My first year at University experience | University College London (freshers tips & advice)

Summary

In this video, Salmad, a first-year Philosophy, Politics, and Economics student at University College London, shares his experiences from his first year at university. He discusses Freshers' Week, making friends, living in central London, the academic challenges of his course, and the benefits of participating in societies. He emphasizes the importance of budgeting and the value of living on campus for social life. Salmad concludes with advice to approach university with an open mind and to make the most of the opportunities available.

Takeaways

• 😀 Salmad is a first-year student at University College London studying Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE).
• 🎉 Fresher's week at university is focused on socializing but may not be for everyone, especially those who don't drink or go clubbing.
• 🤝 Making friends at university is easier than many think, as most students are in the same boat and looking to make connections.
• 🏫 Salmad found his PPE course challenging but has started to enjoy certain aspects, particularly politics.
• 💰 Living in central London, especially as a student, can be very expensive, but offers a unique and exciting environment.
• 🏘️ Living out of home during university provides a richer social experience and a sense of independence.
• 📚 A typical week at university may have few contact hours but requires a lot of independent study and self-motivation.
• 👫 Joining societies is a great way to meet people with similar interests and enhance the university experience.
• 💼 Having a part-time job can help manage the high cost of living in London and provide additional funds for students.
• 📈 Salmad advises not to have too many expectations going into university, as everyone's experience will be different.
• 🔄 The first term at university is often the easiest for making friends and settling in, so it's important to make the most of it.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is Salmad's first-year experience studying Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) at University College London (UCL).

Why did Salmad choose to make this video?

Salmad chose to make this video because they had just finished their first year at university and felt it was the perfect time to share their experiences and give tips to future students.

How does Salmad describe their fresher's week experience?

Salmad describes their fresher's week as unimportant for them personally because they don't go clubbing or drink alcohol, which are common activities during fresher's week. Instead, they recommend attending society events to meet new people.

Did Salmad struggle to make friends at university?

No, Salmad did not struggle to make friends. They emphasize the importance of being social and proactive in approaching people, as most students are also looking to make friends.

What advice does Salmad give for making friends at university?

Salmad advises being proactive in social situations, attending society events to meet people with similar interests, and understanding that most students are also looking to make friends.

How does Salmad feel about their PPE course at UCL?

Salmad finds the PPE course difficult but is beginning to enjoy certain parts, especially politics. They are looking forward to having more choice in selecting modules in the second year.

What is Salmad's opinion on living in central London as a student?

Salmad thinks living in central London is amazing despite being expensive. They enjoy the vibrant city life and believe it enhances the university experience.

What were Salmad's initial impressions of UCL during the first term?

Salmad's initial impressions of UCL during the first term were very positive. They found it to be the best part of their university experience because everyone was new and eager to make friends, and the academic workload was lighter.

Would Salmad recommend living out to other students?

Yes, Salmad would recommend living out to other students if they can afford it and are considering it. They believe it greatly enhances the social aspect of the university experience.

What is a typical week like for a first-year PPE student at UCL according to Salmad?

A typical week for a first-year PPE student at UCL involves a mix of in-person and online lessons with relatively few contact hours, but a lot of independent reading and work. Salmad also mentions having time for a part-time job and involvement in societies.

Is university in London expensive according to Salmad?

Yes, university in London is expensive. Salmad notes that accommodation, food, and other living expenses are significantly higher in London compared to other parts of the UK. They recommend budgeting and possibly getting a part-time job to manage finances.

What final piece of advice does Salmad give to prospective university students?

Salmad advises prospective university students not to have too many specific expectations and to approach university with an open mind. They emphasize that everyone's university experience is unique and that it is important to make the most of it by being proactive and engaged.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Introduction and Video Purpose

Salmad introduces herself as a first-year student at University College London, studying Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. She plans to share her first-year experience, including tips and expectations, through a Q&A format. She encourages viewers to follow her on Instagram, where she initially gathered questions for the video.

