Are you a Matriculant entering University? Here are some tips to help transition from High School to University!
Congratulations! You have passed Matric and are now venturing into the next avenue of studies: University. If you are nervous, know that you are not alone. Most students find this transition challenging and at times, scary. However, with this useful guide, your transition from high school to University student will hopefully be made a little bit easier.
If you are currently preparing to enter University, engaging in orientation, or even already attending classes (and still feel a bit lost), this article will help make your transition into University a breeze.
Before you set foot into your chosen university, you will need to have some things in place for your first day on campus. Below is a list of some things your will should organize and plan for:
1. Create a budget for your finances
As a student, you will most likely have a monthly budget that must be used on your needs, such as accommodation, food, transport, textbooks, and social events. This can also waver depending on if you live on campus, at home, or in an accommodation that is further away.
A good way to manage your finances, and ensure that you have ample cash for all these expenses, is to create a budget.
Budgeting is easy and all you will need is a spreadsheet which you can access on Word or your Google Drive. To set up your spreadsheet, list your monthly income/ money you have as well as your monthly expenses. Divide your expenses into 2 categories: essential and non-essential – by doing this, you will be able to distribute your income to cover your expenses. You should always start with your essential expenses as this will allow you to determine how much money you can allocate to each expense, and remember: the aim of a budget is to always ensure that your income is greater than your expenses.
2. Maintain your schedule
Like with budgeting, when you transition to university, you need to manage your time and schedule effectively. Unlike high school, university class times are at different times each day (some classes may be in the morning, others in the afternoon and class times can change). Therefore, it is imperative that you keep on top of your schedule, and ensure you set your alarm for those early morning classes!
3. Prepare the student life
Before embarking on your university adventure, it’s vital that you get into the orientation mindset. You will face a number of new experiences and challenges, as such, here are some things you should prepare for:
- Your grades may drop, and that’s okay – university is way more challenging than high school and it is very common that students experience a drop in marks.
- You may be lonely at first – entering a new environment is scary but just remember, you will make friends, it just takes time.
- You should remain accountable, as it is your responsibility to pass and make good experiences.
- You will need to establish your own moral code – after leaving school you will have a lot more freedom and be presented with many different opportunities. As the saying goes, “with great power comes great responsibility” – you will need to make the decision between what is right and what is wrong.
- You will learn so much about yourself and this is a great benefit of going to university – bask in the journey and figure out who you want to be and what you want from life.
4. Learn about your University
If you wish to become a master navigator of your university, you will need to know all about your campus. Most universities provide students with campus tours, but make some time for yourself to explore the campus and find out as much as possible during your first weeks.
There might also be occasional hour long breaks between some of your lectures – use some of that time to explore your university and explore areas of your campus. You will see many of these spots during orientation, so take note where they are guiding you on campus so that you can explore it later.
5. Adjust to your accommodation
When you are in university, your accommodation might still be at home, or it may be in university res or digs. If you are staying away from home, it might help you adjust better if you set up your room to make it feel more “homely”.
6. Utilize student resources
Many South African universities have a wide range of resources for students to utilize, to help them succeed. These resources should be used to help you transition smoothly from high school to university and can consist of the following:
- Academic resources
- Career days
- Mental health services
- Seminars
- Student discounts
- Talks
7. Develop an effective and healthy coping mechanism for stress
When you enter university, you will face a lot of new stressors and thus, need to develop coping mechanisms to combat them. These coping mechanisms need to be healthy and if you don’t have any yet, you can always learn some. Some good anti-stressors are:
- Calling your family
- Exercising
- Journaling
- Mediating
- Reading a book
- Spending time with friends
- Walking around campus
Read our other tips and articles here:
Read our top tips on submitting your bursary application for the best chance of success.
Read our tips on how to write a bursary motivational letter here.
Read about how to prepare for a bursary interview here here.
Read about the various ways to get free education in South Africa.
Read about the National Benchmark Test (NBT) for University Entrance.
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This post was last updated in March 2023.
SA Bursaries wishes you the best of luck with your application! Please remember to SHARE this page with anyone you know who may be in need of bursary funding.