. And, as a result, I read every single word Shakespeare had written and completely fell in love with his works.

There was also another teacher named Peter Williams who was a great big fat man with a lisp and a withered left arm as he’d had polio as a child. He was teaching in Africa because, being gay, he couldn’t be in England before homosexuality had been decriminalised. He was a marvellous character. He had a very smelly dog called Nietzsche, and he drove a Mercedes one-handed: as the gear shift was on the side of his withered arm, he had a very distinctive way of driving around the town. He was a marvel; reading aloud Virgil, Ovid, or even Livy, his lisp turned the ancient tongue into a magical incantation. Williams also talked about philosophers like Wittgenstein and Heidegger and French philosophers like Sartre. I was ravenous to get my hands on their works but, being in the middle of Africa, there were very few resources, apart from an eccentric library in N’Dola, so I wasn’t able to get hold of any contemporary philosophy. I only could when I went to England for university at the age of 18. But Williams kept those fires alight. 

And so I honour those two men, Williams and Marshall, for being the kind of teachers that I think a teacher should be: a teacher who inspires a student to want to find out for themselves. That’s real teaching.

• Further education,
• Facebook Icon
• WhatsApp Icon