First things first:
- Students from higher semesters are the ideal point of contact for all of your questions.
- Take advantage of introductory events. There you can find out more about organizational topics and get to know new people.
At first glance, the organizational system at university doesn’t seem to be very different from the one in school: You have a timetable, attend your courses accordingly and at the end of the semester you write exams, assignments or give presentations. However, the university building is usually much larger, studying requires more organization (especially compared to school everything is very self-organized) and at the beginning of your studies you are often overwhelmed with new impressions. To help you start your studies and stay relaxed, we have collected some helpful tips.
Before you start studying: Get to know the university and university city
When you start your studies, you often have to move to a new, unfamiliar city. So start looking for a suitable apartment, shared flat or a place in a hall of residence in time. It is often worth looking on the outskirts of the city: Apartments are cheaper here than in the city center, but you can still get to all the important places quickly and easily by bus, train or streetcar. You are also less stressed at the start of your studies if you have already found the right apartment and unpacked all your moving boxes.
Once the question of accommodation has been resolved, take a long stroll through the city! Whether alone, with friends from school or as part of a first semester event. Use the time until the actual start of your studies to see a few well-known sights, explore the immediate surroundings of your new accommodation and memorize the most important routes and public transport connections. This way, you won’t have to panic on the first day of lectures when looking for the quickest way to the university and you might even know the right café for your lunch break.
As already mentioned, a university is usually much larger than a school. Particularly large universities have, in addition to the main building, several adjoining buildings spread across the city, in which various specialist libraries, institutes and classrooms are housed. Here it can be a great advantage to get an overview of the various buildings before the start of lectures and to internalize the designation system of the different rooms. This way, you won’t wander through the corridors without a plan, but will quickly find the lecture halls where your next course is taking place.
Getting started on site: Introductory and first semester events
One of the most important things during your studies? Maintaining contact with fellow students. Whether you’re from the same or a different degree program, a first-semester student or an advanced student, contact with other students is a big part of studying. And these contacts are best made at introductory events or first semester events.
Not only is it easy to meet new people at these events, but you also receive important information about studying, the university and the university city. It is a valuable opportunity to clarify open questions about your degree course, to receive organizational tips for your studies or to exchange information about different options for the course.
During your studies: Organizational tips
Studying requires a lot of independent organization, responsibility and planning. Something that awaits you every semester are deadlines for enrolment and registration for courses and examinations, as well as payment deadlines for the coming semester’s tuition fees. In order not to miss such deadlines, it is important to regularly check the relevant information pages to see what is coming up.
The timetable in particular can be a big challenge, especially at the beginning, as you are no longer simply presented with it, but usually have to put it together yourself. It is important to avoid time overlaps between different courses, to keep to a sensible sequence of courses and, of course, to complete all compulsory modules and collect all the required ECTS points during the course of your studies. It is worth taking a closer look at the module handbook or examination regulations for your degree program. You will often find a study plan there that you can use as a guide. This will also tell you which courses build on each other in terms of content, which forms of examination are planned for the respective module, where you have options and which examinations you can repeat and how often.
Especially in the first semester, it can also be very helpful to ask fellow students from higher semesters for help with creating your timetable. Especially if you are not yet familiar with the system of assignments, advanced students can help you with valuable tricks and experience.
And even if the first few weeks of your studies are particularly busy and stressful: Don’t let it put you off! Find a mix of lectures, studying and free time that suits you and the rest will eventually work itself out.
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