How to survive First Year of University: Real Talk From Someone Who Just Made It Out

Starting university is a huge milestone, new environment, new people, and a whole new level of academic and personal responsibility. I graduated just a year ago, and I still remember how overwhelming that first year felt. The transition from high school to university can be jarring; the workload increases, the structure disappears, and suddenly you're expected to manage everything on your own. Like many others, I found myself asking: How do I keep up with all this coursework? Should I really attend every lecture? How do people maintain such high grades? In this blog, I’ll share the university tips I wish I had during that time, things like managing your schedule, making the most of “free grades,” and building valuable connections. Whether you’re feeling anxious, excited, or just unsure of what to expect, this guide will help you navigate the first year of university and set the foundation for success.

First Year is Quantity Over Quality — So Plan Like a Pro

Here’s the thing no one told me before I started: First-year courses aren’t necessarily hard conceptually. In fact, they’re designed to be introductory, especially compared to what you’ll face in later years. But don’t let that fool you, the real challenge isn’t the material itself. It’s the volume. You’ll be juggling back-to-back assignments, group projects, weekly quizzes, lab reports, and multiple midterms per class. And when you’ve got five or six courses in a term, that adds up fast.

Time management isn’t just a helpful skill in first year, it’s essential. The shift from high school to university hits hardest when you realize how independent everything is. No one is chasing you for assignments, and due dates sneak up fast if you’re not on top of them. The good news? You’re given all the tools to plan ahead. Most courses release their full outlines in the first week. That means you’ll know exactly when tests, labs, and assignments are due from day one.

The smartest thing I did was compile all my course outlines into a master calendar. Whether you use Google Calendar, Notion, or an old-school planner, having a visual overview of your term helps you spot workload peaks ahead of time. For example, if you notice three midterms in the same week, you can plan your studying accordingly instead of cramming the night before. Time-block your weeks, set early internal deadlines, and give yourself buffer days in case life gets in the way, which it will.

Think of Coursework as "Free Grades"

This mindset shift changed everything for me. In university, there are two main sources of marks: coursework and exams. Coursework includes things like lab reports, written assignments, discussion posts, and weekly quizzes. These are spread out across the term and can often feel like busywork—but that’s exactly why they’re valuable.

Here’s why I call them “free grades”: You have full control over them. With enough time and effort, you can ace most coursework. Unlike an exam, where one tricky question can derail your confidence, coursework gives you the luxury to think, revise, and even ask for help before submitting. You can look things up, go to office hours, and collaborate with classmates (where allowed). Why wouldn’t you capitalize on that?

Personally, I started viewing coursework as the foundation of my final grade. If I nailed the coursework, I had breathing room going into midterms and finals. I wasn’t constantly on edge about one bad exam ruining my average. Don’t get me wrong, exams are important, but they’re not always predictable. You can prepare well and still get blindsided. Coursework, on the other hand, is your chance to lock in consistent points throughout the term.

So the next time you see an assignment worth 10%, don’t brush it off. Treat it like a strategic opportunity. Build your grade slowly and steadily with the parts you can control.

Go to Class—Even When the Prof Sucks

I get it. Some lectures can feel painfully dry. Some profs mumble, speed through powerpoint slides, or talk like they’re giving a TED Talk to themselves. It’s tempting to skip class and just watch YouTube tutorials or get notes from a friend. I’ve done it. And I’ve regretted it.

Even if a professor isn’t the most engaging speaker, there’s value in showing up. First, being physically present forces you to stay in rhythm with the course. University moves fast, if you miss one or two classes, it’s easy to fall behind and harder to catch up. Second, even if you’re not absorbing every detail, you’re still picking up on important context: what the professor emphasizes, how they explain certain concepts, and what topics they seem to care about most. That often hints at what might appear on the midterm or final.

Also, many professors don’t repeat themselves. The slide decks might be posted online, but slides are often just bullet points or diagrams. What matters is the explanation that happens during the lecture, and if you’re not there, you’re missing out.

And here’s something else I learned: even if I didn’t fully understand the lecture the first time, having been there made it easier to understand the material later. When I went back to my notes or rewatched a video, the concepts clicked faster because my brain had already been introduced to them. So yes, even a half-understood lecture is better than none at all.

NOTES. TAKE THEM. SERIOUSLY.

This ties directly into the last point. One thing I didn’t realize until it was almost too late is how few professors post detailed notes or lecture recordings. In some classes, what’s written on the board or said aloud isn’t anywhere online. If you’re not actively taking notes, you’re relying on your memory, and that’s a gamble.

Good notes are your lifeline, especially during midterms and finals. When it’s crunch time and you’re reviewing weeks’ worth of material, it’s so much easier to study from notes you wrote yourself. They reflect your understanding, your wording, and what stood out to you in the lecture.

Some people prefer typing, others go with pen and paper, do whatever works. Personally, I found that handwriting helped me remember content better. But here’s a pro tip: clean up your notes after class, even if just for ten minutes. Clarify scribbles, add page numbers from the textbook, or highlight key points. This small habit makes exam prep way less stressful later on.

In courses with no posted slides, your notes might literally be your only resource. Don’t leave your future self hanging, build that habit early.

Make Connections—They Matter More Than You Think

University isn’t just about grades—it’s also about building relationships. And I’m not just talking about making friends (although that’s important too). I’m talking about forming connections with your professors, TAs, and even lab partners.

I can’t stress this enough: networking starts in undergrad. One of the biggest boosts to my own career came from a casual conversation I had with a TA during lab hours. That relationship turned into a research assistant position, which gave me hands-on experience, a reference letter, and an edge when applying for jobs. And the crazy part? That opportunity wasn’t posted anywhere. I wouldn’t have known about it if I hadn’t made that connection.

TAs, throughout your undergraduate studies, are often PhD students. They know the ropes, and they’re often looking for help with projects or can direct you to professors who are. Likewise, professors are more willing to help students they know. If you’re regularly showing up, asking smart questions, and participating in class, you’re much more likely to stand out—and that matters when you need references, research positions, or just advice.

So go to office hours. Introduce yourself after class. Be respectful, be curious, and be consistent. These aren’t just authority figures—they’re potential mentors, collaborators, and career accelerators.

Final Thoughts

Your first year of university is going to be a wild ride. It’ll challenge your habits, stretch your limits, and probably stress you out more than once. But it’s also one of the most important growth periods of your life. With a smart strategy—managing your time, treating coursework as an opportunity, staying engaged in class, taking strong notes, and building genuine connections—you’ll not only survive, but thrive.

No one starts university knowing everything. But with the right mindset and a willingness to adapt, you’ll figure it out. And when you do, everything gets a little easier.

You’ve got this.