To all new students, welcome to the University of Reading, and welcome back to those of you who are returning to continue with your studies. Congratulations on your efforts and achievements to get to this point. And to those who took the resit, congratulations on your efforts to make progress.

For some of you, this may be the first time you are away from home and living independently. It is a time of excitement as you start the academic year. At the same time, it may feel a bit strange to notice everything is different.

Whether you have travelled a long distance or come from a nearby area, there will be many changes as you start your new life here at Reading. And for those of you who are continuing with your studies, starting a new academic year will also bring some changes that will take some time to adjust to.

A new beginning

Any new beginning is a time of many changes. Whatever environment and activities you were involved in before now, you will notice many differences as you begin a new chapter in your academic and personal life.

Whenever we decide to do something new, it is because we want to grow. We want to make progress to gain knowledge and experience by seeing, doing, and learning new things.

Starting life at university will bring many new experiences that will be interesting and motivating. However, sometimes you may have moments of uncertainty, frustration, or disappointment. It is normal to experience a mix of emotions when living through a period of change. It can be unsettling, and more so when we have made significant efforts and invested a great deal of resources in the hope of creating more opportunities in the future.

If we experience some things in a new situation that we do not like, acknowledge these as part of the experience. These events will become your stories of events that made a difference to you, which you can share with others in the future.

Developing relationships

The first few weeks at university are likely to fill you with curiosity, interest, and excitement. Everyone wants to meet new people and make friends. Even if you are not sure who to talk to, take the initiative to start a conversation with other students during Welcome Week activities, in halls, and in class.

You may initially notice differences and compare them to what you know. At first, it may feel awkward and uncomfortable, which can be unsettling. Keep in mind that these feelings are normal when going through a period of change. As you get to know more and find your way around your new environment, you will start to feel more at home and meet other students you can relate to after a few days.

In addition, when you are away from home, you also have to establish another way of relating to your families and friends who now cannot participate in your student life. Fortunately, technology enables communication, so you can keep in touch with them to share what is happening and how things are developing for you.

Managing transitions

Transitions begin with endings. Whenever we make a change, it means we leave something behind. Sometimes, we may miss what we left, such as family, a group of friends, a familiar environment, and a sense of feeling confident about how to do things as we were used to the way things were done in school or at work.

As human beings, we tend to compare the new situation to our past experiences. Sometimes we feel that where we came from is better than the current situation. At times, we may feel that the new people we meet are different from our friends and family back home, whom we have known for a long time and who understand us without explanations.

Whenever we move to a different environment, there is a natural reorientation process. This is when we have to adapt to an unfamiliar situation where many things are very different from what we have been used to. During this process, we also go through an internal adaptation process where we reorient how we see ourselves and how we relate to others.

In order to adjust to the new situation, it helps to focus on what you can do now, taking small steps. As you explore what you are interested in and take the initiative to ask questions, you will find new and interesting opportunities. 

Sometimes we may experience doubt and worry about what is best, so it can be difficult to make decisions. Things may not go as planned, but that does not mean you made the wrong choice. For instance, you might experience disappointment if the module fails to meet your expectations or if your accommodations fall short of your expectations. Instead, you can look for some aspects of the situation that provide useful information. You can also decide what to improve things next time.

Strategies to manage the transition and adjust to your new environment:

Develop healthy routines:
Starting a new life at university will bring a lot of changes, both in terms of different ways of doing things, new information to take in, and adjusting to relating to new people.

During transitions, it is important to keep our energy, as we need it to process information and manage our emotions. To maintain your energy, it is essential to develop healthy routines, such as eating healthily, to nurture your body. In addition, exercise to keep well and sleep well, as they help to maintain an optimum level of energy.

Communicating in English as a second language:

As you are absorbing large amounts of new information, your brain is working hard to process all of it so that you can use it in your day-to-day life. For those who are coming from other countries, you will be working hard to get used to doing all of this in a second language. It will require time to build language proficiency and confidence in your skills.

Even though you might feel self-conscious speaking in English, focus on practising the language as much as you can. Instead of trying to speak the language without errors, remember that what matters is communicating with others. If you do not understand something, ask others to repeat it, and others will understand as they also want to communicate with you. After a while, you will build your confidence and will gradually become more fluent.

Managing your academic workload:
At first, you may notice that you are not sure what is expected, and may feel that the workload is greater than you were used to before. Give yourself time to learn new strategies to manage your studies. Give yourself time to adjust and find out what works best for you.

You can contact your tutors and ask for advice. You can check the Study Advice website for useful information on study techniques and more. You can also arrange a visit to ask questions, which will enable you to make good progress with your assignments.

Understanding homesickness:
When starting in an unfamiliar place, the first few days and sometimes the first few weeks can be unsettling. You may feel that although you want to get out and participate in activities, you may not be too keen to be in a large group or be in a situation where you do not know anyone. Although this can bring a mixture of emotions that prevent you from enjoying your time, give yourself permission to feel upset and unsettled.

These feelings are not a sign that you have made the wrong decision to come to university or that you cannot manage. It just means that you are going through a transition and that your body needs a bit of time to adjust to the new environment and to the new people around you.

When feeling homesick, there is a tendency to feel as if you are the only one experiencing these feelings. It is very common for people to miss home when they first start university.

You can manage this period by remembering previous transitions (e.g., from primary to secondary school) and how you adjusted over time. Think about what you enjoy doing. Perhaps you can invite another student in your flat to go out and explore the campus, or you can go into town and explore your new environment.

Focus on the new opportunities:

You may have already looked at the university Essential pages on the website to see what activities are available. You may also have explored what events are taking place, where you can meet other students who share your desire to meet new people and form friendships. You can check out the Reading Students Union website or visit their offices on Whiteknights campus to learn about their activities and services.

During Welcome Week, you will receive information from your department about your course, and you will have the opportunity to meet staff. You can also find out about a variety of services available to support students, such as your support centre administrators.

If you wonder which of the activities available will be something you like but feel uncertain about trying them out, you can ask for more information. This will enable you to see if you want to participate in them. Perhaps you find it challenging to choose what to do first, or perhaps you’re unsure about which activities to prioritise in order to maximise your time. As there are so many things available, it is likely that you might be uncertain about what is best to do and not miss out on anything. Even if you do not get to see and do what you would like during Welcome Week, keep in mind that there will be many opportunities to explore new activities during the academic year.

Adapting to new situations involves taking risks, so if the activity was not what you expected (e.g., if the evening out was not as enjoyable as you hoped it would be), give yourself credit for having tried it. It was not a mistake; you did not know how it would turn out. You can try another activity next time, and this way you can meet new people.

Whenever we try something different, we are stretching ourselves beyond our comfort zone. While uncomfortable, we do this to meet new people and have new experiences. After a while, the sense of unease decreases, and you will develop a sense of familiarity and confidence.

Learning to tolerate frustration and disappointment will enable you to move forward. By keeping an open mind, maintaining a flexible attitude, and having a sense of curiosity, you will be able to identify new opportunities. What matters is that you explore and eventually find what works for you.

Wishing you a stimulating time and rewarding experiences during the year you are beginning.

Reference

Bridges, W. (2004) Transitions. Making sense of life´s changes. Massachusetts: Da Capo Press.

Davis, S. (2016) Emotional agility. Get unstuck, embrace change, and thrive in work and life. London: Penguin Random House.