Friday, March 29Royal Holloway's offical student publication, est. 1986

Advice For People in their Second Year

Rhiannon offers 9 simple pieces of advice for second year student.

  1. If you’re at the supermarket and ask yourself “Do we need more toilet paper?” The answer is always yes. You can never have too much toilet paper.
  2. If you have one housemate or five, you will inevitably be annoyed at them, and that’s fine. Just don’t spend your entire year passive-aggressively dropping hints about how annoying they are.
  3. Learn how to make a shopping list and stick to it. Don’t get sucked in by all the deals in the confectionery section (trust me, I’ve been there.)
  4. Try and make at least one good friend in each of your lectures and seminars. Not only will you feel less awkward entering a room, but having somebody to lend you notes is an invaluable source if you have to miss a class.
  5. Set up a reminder to pay rent on its due date every month – this is very important! I know from experience that it is extremely easy to forget about paying bills with all the other stuff happening in your life, but it is something you (literally) cannot afford to forget.
  6. Make your house feel like a home. This is what makes me feel less alienated from my surroundings when away from my actual home. Cards, favourite books, candles (you don’t have to light them if you’re not allowed) and cushions all help make a student house feel a lot nicer.
  7. Accept that this year counts, but don’t worry yourself sick over it. If you tried your best, or you didn’t try at all, what has happened has already happened and nothing can be done about it.
  8. Organise your class folders and make sure your notes are in order. This applies to anyone really, but I feel as though in second-year it is especially important to have a good note system for that horrible time when revision rolls around.
  9. Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask people for help. Admit to your parents that you don’t know how to pay bills, tell your tutor that you’re struggling, or reach out to a friend when you’re feeling unsure about yourself. Your second year of university is the middle year, and it is the one where you, for lack of a better phrase, kind of need to get your sh*t together about being an adult.