considering I have just over one month left in my hall of residence (?!) I've decided to sit down and write about something I would've wanted to read this time last year. as a soon-to-graduate year 13 student, I literally had no damn clue what to do about my plans for this year. I knew that I'd decided upon university, but my big decision was the one between staying at home and moving to Wellington, therefore living in a hall of residence. for the record, I did end up choosing Wellington so my viewpoint is obviously a little biased but, from speaking to other people who made different decisions to me, I feel like I've gained a pretty general understanding of both options.
I'm studying a conjoint degree that, statistically, is 'better' to do in Auckland at AUT. I remember this being a big obstacle for me in the sense that, I felt as if moving to Wellington and going to Victoria would have forced me to compromise the quality of my education, or somehow made me less employable when I graduated. while I can't know for sure whether that is true or not, I came to the conclusion that it boiled down to priorities and what you're willing to sacrifice.
okay so yes, I agree that the ultimate goal in university is to get a degree. but I'm also a firm believer that there's so much more to the whole experience than just that. for me, university has also been about meeting new people, getting out of the bubble I lived in while I was at home and high school, gaining a real true sense of independence and just generally leaving my comfort zone. moving to a new city (of which I'd only really visited once) was scary as heck. the thought of being distanced from some of my closest friends and family was scary as heck. but I just told myself that if everything went pear-shaped, if I failed my uni papers, hated the city, made no friends or just didn't vibe with life in Wellington I could transfer back to Auckland with the knowledge that I at least gave it a try. I hugely encourage you to do the same if faced with a similar decision.
I hate to get all profound and cheesy but like seriously, it's way too easy to settle for the easy/safe route in life. in my case, the easy route would have be much wiser from a financial standpoint (I've literally spent $14,000 on halls of residence this year, as opposed to $0 if I had lived at home) but I've had the most incredible year, I've meet new people who I'll likely stay friends with for a long long time and I've learnt so many things about myself as a person - like how to take care of myself both mentally and physically, especially when faced with a bunch of deadlines and not enough sleep. I don't think I could have said the same if I'd have continued to live at home - doing life as I'd always done.
I've found that feeling good about my current life situation in Wellington has been reflected in my university work. since I'm happy with my social life, the city and the activities I engage with outside of my studies (taking dance classes, going for runs and discovering new parts of the city, etc.) I enjoy uni more. I don't mind putting in the hard work most of the time because I like my life down here. in the halls you are surrounded by people doing the same things as you, experiencing the same stresses and uncertainties, and it's comforting to be amongst a constant hub of activity that you can engage with whenever you feel like it. living at home and studying can be great for some, but for me personally I knew I would have been unsatisfied with the monotonous routine that I was so used to from high-school life.
now although I'm 100% an advocate for living away from home, it's only fair that with the good comes the bad, and I know I'm not the only one who struggles from time to time with life in the halls. myself being a weird mix of both an introverted and extroverted personality, I need daily human interaction (to prevent myself from going a bit insane) but on the other hand, also need some alone time. finding a balance when living in halls of residence has proven difficult, not gonna lie. it all comes down to being honest with yourself and realising that it's okay to go knock on your friend's door when you're feeling a bit shit. living in the halls can be really isolating if you allow it to be - there's no parents checking up on you to make sure you're alright, and your friends/neighbours aren't mind readers, so they likely won't know if something's wrong unless you explicitly say so. university puts a huge amount of pressure on everyone at times, and your mental health is something that should never be neglected in order to get a good grade.
ultimately, I have no regrets with my decision to move to Wellington and live in the halls of residence this year. my advice for those tossing up between staying at home and moving out? do it. try something new. you can pay back the student loan but you can't replicate the experience of your first year of university. and when you get there, push yourself to really get to know the new faces around you. make an effort to get to know your neighbours and the people on your floor. say hi to the people you cross paths with on the way to lectures. engage in conversation at meals. I can say with confidence that everyone is just as uneasy about making friends and fitting in as you are.
well anyways that kinda concludes my spiel - hope it helps at least one terrified high school graduate to figure out how to navigate a few of the endless options in life. because that was me, heck that still is me.
