Welcome back! I hope the Freshers are all feeling a bit more settled since arriving at King's.

Transitioning from high school to university is hard. Many of you, have spent the last 6 years surrounded by familiar friends at school every day and now you have to start again. You also face challenges such as homesickness, time management, managing alcohol and budgeting which can all affect your wellbeing.

Here are three tips to help you navigate this transition.

1.    Be Patient

Building friendships takes time. One study from the University of Kansas found that it takes roughly 50 hours of time together to make a casual friend, 90 hours to make friend and 200 hours to make a close friend.

So, be patient when it comes to making new friends. It will happen, but you can't just click your fingers and expect it to happen the moment you step foot on campus. You need to put in the time and effort, dial up your strength of bravery and get out of your comfort zone.

2.    Be Brave

·      Introduce yourself

Don't expect people to approach you. Be proactive, introduce yourself, smile, and ask questions – 'What are you studying?' 'Where are you from?' 'What school did you go to,?' 'How are your courses going?' You will make more friends by showing you are genuinely interested in others than trying to get other people interested in you.

·      Get involved

Locate the sports and clubs you love and sign up. We started Walk/Run Club last week. You should come!

Go out on Thursday nights or the popular student night at your college or university (you don't have to drink, if you have an early class the next day) but according to most of the students I talk to, it's where a lot of connections are made.

·      Ask for help

Top performers and successful people do not reach success on their own. Don't be afraid to email your lecturers, tutors, academic support staff and reach out to the student support services or wellbeing staff. We want you to succeed and are here to help you. Your parents also want you to succeed so don't forget about them!

3. Be Kind (to yourself)

Lastly, don't be too hard on yourself. You are not supposed to be an expert at tertiary study straight away. It will take time to get settled. Also, don't put expectations on yourself to get high results straight away.

Above all, remember that university is not just about getting a degree, it's about learning about yourself, forging strong friendships and developing life skills. Enjoy the ride!