05:02

🎉 Freshers Week Experience

Salmad explains her perspective on Freshers Week, noting that it wasn't important to her due to her preference for socializing without clubbing or drinking. She provides a brief overview of what Freshers Week entails and suggests attending society events for those who don't enjoy clubbing. She emphasizes the importance of being proactive in making friends during this period.

10:03

🤝 Making Friends at University

Salmad discusses the ease of making friends at university, attributing it to her social nature and the willingness of other students to connect. She advises new students to be outgoing and proactive in approaching others, as most are in the same situation of wanting to make friends. She highlights the role of society events in meeting people with similar interests.

15:05

📚 Course Experience: Philosophy, Politics, and Economics

Salmad shares her thoughts on her course, admitting that it is challenging but offers valuable career opportunities. She particularly enjoys the politics modules due to their relevance and novelty. She looks forward to the second year, where she can choose modules that align more with her interests.

🏙 Living in Central London

Salmad describes living in central London as expensive but highly rewarding. She loves the vibrant city life and the daily experiences it offers. She suggests that those who can afford it should consider universities in central London for a more exciting university experience.

📅 First Term at UCL

Salmad recounts her first term at UCL as the best part of her university experience, highlighting the ease of making friends and the relaxed academic workload. She advises new students to make the most of their first term, as subsequent terms may become more academically demanding and socially settled.

🏠 Benefits of Living Out

Salmad strongly recommends living out during university for a richer social experience and greater involvement in university activities. She acknowledges the financial burden but believes the benefits of independence, social life, and proximity to university events outweigh the costs.

📆 Typical Week at UCL

Salmad outlines a typical week at UCL, noting the mix of online and in-person sessions and the relatively low number of contact hours in the first year. She emphasizes the importance of self-directed study and suggests using free time for part-time jobs or society involvement.

💰 Managing Finances in London

Salmad addresses the high cost of living in London, particularly in terms of accommodation and food. She advises budgeting and having a clear understanding of one's finances to manage expenses effectively. She also recommends getting a part-time job to supplement income.

📢 Final Advice and Conclusion

Salmad concludes the video by advising viewers to have an open mind and minimal expectations to avoid disappointment. She stresses that university experiences are subjective and encourages students to actively shape their own experiences. She invites viewers to comment with any further questions and promises more content on her YouTube channel.

Keywords

💡First Year Experience

The video centers around Salmad's reflections on his first year at University College London (UCL). He discusses various aspects of his experience, including living in London, making friends, and handling academic challenges. This concept is crucial as it frames the entire narrative of the video.

💡Freshers' Week

Freshers' Week is the initial week at university dedicated to socializing and activities before classes start. Salmad mentions that it is significant for many students as it offers opportunities to meet new people and participate in events. He personally did not engage much in Freshers' Week due to his preferences but acknowledges its importance for others.

💡Making Friends

A key theme in the video is the challenge and process of making friends in the first year of university. Salmad advises new students to be proactive in social situations, emphasizing the shared goal among students to make connections. He shares his own positive experiences and tips on overcoming social anxiety.

💡Society Events

Salmad highlights the importance of joining societies as a way to meet like-minded people and engage in activities of interest. Societies host events that provide social opportunities beyond Freshers' Week. He stresses their role in enhancing the university experience and making friends.

💡Living in Central London

Living in central London is portrayed as an exciting yet expensive aspect of studying at UCL. Salmad describes the vibrancy and opportunities of living in a major city, despite the high cost. This contrast is essential as it shapes his overall university experience.

💡Part-Time Job

Salmad mentions having a part-time job as a means to support himself financially while studying. He suggests that working part-time can help manage the high living costs in London and also provide a structured routine. This advice is practical for students planning to balance work and study.

💡Academic Challenges

The video touches on the academic demands of Salmad's course, Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). He discusses the workload, the difficulty of certain subjects, and his excitement for choosing modules in the second year. This highlights the balance between academic rigor and personal interest in university education.

