1. You will only make friends in Fresher’s Week

The great thing about going to university is that it’s an opportunity to meet so many people who you would never usually come across. There always seems to be a lot of pressure on Freshers’ Week but this shouldn’t be the case at all. Your university experience doesn’t rely on Freshers’ Week alone. In fact, Freshers’ Week is actually a tiny part of your overall university experience and you can guarantee you’ll meet new people and make new friends throughout your entire time studying.

2. First year isn’t important

Although first year carries less weight than the remaining years, this doesn’t make it any less important. First year is there to help bridge the gap between college or sixth form, and by making the most of this, your remaining academic experience will be made so much easier without unnecessary added stress.

3. It’s all about going out

Drinking is always made out to be a huge part of university culture, and while it is for some, it certainly isn’t for all! There are so many fun activities which you can get involved in around the university, such as joining sports teams and societies, and also many other ways to meet new people and keep up the social aspect of your university life.

4. It’s impossible to be healthy

A common misconception about student life is that you will end up living an unhealthy lifestyle. Although some people choose to live this way, you definitely don’t have to. There are so many tips and tricks to remaining healthy and active during your time studying. These could include joining the university gym or a sports team and making sure to plan meals ahead of time rather than relying on takeaways.

5. You need to have everything figured out

Another common myth about going to university is that you have to have your entire life plan figured out, but this isn’t true. There’s nothing wrong with simply taking each step as it comes and it’s alright to change your mind about something once you have started. The truth is that a lot of people don’t know what they want to do after graduating, and this is completely fine. The university offers so much advice and support throughout your studies to help you figure things out.

6. You can only get a job in the subject of your degree

Going on from the previous point, many people are of the mindset that once you’ve decided on an area to study, this is what you will have to do for the rest of your life. Although you may be studying a specific subject, your university experience is so much more than that. It’s also about building your life skills and experience which can be transferable and applied to so many different things in the future.

7. University is only for young people

When people think about university, they automatically associate it with young people. However, increasingly, this isn’t the case and it’s important to know that university is for anyone and everyone, regardless of their background.

8. You have to move far away

A lot of people are stuck with the idea that to have the best university experience, you need to move as far away from home as possible. But one thing to remember is that your university experience is exactly what you make of it and you can have just as good of a time whether you’re living close to home or not.

9. You have to quit your job

Having a part-time job while studying is something a lot of students do, and although it is an extra commitment, all you need are good time management skills to make it work. If this is something you choose to do, it is important to remember to fit your job around your studies and to prioritise your degree, rather than the other way around.

10. There’s no point in going to university

Finally, something that people always forget is that there are many benefits to going to university besides just getting a degree. The biggest benefit being that it makes you extremely employable and, as mentioned earlier, not just to employers relating to your specific degree. As well as this, going to university gives you the chance to gain so many life skills such as becoming independent, managing finances and being more confident.