By Samantha Allan

You might have been led to believe that first year is just for fun, and doesn’t count for anything. But do you really want to be the guy who goes to the union after the first class and doesn’t leave ‘til after nine at night? Here’s why first year really does count…

You might not make the cut

Some universities have a limit to the number of students they allow into second year and others will only accept students that have managed to achieve a set grade, so just scraping a pass might not be good enough.

You don’t have to play catch-up

Everything that you learn in first year lays the foundation for what you learn in second year.  It means that if you’re too busy spending your time in the union or your bed to turn up to lectures, then there’s a good chance that if you make it to second year you might not understand what the heck is going on when you discover it’s much more complicated than first year.

You get settled into uni life

First year gives you the opportunity to settle into uni and how to prioritise the rest of your life.  It teaches you a lot about time management, which you’ll need for the later years of your university life. You’ll learn which study techniques work best for you, and helps you to realise how different it is from school. Let’s face it, the lecturer’s not going to chase you up if you don’t bother to hand in an essay.

It develops your independence

You might find that during your first year of university that the workload isn’t too overwhelming. This means that you have the opportunity to have that part time job or get some work experience, as most employers like to see that you’ve made the effort to work alongside your studies. The start of uni can be the ideal time to do this as you’re likely to have more free time.

You can make friends for life

Don’t forget that one of the most important parts of uni is creating new friends, some of which you’ll stay in touch with long after you’ve graduated. First year allows you to make friends with others who are in the same position as you, such as leaving home first time or trying to juggle different aspects of life. Joining clubs gives you the opportunity to make friends on other course and in different years too. You’ll find plenty to join whether you’re interested in sports, debating or just love reading books.

As much fun as first year is, it is a really important year! It can be a little more relaxed than later years but this is so that you have the opportunity to make friends and get settle into uni life. You should have an amazing time in first year but remember that you do need to put in some work!