Задача по теме: "Понимание информации в тексте"

Starting university can be one of the most exciting times of your life, no matter what age you are when you start, yet it can also be one of the scariest. It can make you doubt that you’re ready for the true adult life and shows that you need a little guidance in it. Yet, for some people, it can make them blossom into adulthood and prove that this is where they belong. The stresses that university brings, however, are something that not many people are prepared for.

At university, most students get a student loan that is meant to last between 3–4 months, depending on when the next loan comes in. The loan is to be spent on accommodation (if living away from home), transportation (if commuting), food, and other things, such as materials for your uni course. As a result, budgeting becomes highly important to make sure the money lasts.

There are ways to handle this, though. You can try to make a weekly or monthly budget of what you need to spend, what you’d like to spend, and what you want to put into savings. If you don’t have any money left to put into savings at the end of a month, you should not panic too much. You’re not alone, and there are many students who are in the same boat. Don’t be afraid to tell your friends or your family that you’re struggling. There will often be people who can help in any way.

Another source of stress when you go to university is living away from home or having a long-distance commute. For example, I commute from Sheffield to Derby on a daily basis, which doesn’t take too much time, but it is stressful because I need to make sure I’m on the right train, or else I could end up in London. Starting out commuting can be worrying since you might not know where to go or what transport to use. Moreover, travelling to a different city in itself can be extremely nerve-racking. Yet the more you do it, the more confident you become. It’s stressful starting out, but as your confidence and independence grows, you will be able to commute with little to no issues.

The difference in work from A Levels to university can also be a shock to your nervous system. It varies from whatever course you’re doing, so it can be very different for most students. The deadlines are a lot closer together, the workload can be a lot more than expected since some courses are highly coursework based, and doing university exams can be frightening because you aren’t sure how they’re going to look or whether they’ll work any different than the A Level exams. If you get too worked up, you’ll get nothing done because you may shut down and want to do nothing. For these reasons, it’s more important to calm yourself. If you make time for relaxation, you will be able to go back to work with a calm mind, and you’ll probably get even more work done. 

University is a challenging experience for most people, but, hopefully, it will be one of the most rewarding times of your life. You will learn skills of being an adult and will hopefully become a better person for it. Stresses will come and go but never be ashamed of asking for help if you need it. Whether it’s asking for help from a friend or a lecturer, they’ll be more than happy to help you. Enjoy your time at university and try not to let the stresses ruin your experience. Be confident, and don’t let anything get in your way of achieving what you want in life. Your mental health is more important than anything, so make sure to always take time for yourself. You are your own priority. You should stay strong, and I’m sure you will be able to handle anything.

(Adapted from ‘The First Yearʼ by Meggan Turner)