💡Budgeting

Budgeting is a significant topic as Salmad advises new students to manage their finances carefully. He talks about the high costs associated with living in London and suggests planning weekly expenses to avoid financial stress. This practical advice is aimed at helping students navigate the expensive lifestyle.

💡University Expectations

Salmad cautions against having rigid expectations about university life. He emphasizes that each student's experience is unique and encourages approaching university with an open mind. This perspective helps in adapting to different situations and making the most of the university experience.

💡Social Life vs. Commuting

The contrast between living on campus and commuting is explored through Salmad's observations. He notes that living on campus enhances the social aspect of university life, while commuting might limit it. This comparison underscores the impact of living arrangements on the overall university experience.

Highlights

Introduction: First year student at UCL studying Philosophy, Politics, and Economics.

Purpose: Sharing first-year experiences and answering audience questions.

Freshers' Week: Focused on clubbing and socializing, not essential for everyone.

Making Friends: Importance of being proactive and attending society events.

Course Experience: Enjoying politics more, excited for second-year module choices.

Living in London: Expensive but enriching, enhances university experience.

First Term: Best for socializing and settling in, workload increases later.

Living Out: Recommended for social life and involvement in university activities.

Typical Week: Few contact hours, lots of self-study and flexibility.

Costs: High living expenses, importance of budgeting and part-time work.

Part-Time Work: Opportunities available, beneficial for managing expenses.

University Expectations: Keep an open mind, experiences vary greatly.

Social Life: Essential part of the experience, encourages forming close bonds.

Advice: Engage actively in university life to maximize benefits.

Conclusion: University is subjective; make the most of opportunities.