- gabs
I'm studying a conjoint degree that, statistically, is 'better' to do in Auckland at AUT. I remember this being a big obstacle for me in the sense that, I felt as if moving to Wellington and going to Victoria would have forced me to compromise the quality of my education, or somehow made me less employable when I graduated. while I can't know for sure whether that is true or not, I came to the conclusion that it boiled down to priorities and what you're willing to sacrifice.
okay so yes, I agree that the ultimate goal in university is to get a degree. but I'm also a firm believer that there's so much more to the whole experience than just that. for me, university has also been about meeting new people, getting out of the bubble I lived in while I was at home and high school, gaining a real true sense of independence and just generally leaving my comfort zone. moving to a new city (of which I'd only really visited once) was scary as heck. the thought of being distanced from some of my closest friends and family was scary as heck. but I just told myself that if everything went pear-shaped, if I failed my uni papers, hated the city, made no friends or just didn't vibe with life in Wellington I could transfer back to Auckland with the knowledge that I at least gave it a try. I hugely encourage you to do the same if faced with a similar decision.
I hate to get all profound and cheesy but like seriously, it's way too easy to settle for the easy/safe route in life. in my case, the easy route would have be much wiser from a financial standpoint (I've literally spent $14,000 on halls of residence this year, as opposed to $0 if I had lived at home) but I've had the most incredible year, I've meet new people who I'll likely stay friends with for a long long time and I've learnt so many things about myself as a person - like how to take care of myself both mentally and physically, especially when faced with a bunch of deadlines and not enough sleep. I don't think I could have said the same if I'd have continued to live at home - doing life as I'd always done.
I've found that feeling good about my current life situation in Wellington has been reflected in my university work. since I'm happy with my social life, the city and the activities I engage with outside of my studies (taking dance classes, going for runs and discovering new parts of the city, etc.) I enjoy uni more. I don't mind putting in the hard work most of the time because I like my life down here. in the halls you are surrounded by people doing the same things as you, experiencing the same stresses and uncertainties, and it's comforting to be amongst a constant hub of activity that you can engage with whenever you feel like it. living at home and studying can be great for some, but for me personally I knew I would have been unsatisfied with the monotonous routine that I was so used to from high-school life.
now although I'm 100% an advocate for living away from home, it's only fair that with the good comes the bad, and I know I'm not the only one who struggles from time to time with life in the halls. myself being a weird mix of both an introverted and extroverted personality, I need daily human interaction (to prevent myself from going a bit insane) but on the other hand, also need some alone time. finding a balance when living in halls of residence has proven difficult, not gonna lie. it all comes down to being honest with yourself and realising that it's okay to go knock on your friend's door when you're feeling a bit shit. living in the halls can be really isolating if you allow it to be - there's no parents checking up on you to make sure you're alright, and your friends/neighbours aren't mind readers, so they likely won't know if something's wrong unless you explicitly say so. university puts a huge amount of pressure on everyone at times, and your mental health is something that should never be neglected in order to get a good grade.
ultimately, I have no regrets with my decision to move to Wellington and live in the halls of residence this year. my advice for those tossing up between staying at home and moving out? do it. try something new. you can pay back the student loan but you can't replicate the experience of your first year of university. and when you get there, push yourself to really get to know the new faces around you. make an effort to get to know your neighbours and the people on your floor. say hi to the people you cross paths with on the way to lectures. engage in conversation at meals. I can say with confidence that everyone is just as uneasy about making friends and fitting in as you are.
well anyways that kinda concludes my spiel - hope it helps at least one terrified high school graduate to figure out how to navigate a few of the endless options in life. because that was me, heck that still is me.
- gabs
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