Podcast: 100 Days of University for Science and Engineering students
By the Library Student Team
Kai: Welcome to the University of Manchester!
Preenal: You have made it, and this is just the beginning of your exciting new chapter.
Sonia: I’m Sonia, I am a 3rd year international undergrad student studying Maths and I’m joined today by Preenal and Kai.
Preenal: I’m Preenal, a final-year international student studying Actuarial Science and Maths.
Kai: And I’m Kai, a part-time PhD student studying Pure Maths, before which, I studied an integrated masters in maths at UoM.
Everyone: This is our first 100 days of uni.
Welcome Week and Week 1
Kai: As I barely remember my first weeks of university, except the fact that I really enjoyed the icebreaker activities during Welcome Week, what were your experiences of Welcome Week and the first week of teaching?
Sonia: My university experience started way before September. So, once I got my final exams grades and I met all the UoM entrance conditions, I looked up and joined the UoM Maths groupchat, whose owner is coincidentally Kai. I was asking so many questions, such as ‘how is accommodation generally, how demanding is the course’. And on that groupchat, I met what would become my closest friends.
Sonia: During Welcome Week however, my parents let me off at my accommodation and I felt excited! I like to say that ‘on one hand, you have freedom, but on the other hand, you have freedom’. So, basically, you are free to do whatever you want but you need to be responsible for yourself.
Preenal: In my case, I didn’t get the chance to have the welcome week experience. My first day of university was actually the day lectures began! However, I could have not hoped for anything better because I met some of my amazing friends through my classes. Every introductory class that I missed, such as those organised by the department of maths, by careers service or even by academic advisor, had already been uploaded on the Blackboard portal, which was quite easy to figure out.
Kai: For those who don’t know what Blackboard is, it was the previous virtual learning environment before Canvas.
Days 15–49 (Weeks 2–5)
Kai: Now onto weeks 2 to 5 of teaching, how did you both find these?
Sonia: The first “proper” weeks of university give you the chance to catch your breath and start getting into a routine. So, these few weeks are, as I would say, a good trial period. So, by the end of these, you can have some time to reflect on what worked and what didn’t.
Preenal: I agree with Sonia, these days were all about getting into a routine and getting used to the campus life especially figuring out the way to all the different buildings! But also, balancing the academic workload along with extracurriculars. It can all seem a little bit overwhelming, especially with the amount of workload, but there’s help all around us. From lecturers and academic advisors to the school wellbeing team and even friends, you can always reach out for help, and based on my personal experience, everyone is always ready to help.
Sonia: There is support put in place for you at uni. I recommend attending the peer assisted study sessions, also known as PASS. This is where you get the chance to ask your older peers questions related to uni life, courses, projects or just gossip about lecturers!
Preenal: Also, this period is when some students have their coursework, tests and assessments right before the mid-term break, which is usually known as reading week. Getting familiar with the study materials, library support, timings of classes, Student’s Union and society events (if you plan to join one), volunteering, and going out with friends. It may all sound like too much and you don’t even have to be part of everything but actually it’s all about finding a good balance between academics and extra-curricular.
Sonia: If you missed coursework or simply feel like you might be falling behind- do reach out to your school’s Student Support Hub. I think it was around that time when I opened out to the SoNS Wellbeing team about some issues that I was going through and they made me feel very safe and heard. All in all, three words of advice: Ask for help.
Kai: And that leads nicely to the main thing I remember about my first weeks of university: Impostor syndrome. Almost everyone on your course will have come from schools or colleges where they were considered one of the smartest in that subject. But, when you get to university, you find that being exceptional at a subject has suddenly become normal.
Kai: I knew multiple other students who went through impostor syndrome in their first year and considered quitting because they didn’t think they were good enough. However, many of these students ended up getting First class degrees despite this.
