Coping with the transition to college life

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Across the country thousands of student’s who’ve just accepted their place on a college or university course are eagerly awaiting the start of the new academic year. It herald the beginning of a brand new chapter in their lives as they enter third level education.

While this is a very exciting milestone, it can also be a daunting one. In the early days of college it can be difficult to find your feet, to get your bearings on- and off- campus, get your head around a completely new way of learning and coping with non-academic changes like living away from home and fending for yourself — which can be an adventure in itself.

Luckily, colleges and universities are well aware of the challenges faced by new students. Third level learning institutions want students to feel at home as quickly as possible, and often go out of their way to show newcomers the ropes and help them to settle into college life. Most places will issue every new student with a welcome pack before they arrive on campus, full of all the information they’ll need for their first few weeks of term: things like a guide to registration, important dates on the academic calendar, relevant contact details, maps of the campus, answers to the most frequently asked student questions and much more besides. So before term even starts students have the opportunity to familiarise themselves with their new environment.

The college’s website is another great place to look for specific information and general guidance on both what to expect from college life. They also tend to provide some information on living in the locality, and can be a handy starting point for students researching the place they’ll soon be moving to. Most towns and cities around the country also have websites full of information that’s relevant to people moving into the area, and doing a bit of online research before arrival will help students settle in to their new environment that much faster.

Once term starts there’s usually an official orientation programme that new students can attend. These programmes are designed to introduce a way of learning that’s very different from the school system students are used to, explain any new terminology, show them where all the relevant buildings are on campus, outline what’s expected of them through the coming academic year and provide a relatively comprehensive overview of academic life at the college. They also often include workshops to help students brush up on essential skills like essay writing, time management, student finance and other useful topics.

While getting to grips with the academic side of college is obviously very important, a big part of the transition to third level education is the social element of mixing with a large group of peers who are all in the same boat. That can be just as daunting as the new academic environment, if not moreso. During the first few weeks of term the Students’ Union invariably hosts a number of social events to help break the ice and encourage new students to mingle, interact and make some new friends with whom to share the adventure. Many colleges also hold a "Freshers Fair", where students can sample the wide variety of extracurricular activities available on campus, and sign up for a mind boggling array of clubs, societies and events that will help them to connect with like minded people amidst the throng of bewildered new faces.

Making the transition to third level education is challenging, there’s no doubt, but it can also be incredibly rewarding, and there’s plenty of help on-hand to help new students make the most of it.

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