Some advice for new mature students

We're not all teenagers, you know!

Mature students have different expectations from university and are often looking for different outcomes from studying than younger students. For many mature students though, having life experience does not make attending university and studying any less daunting.


This is a guest post from Sian, a mature student who blogs over at offcumden.com.

Have you been accepted at university? Are you over 25?

Last year I was in the same position as you. Here is my guide to the first year of university as a mature student.

Fresher's week.

• I have to admit that I only went in twice in Fresher's week, to register and to go to a course outline lecture. I live a long way away from uni so I knew I wouldn't get a chance to join any of the clubs or societies. If you live closer, or even on campus, then there are so many activities that you can sign up for. There are loads of socials as well.
• I think Fresher's week is mainly aimed at settling people into university life and getting to know people on nights out.
• Be grateful that you are not 18 or 19 again. So many of them are having a really tough time away from home for the first time.
• Expect that people will be impressed by you having a car! It surprised me but I guess they thought I was the same age.

First few weeks of the first term

• Talk to everyone you can, in lectures, seminars, common room, toilets, wherever.
• Don't admit how old you are (unless you are asked obviously). I found that as soon as I admitted to being older quite a few people stopped talking to me! Luckily I had made some good friends by then so it didn't matter so much.
• Try and find other mature students on your course. I didn't have any doing the same course as me but there were others studying different subjects who were in the same college as me.
• Work out your timetable and stick to it. If you are anything like me then you will have children, housework and a husband to juggle as well as university. I made a timetable and stuck to it.
• If you want to talk to 18 year old boys, it seems the thing to learn about is Pokemon! Don't admit to having played it on your Game Boy though. It makes you look really old!

Expect the unexpected

• Your lecturer might accidentally show you porn on YouTube during a seminar. You know that he will ALWAYS check the link he is about to click on in the future. The look on his face will stick with you forever!
• When a boy turns up covered in red paint to a tutorial and smelling of booze, don't be surprised when he admits to having just woken up in bed with a boy and a red girl! To be fair, he did come to the tutorial, most people wouldn't have bothered.
• If you are studying more than one subject, don't expect that the departments will communicate with each other. Indeed, I have found the majority of administration to be frustrating and completely inflexible towards mature students.
• Don't expect the amount student finance have told you that you will receive is a definite amount. It can and possibly will change, especially if you have given them childcare costs.

Organise

• You have very little time. Make the most of all of it.
• Treat university like work. I am there 9-5. When not in seminars or lectures, I am in the library. This way I don't have to work in the evenings.
• If you drive to university then record your notes and play them to yourself on the journey. There is more chance that you will learn them then.

Relax

• Learning is tiring. 
• Juggling everything in life is tiring.
• Commuting to university is tiring.
• Make some time for yourself and grab every second that you get.
• Don't worry about housework, one day you will get the place straight!

Congratulations. You are going to have an amazing time. You will meet some great people. It is hard work but really is a fabulous experience.


Thanks to Sian for sharing her experience so far with us. If you are a mature student starting university soon, we wish you very well, and hope you have a good experience, even if it differs a little from that of the younger ones around you.

We have been featured........

Thanks to our friends at student accommodation know-it-alls unihomeswap.co.uk, we have been featured on a neat little video. It is aimed at sixth form students and is designed to help them make an informed choice on university accommodation, exploring the different options available and the pros and cons of each. 

We have been name checked in the money saving tips section towards the end. Have a look. Feel free to share this with any prospective students that you know. As graduates who have spent time at university themselves, we think there is some great advice here from people who obviously know their onions.

Thank you!

How An Old Book Can Land You A Dream Job

This is a guest post from Raw Egg Interns.

After university, people generally have a vague idea of the industry that they’d like to go into. It doesn’t have to be directly linked to their degree; it doesn’t have to be linked at all. However, unless you have looked at what the industry has to offer, it can be tricky to breakdown the job roles to aim for, and even to know what you might enjoy.

Inevitably if you get to interview stage you will be asked; what do you feel you can bring to this job and which aspects of the job are you most interested in? Unless you know how the job works and fits with the rest of the industry, these questions will be followed with a long and resounding uuuuuuuuhm.

Well, that is frankly awkward, so to avoid this we would suggest getting hold of some old textbooks, basic guides or industry magazines and having a good read, before doing anything else. Not all employers want a newbie with experience, but they do want someone who knows what they’re getting themselves into. 

Don’t splash out, second hand books do the job, but do remember that digital and technology industries move fairly quickly, so any books that are pre-millennium are only for an understanding of basic principles, not day to day workings. 

By reading up on the basics, recruiters will recognise that you have put in the time and effort to make the links between your skills and their industry. They will trust that this same level of interest, research and wisdom will be maintained once you’re in the work place.

Go forth bookworms and read yourself to a job. 

Written by.......

Raw Egg Interns is more than a recruitment solution; it is a business development initiative. We connect our paid interns with industry experts so together they can generate amazing business solution, direction and insights.

Raw Egg Interns Ltd.

info@rawegginterns.com

www.facebook.com/RawEggInterns

0843 289 2554

Saving money on student accommodation

Advertorial:-

Here at the Book Pond, we love things that give students choice. We appreciate the diversity in the student body in the UK, whether this is by gender, age, life situation or any other thing that means that one student is totally different to the next. 

Because of this diversity, not every single service designed for students can suit everybody. As a mature student myself, I found that a lot of the societies and activities for students at my university did not fit in with my schedule or needs. That's not to say I was unusual. Around 50% of the students at my university were mature students, many of whom had children and a family life. Traditional students (18-25) are always well catered for, which is understandable, but we know that these arrangements don't suit all.

It's the same when it comes to accommodation. As a student starting university for the first time at the age of 26, I was glad I didn't have to live in halls or shared housing. I had lived in my own home for six years by then, and could not have coped with the inevitable activity and hustle and bustle that comes with sharing with lots of young people, as fun as it may have been. 

Even some traditional students don't like this arrangement and would prefer something a little more like back home. This is why I like UniHomeSwap.co.uk.  This is a website where you register your details and look for another student to 'swap' accommodation with. You get to move in with their family near your university, and they stay with yours. For the right arrangement, this can save you thousands of pounds a year. 

The obvious downside is that your parents have to have someone just like you in their home, when they could have been looking forward to having some us-time (dread the thought), but as it's probably their money that will be paying for your university accommodation, they will likely be more willing than you would expect. It's a solution that could work for many, not everyone, but it's certainly worth looking into. 

If you are looking to save money while studying at university, swapping your place in the family home with someone else is worth investigating. It might not be the right choice for you, but what's to lose in checking it out?