Kai: Take the time to remind yourself that being enrolled on your degree already puts you within the top 5% of the UK for your subject. Also, please don’t compare yourself to other people. If you need to compare yourself to someone, I’ve found that comparing yourself to your younger self is much better!
Days 50–56 (Week 6 Reading Week)
Kai: And now on to Week 6, which is usually when Reading Week occurs.
Sonia: A lot of my peers used this week to catch up on materials from the past five weeks, but I would say that in this time it is really important to rest. You should also take the time to reflect on how you’re feeling within your course, with the material and with your friends.
Sonia: Kai mentioned this very human tendency to feel like you’re just never good enough or that you could’ve done better. Even after two years, I need to remind myself that “Growth doesn’t mean never doubting yourself. It means growing anyway.” And it is okay to not feel “ready” before you start something, and remember, ask for help.
Preenal: Reading week is a good chance for a break after late nights of working on those courseworks. It’s always good to use this time to revise and reflect on your initial weeks but you can also explore more of the city with your friends and make use of the accessible travel to visit some of hidden gems across the UK.
Kai: When I had Reading Week, I mostly took the chance to do extra hours at my part-time job so I could have more money.
Days 57–84 (Weeks 7–12)
Kai: After Reading Week, if it’s occurring on Week 6, there are six more weeks until the end of the semester. How did you find these six weeks?
Sonia: I think November is notorious for the most coursework-heavy month of the first semester. Maybe only followed by December. I recommend staying as organised as possible. This was honestly really hard for me to overcome. For example, around this time was the first time in my life when I made a proper to-do list, and I felt so uncomfortable! I was so used to making list in my head but it ultimately felt good to put some things down on paper and to see tasks get ticked off.
Preenal: That’s really good Sonia! Some people have their coursework after reading week and also lectures continue as usual. Now, you might be already used to the routine and remember, lecturers and academic advisors are only an email away for any question you may have.
Sonia: Or if you prefer talking to them in person, you can attend their office hours. I know it sounds intimidating, and this is why I didn’t go to any in Year 1, but I went to loads in Year 2. Above getting a specific problem addressed by the person actually teaching the course, you also get to know the person behind the name.
Preenal: Yes, agreed Sonia! Also, this is a perfect time to try new things such as sip and paint, theatre shows, or even having a good brunch in the Northern Quarter with your friends.
Sonia: I remember that around this time I had to book plane tickets to go to my parents. I felt genuinely sad leaving this place for the holiday, since I made Manchester my home away from home.
Days 99–100 (Christmas Break)
Kai: Now, we’ve covered Welcome Week and the 12 Weeks of Semester 1, giving us a total of 98 days. Days 99 and 100 would be the first weekend of the Christmas Break. What were your experiences of the Christmas Break?
Preenal: For my Christmas Break, I went back home to spent some time with family and friends, and revise for exams. After 3 weeks, I arrived back to Manchester for my January exams, spending most of the month studying, but I also got to see snow for the first time!
Sonia: Over the Christmas Break, I was frustrated that I wasn’t doing my work as productively as during term time. It was then that I realized I just needed a rest! Full-on factory reset, usually after January exams and Semester 2, you don’t get any break, so this is the time to recharge. After New Year’s I felt ready to go. I think my “study strategy” is simply understanding and interacting with the material as it was taught to me, and my Christmas Break revision is just recalling and retrieving the concepts that I have learned the weeks prior. With 4 successful exam seasons so far, maybe it does work.
Kai: I recall working and gaming over the Christmas Break. I worked on Christmas Eve and then I went out with the other staff for drinks afterwards. There was another international student in my flat who also stayed over the Christmas Break, so it was nice to briefly socialise with someone in person on Christmas Day. I also had a very beige Christmas dinner as I used whatever was in my freezer, which ended up being a massive plate of chips, roast potatoes, and Yorkshire puddings, and then I covered that with a lot of gravy. Overall, my Christmas Break was pretty chill, in contrast with January which was entirely focused on preparing for exams.
