Congratulations! You’ve successfully secured your spot at university!
Your hard work has paid off, and right now you’re excited about getting started on your course, as a Master’s student you have a clear vision about where your career is heading, but, how prepared are you for the realities of life on campus?
As a final year undergraduate student, I have learned a lot over the last 4 years about what Essex has to offer and how to make the most of the opportunities that await you.
If you are concerned about being alone on campus, rest assured you will have support from your assigned tutor group and personal tutor. If you want to make friends but are introverted like me, I suggest joining a campus society, that is one of the easiest ways to start socialising, meeting likeminded people, and if you are an international student, you can find support from peers with shared life experiences by finding a society that represents you! (Societies)
For those who are more outgoing, there is a diverse nightlife afforded to you on campus where you can explore new experiences in a safe environment, find new and forever friends, and make memories that last a lifetime!
As a mature student, I found it hard to make friends and often felt isolated in my first year. What helped me the most during that time is our Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity Service (SWIS) (Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity Service | University of Essex) on campus. Their dedicated team of wellbeing advisors and counsellors will assess your needs to help you find the appropriate level of support improve your mental health and wellbeing, and ensure you are able to succeed as your best self here at Essex. You can also speak to the Student’s Union (SU) who operate exclusively to benefit the student experience, and who are equipped to help you access the right support.
Although you’re not new to higher education, it can be hard to keep track of all the deadlines. As an academic, my first piece of advice to all new starters is to buy an academic diary to keep on top of your schedule from day one! If apps are more your thing, I recommend Notion, a free app that I used to plan all aspects of my life from personal to professional, I could create groups, add tasks, invite friends to collaborate for study sessions, and so on. The Outlook calendar is also a convenient way of tracking your lectures, workshops and other events all in one place, but I strongly suggest keeping a manual record of your deadlines and setting up a weekly work/study schedule for habit tracking to maximise your productivity in harmony with some well-deserved down time.
If you are unsure about the content of your module handbook, lectures, or about assignments you’ve been given, you are encouraged to speak to the faculty who will be on hand to support you in your understanding and their details are found on Moodle and in your module handbook.
As an international student, it can be harder when it comes to settling into a new routine on campus. If you either miss or are likely to miss a deadline, you can submit an extenuating circumstances (EC) form or notified absence from teaching/assessment/exam to request an extension or alternative assessment via the My Essex Portal, but this is not always granted by the university board. For example, it is not a justifiable reason to request an EC based on your poor time management, stress relating to your degree obligations, or other issues that were within your control e.g., you left it last minute to upload and the FASER server was busy, so you missed the submission deadline. In my first year I was unable to attend a practical due to my medically diagnosed anxiety disorder, this is an example of an extenuating circumstance beyond my control and notified my department of my absence which was approved on my LEAP, but I was not permitted alternative assessment because the coursework tied to the events in the practical and this would be unfair to my peers; it is important to understand that EC is not a free pass to miss your deadlines and it will be to your detriment to misuse this facility. If you have any medical conditions, physical or mental, that require alternative arrangements for you to complete your studies, then speak to your department to ensure you receive the appropriate support from the outset and reduce the likelihood of requiring an EC in the first place.
So, how did I develop my academic prowess at Essex? I spoke to the careers team who helped me see the bigger picture for my career, assess my options post-graduation, and explored how my extracurricular activities can enhance my CV. I sought guidance from the library workshops and skills cafes available throughout each term to develop my understanding of how to study, write to a high level, reference correctly (which varies from course to course) and more. I spoke to my personal tutor and peers about issues I was facing used the safe space of the tutor group sessions to get/give advice and support. I immersed myself in the community within on campus societies and attended events. I utilised tools to manage my life and build upon productive habits. I worked with the SWIS team who helped me identify areas for self-improvement and their support during some of my lowest moments through their Health Hero service helped me become more emotionally robust and developed my growth mindset.
The best thing about being at Essex, is the beauty in the diversity of our campus attendees and how our differences are celebrated proudly. Essex is a safe space with which to be yourself, to show up authentically, to be celebrated and championed by your peers, your SU and faculty members. We want you to feel at home here!
Essex can be a daunting place, with vast campus grounds and confusing layout, one of the hardest things about our university is learning how to find your lecture room; let alone make it there on time during your first few weeks! ! (Getting to and around campus | University of Essex).
Despite being in my final year of study, I still struggle to find new rooms and sadly, many students miss lectures due to fear of embarrassment or being berated by staff if they turn up late; I was one such student. In response to this issue, the SU have introduced the ‘Come On In” campaign where you are welcome at all your lectures even if you are late, with full faculty support
Good luck with settling into your new life here at Essex, and congratulations on embarking on your hard earned Master’s degree with us!