Transcripts

hi everyone and welcome back to my

youtube channel now for those of you

guys who don't know me my name is salmad

and i am currently a first year student

studying philosophy politics and

economics at university college london

now

i had just had finished my first year of

university um so i think that was kind

of pretty much the perfect time to make

this type of video and this video is

going to be

basically just me talking about my first

year experience so as many of you guys

know if you watch some of my previous

videos i did live out in london so i

kind of had that

you know the full-on full-on first-year

university experience of living now

having fun all of that type of stuff i'm

pretty much just gonna talk about my

experiences give a couple of tips on

what to do uh and what to kind of expect

at university i guess this video is

gonna be in the form of a q a you guys i

mean you guys should be following me on

instagram so it will be up on the screen

somewhere make sure you follow me on

instagram uh because on there uh i think

about a month ago i think it's been a

while about a month or so ago i put up a

questionnaire just asking what people

want to know about university and i have

loads of loads of responses so i've kind

of just filtered out the ones that i

like or the ones that i feel like i'll

give

the best response with um and yeah those

are the questions i'm gonna be answering

so without further ado let's get into it

so the first question that i got asked

or the first one that i

thought was probably best to answer was

how was fresher's week this is something

that for a lot of university students

i'm talking about the majority here is

quite important for me uh freshers week

wasn't that important and that's because

i don't go clubbing and i don't drink

and i think i feel like that's

mostly what freshers week is all about

pretty much just going out and

socializing and stuff now i am a very

very social person so i do like going

out and meeting people but unfortunately

freshers week only really accommodates

for people who go clubbing etc so i

didn't really make the most of it um and

i'm happy i didn't but you know for some

of my people that i know at university

like my flatmates they kind of love the

experience like freshers week they were

all about it essentially for anyone who

doesn't know what fresh the week is it's

just a week of university before

university actually starts where

everyone's moved into their

accommodations and everyone just

organizes like parties or get-togethers

and at different clubs or different

apartments or different accommodations

and people meet up and they socialize

now i didn't really go to any of those

but if you don't go into any of those

then definitely look out for society

events so some of the societies although

you probably won't know a lot about them

yet and there's a lot of societies at

universities who do have events within

freshers week like icebreaker event just

so you can get to know to people and i

think that's a really really good

starting point for you know if you're a

bit anxious and you don't think you're

going to make a lot of um good friends

but yeah that's pretty much my answer to

the first question and it actually

brings me quite nicely to the second

question which is did you struggle to

make friends now i think a lot of people

have this

misconception with the university that

it's

hard to make friends i feel like a lot

of it does come down to who you are as a

person now for me i feel like i'm quite

a social person so i feel like i could

you know i just have the confidence to

approach people and just ask them but i

think one thing like one piece of advice

that i got one piece of advice that i

definitely want to give to other people

is that at university you just literally

have to go out and be a bank and speak

to people because

what you need to understand is everyone

who's going to university everyone who's

living in these accommodations 89 of

them are on their own they don't have

friends living with them so they're

going out to try to do the same thing

make friends so

when you're going up to people and

asking them you know how are you and

you're asking these questions about you

know just getting to know them they're

not going to find that weird or awkward

because they know that that's exactly

why they're there so i feel like i just

kind of had that mentality to it i just

thought okay even if i am

being a beg it's gonna work out for me

anyway because these people are also

gonna do the same thing and that's

exactly what happened i would just

approach people and speak to them and

people would approach me and speak to me

so i feel like if you have that

mentality where you're just going out

and speaking to people you will not have

an issue making friends i feel like if

you keep yourself in this box that are

i'm not going to make friends you're

probably going to restrict yourself and

then that's where you're going to end up

probably not having the best university

experience because i think my friends

made up like 80 of it so yeah um to

answer your question did i struggle to

make friends no and that's probably my

tips as to why another thing i do want

to say i do want to stress is society

events and i'm going to keep saying that

in this video but please make sure that

you're making the most of societies

because that's the best way to find

people that have the same interests as

you so if you like cricket go to qriket

society you ucl like i'm very very

grateful because they have so many

different societies and so many

different people and it's such a big

university if you do go to smaller

university and you maybe don't have the

same

access to the same societies

if you can go out and make one because

there's going to be people who will have

the same interests as you so that's just

my advice for in terms of making friends

okay so question three um how are you

finding your course okay so this is a

question i get asked quite a lot so just

in case i didn't mention the course that

i do is philosophy politics and

economics so also known as ppd now one

of the reasons why i picked this course

wasn't really because i have a really

you know really really interesting

philosophy of politics or economics is

mainly because of the scope in terms of

