The Thing About Semester 1... [Short Post]

So, I'm in a weird position as opposed to many of my uni colleagues. For most of them, this is their first uni and they're settling in rather well. This, however, is my second attempt at uni. I finished 1 semester at my last uni before deciding to leave and come here to restart year 1.

But the reason I'm telling you this is because of something that happened a few moments ago with one of my friends on my course. And there's a message here for anyone doing their first semester currently or those who are to start uni in the coming year.

I'm not going to go completely into what happened (because on the very slim chance the friend in question actually reads my blog and this post, I'll probably get a rather angry young woman having a go at me on Facebook...) but I'll apply it to a general situation that most students will experience.

Essays. There will be some you find easy. (Which either means you're a genius or you're not doing it right) and there will be some you find hard. But during your first semester there will be some things you don't quite get right. And this will become apparent when you get them back.

Take it from someone who's been there twice, any criticism on your first semester essays will be down-heartening. Because you'll think you've failed or that you could've done better. But the truth it, unless you're in a Russell League Uni or something, most mistakes in your first semester are tolerated. Because, at the end of the day, you're somewhere new and uni is very different to school. (For a start, you can't get pissed in school...well...you can...but it's frowned upon...). And the lecturers and markers know you're not going to get everything immediately. Nor will they expect you to. Semester 2 maybe but semester 1 is just to guide you and ease you in.

The basic moral of this post is, if you do get some things wrong or there's some criticism on your work, don't dwell on it as a negative. Sure, you'll be furious or frustrated initially, you're only human (I hope), but turn that negativity into something positive. make a note of it somewhere and put it on your pinboard. Or make a good mental note if your memory is better than mine and attribute that to your other work you'll have in over the 3/4 years you'll be studying at uni. Because they will become less tolerant over time. And you do need to be ahead of the game. But just take on board what they say and do your hardest.

Because, that's all you can claim at the end of it. You did your best.

Joshua, out!