uni survival tips — from a year 3 NUS CS student

1️⃣ try many new things, but learn to prioritise

be open to trying new things! join ccas, clubs, orientation committees and rly milk ur experience especially in year 1 👍🏼 after all, u only experience uni once so try to make the best out of your time and don’t just focus all ur energy on studying! #noragrats (unless thats what u r into) but always remember to prioritise your different commitments and don’t lose sight of your goals

2️⃣ acknowledge that most people u meet in uni will probably be come and go friends

it is definitely harder to make lifelong friends in uni as compared to sec sch/jc/poly etc. invest in friendships that u feel have the potential to last and don’t waste too much time and energy on people that u know will come and go. don’t be too hung up on friendships that don’t work out — if its meant to be it will be!

3️⃣ don’t be too fixated on your grades

i can’t speak for every course out there, but in many courses in uni, your resume/portfolio matter much more than your grades. spend some time doing your own projects and seeking out internships to gain more experience in your field, and u will learn much more than u will in school. don’t completely disregard your studies, but don’t be too disheartened as well if your results are not too good — what matters is what u have learned and can take away from the modules u take, not the score on a sheet of paper

4️⃣ take your foundation modules seriously

especially for more technical courses like computer science, the foundational modules u take in year 1 are very important, so do take them seriously and try to learn as much as u can, this will make ur life much easier when u move on to higher level modules in y3,4

5️⃣ learn to say no

uni is full of opportunities and experiences, and u must accept that u can’t possibly do everything and be good at everything. once u stop fomoing and going for everything without filter ur life will be alot less hectic… i would say take up most opportunities in year 1 and see what u enjoy more, then start to cherry pick ur commitments in year 2 and stick to what u can handle in year 3 and 4. u will be spending alot of time getting ready to kick-start your career in year 3 and 4 so only keep the activities u can stay committed to — trying to do too many things at once took a really big toll on me and was much more draining (socially, physically, mentally) than fun

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