How To Make The Most Out Of Your Time At University Part 2: Getting Support

Hi I'm Victoria! I'm a Public Speaker, Mentor and Coach with 7 years worth of experience. I currently sit as the first Chair of the Career Ready Youth Advisory Board and was recently selected as?one of the newest members of the Sutton Trust Alumni Advisory Board. I first got involved with the Sutton Trust in 2016, taking part in their?Cambridge University?Geography Summer School at Queens’ College. 5 years later,?I graduated from Queens’ College,?Cambridge with a Bachelor of Arts in Geography.

During my 3 years at university I was fortunate to have been the recipient of 5 awards as well as have had life-changing opportunities such as becoming a?Bloomberg LP?Scholar at 18, completing internships at?Accenture, the UK Government's?Department for Education?and securing a place on insight programmes with?McKinsey & Company,?Boston Consulting Group (BCG)?and the?Bain & Company?True North Scholarship programme.

How to make the most out of your time at university is a new series I am writing about to help:

1) Professionals who work with students e.g: teachers, parents, practitioners etc.

2) University students

3) School students who will soon attend university.

The aim of this series is to share useful advice around navigating a range of topics that are really important for students right now and will assist them in making the most out of their time at university. These areas include navigating careers, relationships, tackling imposter syndrome, change, social media usage, fear, finding your passions and many other topics too.

In Part 2, the second article of this series I discuss navigating support whilst at university. This blog post will provide you with some advice on how students can best make the most of the different forms of support whilst at university and as a recent graduate as well as the power of asking for help when you need it.

One thing that isn’t discussed enough in schools when UCAS applications are being submitted across the country is the kind of support available to students once they arrive at university. Before students submit their firm and insurance choice into the UCAS website it can really help them in the long term if they do their research into the different services and systems of support on offer at their ‘dream university’.

When students first start at university, there’s a lot of adjusting that needs to take place quickly. Whether it’s home sickness, changes to their mental health and wellbeing, understanding the support available to them if they have a disability or money worries, many students irrespective of their background will need access to student support services at some point during their time at university.

Before discussing anything further I believe it is important for students to do an audit and a quick assessment of their current lifestyle and home life. Do they believe they have any current issues that they may expect to continue to be a challenge whilst at university e,g: financial worries, undiagnosed health problems? If so, it’s definitely worth researching what support services their universities of choice can offer them to make their student life more enjoyable and a lot easier, this applies for both undergraduates and postgraduate students.

Alongside immersing yourself with learning new academic topics, joining different university societies, stepping out of your comfort zone by meeting new people and finding your ‘tribe’ of people you feel like you vibe with, one of my biggest pieces of advice I’d give to university students would be to not be afraid to access the support that is available to you at university.

The different kinds of support available:

Support with your career and applying to graduate jobs:

At some point during your degree or even before you’ll probably have some questions about finding jobs and pursuing your chosen career path. If you want expert advice, your universities careers service is usually a good place to start. They can give you specialist career advice e.g: CV feedback, interview prep etc. as well as access to resources and guidance to help you narrow down your job search. They can also put you in touch with alumni at your university who have successfully pursued a career in your desired industry. For more advice on career support please have a read of Part 1 of my series.

Support with your mental health:

Many universities have their own mental health support services. This will often be counselling, therapy or access to trained specialists who deal with mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, eating disorders, stress and more. Do not suffer in silence. If you are feeling like you might need some support, accessing mental health services at an early stage can stop a minor issue becoming something much bigger and more severe. I'd also advice that you try not to assume an issue you're experiencing isn't 'worth tackling' or 'isn't a big deal' as dealing with it as soon as possible will benefit you, your peace of mind and your overall student experience in the long run. Many universities have a counselling service, which is provided free and has much shorter waiting times than NHS services.

Support with your finances:

University is often the very first time young people straight out of school have ever had to manage their own budget. Many students worry about money, and if you’re concerned about your financial situation, it’s best to contact the financial support team at your university ASAP to help you with any issues. They can also help you to identify potential extra sources of funding, such as hardship funds, bursaries and scholarships where relevant.

Support for students with disabilities:

All universities are responsible for providing appropriate support for disabled students, whether that’s in terms of accessibility, accommodation, exam support, different resources or anything else needed to help you. You may be eligible for extra funding or equipment e.g: a special laptop as a student with a disability. So contact your disability services team to book an assessment and to find out what support your university can offer you.

Support with your housing and accommodation:

Some students find it difficult securing accommodation, especially after first year when you usually move out of halls and into student housing. If you’re struggling to find somewhere to live or are having issues with your current accommodation, the accommodation and support service at your university is there to help you with finding a room or can work with you to sort any housing-related challenges you’re facing.

Support via pastoral care:

Personal tutors are there to help support you with the switch to university life, especially in your first year. You can go to them for pastoral support, whether this is worries about your workload, personal issues that may affect your academic performance or anything else that is concerning you. Again just like with reaching out for any forms of support it is highly advised that you reach out to your personal tutor sooner rather than later so that overtime you can feel more comfortable approaching them with any issues you may encounter over the course of your degree.

Beyond this their is also specific academic support students can access as well as specific support for particular groups e.g: financial support for students from low-income families, support for international students. Is there anything else you would add? If so, comment down below would love to know your thoughts?