Ever been dropped into the deep end of a pool? Felt the water surrounding you? Feels a bit unsettling to have no support on your feet, the water engulfing you… but at the same time it’s relaxing and you can swim wherever you want? That is essentially your first week at Uni. Well, at least mine was.

I am an undergrad this year, doing a Bachelor of Communications. I am 20 and finished high school 2 years ago and this was why it felt so scary to be back at an established educational institution. I can imagine it’s probably not the same for the “youngins” out there who finished high school last year, but in my eyes, a break is a break. Once you get out of the habit it’s very difficult to go back. Either way, Uni is a completely different creature. That’s not to say it can’t be fun though, you just have to put in a bit of effort to make things easier for you. In the case of the pool, you need to swim. For Uni that means getting out there and meeting people and asking questions. Swim to the shallow end and you’ll be able to put your feet down. You will have support, from older students, lecturers, the admin staff and other new students. There is no shame in being at the shallow end, you can still swim and have fun but at least if you get into trouble you will have somewhere to put your feet down.

Now, Uni O-week is perfect for this. Up until my College Welcome I had no clue what to make of everything. I had to sort out my StudyLink things, had to finalise and ask questions about my course and had to figure out where everything was. Along came a superhero with a green shirt!! My UNI-Guide! They are a wealth of information and super helpful. They are pretty much your first port of call if you have any questions. I went in to the College Welcome, stressing my pants off (well, the clasp had broken!!) but when it was time for me to head home, I was so confident with my way around Uni that I was directing people where to go! Pretty much the main thing they try to hammer into your head at the start which is important is this: ASK!!! Don’t be scared to ask, everyone wants you to succeed and pass, so if you get into trouble, or if you don’t know, just ask! Just like there is no shame in being at the shallow end, there is no shame in asking if you don’t know. No matter what course you choose, everyone is there to help you and they want you to succeed.

My college welcome went along without a hiccup and my stress levels were reduced, I had all my questions answered so life is good for now. First lecture is on Tuesday, Intro to Media Studies, I’m looking forward to this class as some of my friends are doing the same paper as an Elective.

So what’s left for the first week? Need to buy books, need to ACTUALLY go to lectures and see what is expected of me. That is a bit daunting, but I guess that’s what I signed up for huh? It will take some adjusting, getting back into the rhythm of organised academic study and a set timetable, and of course, not having much expendable income, but hey that’s life. That’s all from your fellow first year for now, I’ll keep you posted on my journey through the jungle that is Uni. Before I go I’ll leave you with this thought “Do not fear the unknown or be weary of the unfamiliar but embrace the new and unexplored.”

Good luck my fellow “freshers” keep swimming!! I’ll be at The Ferguson.

Stephan van Heerden