Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
How I felt on my first day of uni vs now
Hey! I'm Chloe, a second-year Marketing Management student at Leeds Beckett. In this blog, I’ll be sharing my journey from a nervous fresher to feeling more confident and ready for year two! I’ll talk about how I’ve grown and what’s helped me along the way.
First day feelings
On my first day moving to Leeds I felt a mix of excitement and nerves, especially during the four hour drive from Hertfordshire. I knew only one person at uni and was eager but unsure about making new friends. That nervousness started to ease once I arrived at Arena Village, where the accommodation team gave me such a warm welcome and helped me settle in. If possible, having a friend or family member with you is a great idea—it really adds a sense of comfort. After my mum left, it was emotional, but things turned around when a group of girls knocked on my door and invited me out. I ended up meeting the people I’d live with in second year, and as I talked to more people, I realised everyone was in the same boat. I knew everything would fall into place.
A few days later it was time for my first lecture, and I felt a mix of excitement and anticipation. While I hadn’t met anyone studying Marketing Management yet, walking into the room for introductions made me feel part of something bigger. Sharing a bit about ourselves helped everyone feel more at ease, and I quickly made new friends. After that first session, I knew I’d made the right choice. The students and lecturers were incredibly welcoming, and after a few seminars I felt even more connected. Participating in group activities and socialising outside of class really helped build friendships and boost my confidence.
One thing that helped me adjust was learning my way around campus. There are lots of different blocks, and seeing unfamiliar building names on my timetable was a bit confusing at first. I’d recommend exploring the campus beforehand and planning your routes—it makes navigating much smoother!
The journey
I genuinely feel that Leeds Beckett has played a huge role in my personal and academic growth. Taking on different jobs through the university and in the local arena has really boosted my confidence, giving me a sense of value and belonging, as well as the chance to meet a variety of people. Putting myself in new situations has made me more comfortable socially and helped ease my anxiety. Building friendships with people you don’t know can be challenging, but by putting myself out there and joining different social groups I gained a better understanding of others. It was reassuring to realise that many of them were going through similar experiences. Finding my group of friends didn’t happen right away — it took time and patience. But now, I’m surrounded by amazing people, and it’s made me so much happier. It’s completely normal for it to take a few tries to find the right friendships!
University has also helped me step outside of my comfort zone while still maintaining strong friendships from home. On the academic side, I’ve become much more disciplined since starting uni. I find it less stressful than sixth form or college because studying one subject lets me focus all my energy on achieving the best results and passing first year. My advice is to create a solid routine while making time for fun—enjoyment is such an important part of the first year, and you don’t want to isolate yourself. There’s also plenty of support at university. My lecturers are always quick to respond to emails and offer one-on-one help when I need it.
I make sure to stick to a daily routine, head to the gym, go on lots of walks, socialise, eat well, and during my first week I got organised with things like registering at the local doctor’s. All of this has helped me maintain a balanced, healthy lifestyle, which has been great for my mental health.
How I feel now
As I head into my second year, I’m feeling a lot more confident and at ease, thanks to the amazing friendships I’ve built. I’m excited about sharing a house with my friends this year. My anxiety has eased a lot since my first day at university, and I think that’s because I’ve shifted my perspective. I’ve learned to stop overthinking and realised the importance of sticking to a good routine.
On my first day, I was worried about managing on my own, like cooking, cleaning, and doing dishes. But once I got into a routine, these tasks became much easier. I have even started to enjoy cooking, especially when I can prepare meals for my friends and share the experience with them. Looking back on my first year, the sense of accomplishment made everything worthwhile, and I couldn’t recommend going to university more.
Advice for new students
For future students, here’s a list of things I wish I’d known before starting university:
- Don’t get inside your own head about what people might think of you - everyone is in the same position as you!
- Find a good balance between academics and social life.
- Stay in touch with friends and family back home—don’t isolate yourself!
- Sign up for a railcard and book train journeys home in advance to save money.
- Register to a local doctor’s surgery sooner rather than later.
- Get to know your flatmates—movie nights or cooking together are great for bonding.
- Try to eat well- it can be easy to opt for fast food, and it’s nice to have a treat now and again but it’s good to have balance.
- Try to maintain a consistent sleeping pattern to conserve energy and improve mental and physical health.
- Invest in a toastie maker and air fryer—they’re lifesavers!
I hope this gives you a clear and straightforward look into my university experience and the range of emotions I felt during my first year. I wouldn’t change a thing! Joining Leeds Beckett was the best decision I could have made, and facing the changes and challenges head-on has helped me become the strongest and most confident version of myself.
