By Dr Deborah Allcock, associate dean undergraduate programmes
During the next few weeks, thousands of teenagers will be leaving the confines of their comfortable homes and heading off to university. For most it will be the first time they have lived away from their families and home cooked meals and ironed clothes will soon be a distant memory.
Most young people will take to student life like a duck to water – they will embrace their newfound freedom and relish their independence from mum and dad. There will be so much to take in – making new friends, living independently, having a good time and of course going to lectures.
But going to university should be seen as a precursor to going to work and you should view it as the first stage of your chosen career path. Everything you experience will stand you in good stead for when you start working because of the life changing skills you will learn. Read postgraduate student Jacoub Sleibi’s blog to find out why he did a Masters.
We’ve put together our top tips to help you make the most of your time here at Bradford University School of Management whether it be one year, three years or four years.
1. Start off as you mean to go on
It’s really important that you attend your induction sessions as these form part of the official enrolment process. Your induction will comprise of a number of events and classes designed to introduce you to your chosen course or area of study as well as your tutor and fellow students.
There will a large number of books for you to look at, but now will be the time to try and find out which ones you need to be concentrating on initially, ask your tutors, read your handbooks top get prepared. Why not call in to the library and see what they have on offer?
2. Plan your work
Course management is vital when doing a degree here at one of the UK’s top management schools as all our courses are career focused. A really valuable tip is to work ahead because it can save you time and give you the opportunity to do other things. It also enables you to seek help if you are struggling.
Planning is also a skill you will need when starting work so this is the perfect time to get into the swing of things.
3. Stick to deadlines
There is no better time to start meeting deadlines than when you are studying at Bradford University School of Management. If you can manage to hand your work in one or two weeks in advance of a deadline, you will have more time to spend on other tasks.
But if not, don’t worry,but ensure you meet the deadlines requested otherwise you could find yourself constantly trying to catch up. This is why course management is so important and is a skill you will need after graduation once you get a job.
4. Make sure you stay in control
Being in control of your course will allow you to manage your time more effectively and deal with problems as they arise. Read undergraduate student Mahmoona Begum’s blog about how you can get ahead while studying.
5. Learn how to budget
For most students coming to Bradford, one of the UK’s top management schools will be the first time they have lived away from home and on a set amount of money. It is really important to keep an eye on your finances and make sure you have enough to live on. Don’t be afraid if you need help because you don’t want to be in the situation where you are struggling to support yourself.
Some top tips are:
- Set up an excel spreadsheet to track your spending
- Only use cash and never cards
6. Be tolerant
Going to university is a real learning curve. It’s a time when you will be thrown into a situation where you will be mixing with people from variety of backgrounds and that’s why it’s so important to be open-minded – even if you meet someone who is very different to you.
This is a skill you will have to use once you go to work. You don’t know who you will be working with and whether you like them or not will be irrelevant because you are there to get the job done. That’s why university is such a good place to prepare you for the reality of the business world. Be positive, always think “I can work with you”.
Did university prepare you for going out to work? What advice can you give to new students in the next few weeks?