There’s literally nothing nice about waiting to find out if you’ve got an offer from a university. It’s quite easy to become stressed, anxious, nervous, sweaty, uncomfortable and envision your future as a low level circus performer. (Looking back I’m still wondering if I missed out).
Obviously there’s not much you can do to speed up the process but you can focus your thoughts on something positive and productive to help you carry on.
Here are 6 top ways to kill time until that offer comes through…
1. Work placements & volunteering
You can get any old job to bring in a few pennies, but a work placement or volunteering stint can be worth much more in the long run.
By getting a placement within the field you intend to study in, you’ve got a great chance to build contacts and network before you even get to uni! Plus, it also gives you the opportunity to build on your personal statement if you’re asked to interview as part of a university’s offer.
When you’re at your placement, make sure you talk to people and get a sense of what working in that industry is like. You may find it’s very different than you initially thought, so it’s good preparation for the future.
2. Start a creative project
This period gives you a chance to be creative and pursue something you’re really passionate about. Enjoy writing? Start your own blog. Wanting to study fashion? Try putting a design portfolio together. Yes, starting off can be hard work, but it can be really worth it.
Not only does a project like this serve as a way to get your creativity out, it also shows evidence of your skill, thinking processes and work ethic. These are all things that both universities and employers want to see from you, make sure you show them what you’ve got!
3. Make plans & goals
Considering what you really want to get out of your university experience is really important, you’d be amazed how quickly it can pass you by. So be strategic, make plans for what you want to achieve and how you’re going to go about it.
Short-term and long-term goals are both really important, and they can be anything you like! Maybe your goal is to meet as many people over Freshers as you can, or to try to get into the basketball team. Either way, write down your plans and goals and keep them somewhere you can see them. There’ll be days when you need to remind yourself that they’re goals worth completing.
4. Domesticate yourself
If you’re going to be moving away from home for the first time you’re going to need to know how to take care of yourself. I don’t mean that to sound patronising, but there were a lot of things I took for granted before I left to start university.
Cooking, washing dishes, laundry and ironing, mopping, vacuuming and the unnecessarily time-consuming, changing bedsheets, are all skills that you will need to have a basic knowledge of.
It may seem like unnecessary work, but you’ll soon be pretty popular around halls if you can help others out when they keep ironing creases into their shirts and getting stuck inside their own duvet cover.
5. Get your highest grade possible
Of course the things you should really be concentrating on are your final grades. By throwing yourself into your studies, you can ensure you’ve done everything in your power to get the best results you can. However, it does mean leaving all the extra-curricular stuff to one side.
Don’t forget, as important as your results are, they aren’t the be-all and end-all of everything. Universities want to see that you have passion, drive and enthusiasm just as much as a solid grade.
6. Do everything you said you’d do before you left
Remember when you said you’d spend the weekend at the beach in Cornwall? Or go fishing with your dad? Turns out now is the perfect time to do these things.
Make sure you’ve spent some quality time with your friends and family, especially if you’re planning to be far away come September. Keeping those bonds strong will always be important no matter where you are.
That’s plenty for you to get involved with there and it’s all up to you. But whatever you do, don’t sit back and do nothing. This is a very unique time as you watch one chapter of your life end and a new one begin. Don’t take it for granted, try and start something great!
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