careers and stuff that you know it gives

me access to and the doors that this

degree will open for me that's mainly

the reason why i kind of picked this

degree so in terms of how i'm finding it

it is difficult um i'm not going to lie

it is difficult there's a lot of work to

do but there have been parts of it that

i i'm starting to like starting to grow

for example politics i really like

politics

compared to the other two disciplines

just because there's a lot of modules in

politics that are very very new and very

recent i think i'm more excited for

second year because in the second year

of most universities they give you a bit

more room to kind of pick your own

modules so when i pick my own modules i

can pick them more in you know areas

that i'm interested in and i feel like

i'll start to maybe like my degree a bit

more but it's okay it's not too bad my

fourth question which is and this one i

got quite asked quite a lot uh is what

is it like living in central london to

answer your question in one word i would

say expensive it's very very expensive

but i think i'm gonna leave finances

aside because i think everyone's aware

of that i think living in central london

is

probably one of the greatest things

about ucl because it's amazing like

honestly even just waking up every

single day walking to university taking

scooters or whatever it's just such a

good experience just to see the city

around you and

it just kind of like coming from luton

like where i am right now where i grew

up it's just a completely different

environment and there's so much to do

and i feel like in terms of the

university experience as well it adds to

it so much more because there's always

people around you there's always

something to do there's always something

exciting going on and i feel like that's

something that central london has to

offer you so i would say it's amazing

honestly my favorite thing

i would say if you are local to london

or you are thinking of going to

university in london then i would

definitely definitely if you can

obviously afford to i would say do look

into one of the uni's that are in

central london just because i think they

make the experience just a bit more

exciting but that's my take on it anyway

i have friends who don't live in central

london they live in east london and they

go to universities like you know some of

them go to like king's college and they

have accommodations east london but they

love it there is also wherever you are

depending on what's around you you're

going to have fun because london itself

as a city is great so it's not just

central london the whole city is amazing

you're definitely a new experience i've

been to other cities in the uk but i

think london is just something special

about it

i'm on my fifth question now so the

fifth question of the video is how was

your first time at ucl the first time at

ucl was probably the best time in my

experience the reason i would say that

is because i think the first term like

everyone's really really new to the

university everyone's pretty much in the

same boat so in terms of like the social

aspect everyone's kind of

coming into university like it's the

easiest part to make friends with

even in terms of the course like you're

just getting started

with everything so everything's really

really slow and nothing really feels

heavy you don't have huge exams around

the corner or essays due

or lots of coursework so i feel like

it's kind of like the best time and it's

more focused on letting you settle into

university and that's the best part

about it there's one thing about uni

that i definitely notice i don't know if

this is going to be the same going to

second year is that

you should really really make use of

your first term at ucl or at any uni and

the reason being is because in second

term i feel like a lot of people start

to kind of settle and they've made their

friends so what i noticed with my

friendship groups is a lot of my friends

didn't really come into university in

the second term because like in the

first time you really made friends and

they when they whenever they were coming

like first times when everyone's coming

into university is so active so i feel

like make the most of your first time

definitely the second term isn't as

exciting and obviously there's a lot

more coursework and exams and stuff to

you so

yes first time is fun the whole year is

good but first time definitely better my

sixth question is would you recommend

giving out to other people

right my

answer for this is quite simple i would

say yes definitely i would say living

out is probably one of the best

decisions i made in terms of my

university experience and i'll give you

one of the reasons but i do want to say

that there's a lot of factors that come

into it firstly living out is not cheap

at all it's very very expensive and it

is difficult so i would only really

really recommend it if factors like that

are

considered but if you can afford it and

you like

you don't live too far maybe or you

you've been thinking of living out and

something you're really considering i

would say definitely definitely go ahead

and take this step because for me it

lived up to the experience even i mean

for most people social life let's start

with that

amazing i mean i can compare my social

life at university with my friends who

commuted to the same university and i

could say that i definitely had a much

better experience just because of my

exposure to university when you're

living out like the friends you make are

essentially your family because that's

all you're gonna be seeing every single

day so you value them a lot more and you

value your social time a lot more and i

feel like that just has something great

about it because

you just i don't know you just enjoy

yourself more um in terms of societies

as well you have the time to get more

actively involved you can stay to the

university to very very late and you can

get involved in all of these different

events and and and that's why it was

great now in terms of the money side of

it as well for me i did have a part-time

job so obviously from that i could

you know get some funds and i can kind

of help myself it's definitely an

experience and i feel like for me i made

the right decision of doing it in my

