Username: pinkpenguin
Comment: It's my third week at uni now. And I've been through everything all you guys have too.
My first week was alright. I was so busy I didn't really think about home or anything, I was more concerned with where I had to be and when. Although at the end of the first week I was struggling to settle in. I found myself with about 4 hours and nothing to do and I panicked a little. I felt like I hadn't connected with anyone and everyone else had all cliqued off, meaning I would feel like an eternal tag along.
But, after a few bad moments, I decided to get on with it and do what I could. I joined the rugby team, which has been great to meet loads of people whom I at least share one thing in common with. I started lectures and tutorials meaning I had work to keep me occupied and I tried to make myself understand what uni life really is like.
It's often said that uni is non stop drinking partying and sleeping through lectures. It's not. Sometimes you'll have a couple of hours to yourself with nothing to do. So you need to find some way of spending it! Muck about on the internet or do what I did and start watching random boxsets when you have a spare hour. I've just decided to do things on my own terms, spend my days doing things I need to do rather than getting stressed that there's a party going on somewhere else. Most of the time there isn't.
Don't feel like you have to have made friends for life already. It is going to take time. I certainly haven't made friends for life. Stick at it and remember that terms aren't that long. There's nothing wrong with going home either. On the other hand, if you do feel like it is too much and you have spoken to all the relevant people, there is also nothing wrong with dropping out. You have to do what is right for you, no-one else.
Username: sikthchick
Comment: When it comes to organisation, I find these things help:
I prefer to keep everything in one place i.e. my mac.
If i need to show a lecturer any work I just take it with me so I don't have to bother tranferring it to memory sticks or e-mailing it.
I use ical as my organiser but have a uni diary thing as well which is permanently in my bag so when I don't have my mac I can just use good old pen and paper!
I seem to write a lot of random stuff in stickies.
Food shopping is done online, it saves a list of stuff I buy regularly so it doesn't take long and saves me trying to carry a ton of bags back to my flat.
I tend to back up my work every week just incase.