Student Life
"Being a student is so much better than being a school pupil! You get so many more opportunities, you meet so many new people, and you have so much more freedom."
Those are the words of Sandra, a first year student at New College Lanarkshire, but they could have belonged to just about anyone who has experienced college or university.
Being a student is about much more than the work. There’s a flood of opportunities open to you. Dive in.
People like you
Choosing a course that suits your interests means you’re likely to be surrounded by a lot of like-minded people. And that’s just in your classes. You’ll have the chance to meet lots of new people through student clubs, activities, and events as well. The result? You’ll make a lot of new friends – friends that you’ll probably have for the rest of your life.
Clubs and societies
Fancy a game of Ultimate Frisbee? Or a discussion with members of the Harry Potter Appreciation Society? There’s just about no limit to the kind of clubs and societies you could join at university or college. Get enough people together and you could even start a new one.
Whether you’re interested in music, sport, student media, politics, or something different altogether, there will be opportunities to pursue your interests…and find new ones. For a lot of people, taking part in these kinds of activities is what they enjoy most about being a student.
Free time
As we discuss in our What to Expect article, you’ll have a lot more free time as a student than you’ll have been used to at school. It’s up to you to make sure you get the necessary study done between classes. Around your work though, you’ll have a lot of time to enjoy yourself. Maybe you’ll use an afternoon off to go to the gym, do some shopping, watch a film, catch up with friends at the student union… However you choose to spend your time, you’ll enjoy the independence and the sense of freedom.
Becoming you
It sounds clichéd but most people would agree that their time at university or college had a big impact on their outlook, their opinions, their skills, and their interests. This is partly because, as a student, you’re exposed to so many opportunities that can develop you as a person.
You can go to talks and debates on issues that interest you; you could travel abroad, as part of your course or as a charity volunteer; you could write for the student newspaper; you could join the university netball team. You can do any number of things, all of which will develop your skills and your personality.
When it comes to applying for jobs later on, employers will love all the experience you’ve gained. For you, these years will have left you with a much better understanding of who you are and what you want.