first year because i feel like that's

the time you definitely need the most

exposure to the university because you

want to make those friends and then kind

of go with it you don't want to be a

third year with no friends like you get

me there there is parts where it is

quite lonely and

you know what

to be fair i would say that i

experienced that even when i was at home

like even when i did come home and stay

home for a bit i still experience

loneliness at some points so that's not

really that different of course you are

living out in a big ce on your own and

there's a lot of thing that comes with

that but i feel like if you if you're

responsible and you're mature like you

just get past that and you'll be okay i

was and i couldn't even cook so yes i

have another question what is a typical

week like at ucl and you have to bear in

mind that this year was like it was

quite new because

the past couple of years there was

covered this year there wasn't really

coping as much but there was still a lot

of precautions in place so the

timetables were a bit different there

was a mixture of in person face-to-face

teaching and there was lots of online

lessons as well so if you're talking

about a rough week of university i

didn't have a lot of contact hours like

monday and tuesday for example i just

had one online or in-person session in

the morning 9-10 a.m or 10-11 a.m and

then pretty much the rest of day was

free i think that is kind of the general

just with first year at most

universities you don't have a lot of

contact hours but to make up for that

there is a lot a lot a lot of reading

and work you have to do yourself so

there is that part to it as well so

although you're not going into lessons a

lot you do have a lot of work to do and

then again you do have a lot of days

free so for example if you are looking

for a part-time job like i did that's

definitely something you could consider

and if you do want to get involved in

societies this year is like the best

year i don't know what time tables are

like going into second year but i'm

gonna find out i'm gonna see you soon

but i can imagine it's gonna be a lot

more you know hours

than a first year student

the next question i have is is

university in london expensive so i've

already touched on this quite a bit um

but the answer is most definitely yes

first of all you we can separate out

into different different things um

accommodation accommodation itself is

almost double it is

compared to universities in around the

country so expensive that's because you

are living in central london and

obviously with that comes stuff like

food prices food prices is a lot more

for your groceries you're paying a lot

more because london

is a bit like that it's like the capital

city and any country you go to is

usually a lot more expensive than the

other cities and that's the same thing

with london so one piece of advice i

would definitely give is to

have some sort of budget or at least

have control or an understanding of your

finances so don't go into it just

thinking okay i have a certain amount of

overdraft and i'm just going to spend

and spend and spend have a rough

understanding of how much like i did

this at the start of university um i

didn't really necessarily stick with it

but i did make a plan of how much money

i can spend every single week so that i

don't kind of

go over my student loan or how much

allowance i have and i think that's a

really really good starting point that's

definitely something i'd say for

everyone to do just because

in some weeks where i was going a bit

more crazy i knew that okay in the next

couple of weeks i have to show a bit

more restraint and spend a bit less now

again i did have a part-time job i

recommend people to get a part-time job

you are living in london there's a ton

of ton of places to get there i was a

bit extra with mine i applied before i

even got into university i applied at

selfridges

as a sales associate just because i

needed i wanted to work there i knew it

was good pay but you can really have a

look at anywhere in london like there

were so many cafes and stuff that i'd

walked past on a daily and i'd see that

they were hiring so it's not really hard

to get a part-time job and i think it

definitely definitely does help you so

that's one thing i would recommend and

that's one piece of advice i would give

okay so that is the end of my ucl

university video if there's any final

pieces of advice that i might have for

anyone who is looking to go to

university just don't have too many

expectations i'm not saying don't have

too many high expectations i'm just

saying don't have too many expectations

generally because i feel like that's

where a lot of people kind of set

themselves up

and don't end up having the best

experience with university

everyone's experience is different i

have so many friends who go to ucl so

many friends who come from luton with me

and i can definitely say that even our

experiences of university are so so

different everyone has a different

university experience so people might

tell you universities like this and

people might tell you you're not going

to make friends and people might say uh

oh you know the work is boring but

really and truly university is what

you're going to make of it so if you

want to make friends and

you you hear people say you know my

friends you need to go out and you need

to be the social one and you need to

talk to people and that's how you're

going to make friends if people are

telling you the course is hard if you're

spending extra time working and revising

you're not going to find the course hard

so i think it's very very subjective i

think diversity is what you make of it

and i don't think like i said don't set

yourself up don't have these high

expectations of university go in there

with open mind and enjoy yourself um and

then yeah that's pretty much the end of

the video i hope you guys enjoy this

video if you guys have any comments or

any maybe if you guys want me to do

another one i'm more than happy with you

guys to leave comments or questions in

the comment section and i can see if i

get answered but please do like and

subscribe i'm hopefully looking to be a

lot more active in my youtube channel

but yeah look out for more university

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