Things I wish someone told me before starting university PART 1 of 2
Few things are a bigger ‘rite of passage’ moments than going / starting University.
I pass this knowledge on to you in the hopes that it will prove useful. In the second part of this little note, I’ll go into 5 points I wish someone told me AFTER completing university. To give some context about me generally. I studied a Bachelor of Design in Interior Architecture from 2017 to 2019. I’m your typical 21 year old female, I grew up with supportive and encouraging parents that encouraged me to pursuit my interests. I have had a flare and passion for design from an early age and saw myself heading down a long and interesting path in the design field. I did well in high school and was self confident about my abilities, have a great group of friends and a generally positive attitude. I grew up in the Blue Mountains (about 1.5 -2 hrs) out of Sydney, commuting for my three years of study. I worked part time for about 1.5 years in the mountains on weekends and also had a few relationships.
Now to get onto the 5 main points I’d like to share…
1: ITS OKAY TO HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE F*** IS GOING ON
Most people I met at uni were like ducks - that is to say their top half was mostly cool, calm and collected. Underneath however, their legs are paddling like crazy. We are all just trying to get through the year, semester, week or day. That’s totally okay. Take comfort in the fact most of us are just plodding along. If you’re keeping a good(ish) sleep schedule, on top of your uni work and staying mentally, emotional and physically healthy, that’s the main thing and you’re doing better than most. Let alone if you’re working, renting or commuting long distances with whatever else is going on for you personally. Be kind to yourself and just do your best.
2: HARD WORK ≠ GOOD GRADES / FEEDBACK
There is a correlation between the two I won’t lie. But what I found baffling was that some of the most intuitive, unique and design-minded students in my cohort got HAMMERED in critiques. It seemed like the more you give the tutors / lecturers the more content there was to critique and pull apart (both in terms of your work but also confidence) this was emotionally exhausting to experience but also witness. This is where i’ll suggest the 80/20 rule if it applies to your course. For design sadly this might be less effective - because the time and effort generally shows A LOT and you can’t just skip or cut corners.
Known as the Pareto principle - it states that in many cases roughly 80% of the effects (AKA grades) come from 20% of the causes (AKA hard work) It’s just about finding the things that are important and result in the best outcome.
For example: A design brief that requires a space (say an art gallery) to have maximum tactile textures, lighting and colour for the user to experience. You’re better off doing a lighting diagram or a photoshop collage over drawing black and white plans and elevations. Once you have the deign down pat, work on pumping out the drawings.
Likewise to the students that give their ALL and do constant all nighters and end up looking like corpses only to get a credit, these ‘talented’ people, for multiple reasons can struggle with the brief / task and end up wasting time on pointless detail. Conversely some of the most HOPELESS and brain numbingly annoying students will sail through uni with ease. This is a phenomenon i still don’t understand but all i can say is, less is more for some people.
Honestly, it’s NOT WORTH DESTROYING YOURSELF OVER. You will take days to get back into a normal sleep pattern, your wellbeing will really suffer and you’ll have 0 time to build yourself back up. Don’t put 100% into it because you’ve left yourself 0% for all your other tasks. Every week will become more laborious so just stop it. Take some time out (you should schedule this in) and refocus.
There is, of course, an important distinction between being a passionate, intelligent design student and just a ‘fake it till you make it’ / ‘ my parents just wanted me to get a piece of paper’ student - Education helps you work out if you’re good at what you’re doing and more importantly- passionate about it. Getting a credential however doesn’t really mean you’ve found your thing.
3. GO TO YOUR LECTURES / TUTORIALS / STUDIOS / CLASS
You will waste more time messaging, emailing and calling people (classmates and tutors) to find out what you missed, and in the process waste their time and annoy the crap out of them.
Even if it’s for an hour, or how little time you’ll get away with, just go so at least you have SOME idea of what’s going on, and you don’t look like a dumbass come submission. Personally, I could sometimes tell when someone hadn’t attended or paid attention. The work just lacks thought and execution. By going to class you can pick up detail, last minute changes the tutor makes, ask questions and compare your work to others to see if you’re on the right track. It’s also so important to socialise and have the support of your peers. If you’re feeling down and lacking mojo, seeing a friend, getting coffee or just venting to them at uni can make the world of difference. Remember you’re all ducks, in a big pond.
4. DON’T TRUST THE UNI TO DO THE BEST BY YOU
I know this sounds a bit intense, and it is. Because you put 99% if not, ALL of your trust into university. It’s regarded as (one of) the best steps towards a bright and successful future for yourself. Unless you push and stay on top of it, no one else will do it for you. You need to be active in your degree - ask questions, hold them (tutors etc.) accountable. If there’s something you’re unsure or uncomfortable with - email, arrange meetings and TALK to the tutors / lecturers - they have the power and the knowledge to help you, if you stand by and don’t do anything you’ll feel more anxious, flustered and annoyed with yourself and worst of all you’ll get crap marks.
In my personal experience - I constantly felt like I was on an uphill battle. I would demand a lot from my tutors, after all, YOU ARE PAYING for this.
As contradictory as it sounds, I gained so much MORE respect and a healthy, dynamic relationship with my tutors by CHALLENGING them. By engaging, clearly articulating what you’re planning / want, asking questions and demanding some clarification you show that you’re interested, passionate and understand what is required from you. Passiveness doesn’t get you anywhere. By my third year, despite being called difficult, bratty and stubborn - I had built a relationship with other students and tutors/ lecturers, where they knew my limits to push me and my skills, vice versa I knew what they wanted of me.
5. UNI IS WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT
It’s really simple. If you go there with the attitude of ‘I just want to go home and get this done and get to the weekend’ that is exactly what will happen. If you’re positive, approachable, open, helpful and excited to meet new people, have new friendships, learn as much as possible, get involved with societies and share your skills, that’s exactly what will happen. I knew which one I chose, and it was the BEST attitude I could’ve taken. The friends I made at uni are my tribe, people I will love, travel, share success and lows with for the rest of my life. Because at uni, you’re not forced together like high school, you’re all there (hopefully) because you want to be. More importantly you’ve supported each other through some serious crap for 3 or more years, that stuff bonds you together like nothing else. I was lucky enough to even travel with some of my closest friends, and that i will never forget.
If you’re there to just grind away at your work, go home and maybe go out to the pub on the weekend to get pissed, well that’s going to feel like a LONG 3 or more years. Just be a nice person and you might be surprised how much better your university experience will be.
Hope this helps provide some kind of guidence and comfort in these times.
Z xx
