Hi! I’m Alice a third year International management with American Business Studies student. I was born in France but have lived 8 years in Spain and 7 in Italy. I chose to study at AMBS because of the international environment, the great ranking of the business school and, of course, because the course seemed interesting and I like having the opportunity to go on a year abroad.
The first week of university has now come to an end marking, for me, the beginning of my last year studying in Manchester. This made me think back to when I was a fresher and I remembered how overwhelming it can all feel at the start. So, I thought I’d share some advice for all the new people joining us this year!
First of all welcome! You have probably started exploring Manchester and I hope you grow to love this city the way I did. I know this sounds cheesy but it has really grown on me :) Now onto my advice.
Firstly let’s talk about university, classes and the daunting assignments. University is very different to high school which can make it a bit difficult at the beginning but don’t worry you will figure it out. Writing academic essays and doing references can be hard at first especially if you are not used to it (so leave yourself some time to reference properly) but thankfully the library has some resources on to help you called My Learning Essentials. I used them in my first year and found them very useful so if you are struggling be sure to check out their resources.
Secondly, while you should focus on the academic side of university, this is also a time to try new things and the best way to do that is to join societies! In my first year I joined many societies, I tried Jujitsu, which was not for me, did some dance and in my second semester decided to try rock climbing. Well I can tell you that rock climbing is now my favourite sport and you can find me at the climbing gym twice a week every week. On top of that I am part of the French Speaking Society and it has been a wonderful experience. Thus, this goes to show that you should go out and try new things, you might find a new hobby. And even this year, in my third year, I am still joining new societies so it’s never too late to try something new.
Lastly, while university is sometimes painted to be the best time of your life it can also be very challenging. I personally had a tough time in my first semester. It is important to remember that many people struggle and that this struggle is completely normal. But, if you feel like things are getting too tough or you are feeling down a lot please seek help, talk to someone about it. The University of Manchester has a Counselling and Mental Health service.
This concludes my advice and I am happy to say that while at first it may be tough it gets better. Slowly you’ll find your group of friends, you’ll discover new interests and you will have an amazing time!
