In 2017, I deferred my uni degree for one year for medical reasons. Now, I’m going back.

It feels like a huge change after so long. Uni life is full on – it has deadlines and responsibility and a long commute. I’m terrified! How can you possibility prepare for it after such a long time away?

Choose Subjects You’re Interested In

Uni is always easier when you’re doing a unit that interests you and isn’t just a core you need to pass. Go slow when you’re first going back, let yourself readjust slowly and get your brain going again!

Education can be fun, especially when you are learning about a new interesting topic.

Go Part-Time

For me, I’m going back part time and possibly doing one or two units as a online unit. Why? Because it allows me more flexibility, a easier adjustment period, and a smaller commute. As someone who lives far from my university, it’s not fun travelling there every day when you also have other responsibilities and work.

Call up your course advisor or email your faculty to see what options are available to you. University is all about a flexible adult education; there are many options available to students.

Stay Involved

The worst part about going back after a break is that you feel disconnected from other students. You don’t know the gossip on campus, what cool events are planned, or recognise the big changes the campus has gone through in the time you were gone.

Find a student group who specialise in a topic you’re interested in or apply for a volunteer position within the university. This helps you feel more comfortable on campus and even have some people you can pass in the halls and say hello to!

Or reconnect with those uni people you have on Facebook but never talk to from your previous classes. Meet up for drinks and get friendly again! 

Talk To University Staff 

The first thing I did when preparing to re-enrol in my course was contact the course advisor and disability office. This won’t be applicable to all, but doing so allowed me to know 100 per cent that I was taking the right steps.

When you’re trying to readjust to uni life, it can really feel like you’ve forgotten how to use those academic muscles. Don’t be like me and accidentally enrol in the wrong units!

Read The Course Outline Before The First Day

Don’t be like me and show up the first day of new classes with zero idea what your lecture is about. Also, actually go to lectures.

Study the unit guide, look up the details on the website, Google your teacher, prepare a document of notes and then study the unit guide again – you probably skipped half of it the first time. (Guilty.)

Write down a list of questions you have based on the unit guide. Put the assignment dates in your calendar. Talk to the lecturer afterwards to pick their brains. Read the assigned texts/textbooks. Look through the slides for each week.

Its a hard slog getting organised but five weeks in when you can’t remember a single thing, you will thank yourself for doing the hard yards.

Deck Yourself Out With New Gear

Go buy some new stationary. a cute bag to take to class or a new water bottle. Something nice and cute that you can bring along to uni and feel new and fresh with. Even just a cute new outfit can help you feel so much more confident/prepared. (Or is that just me?) Retail therapy calms all concerns!

Finally, don’t feel bad if you still are hesitant about going back to uni. Personally, I’m terrified. University can be incredibly full on sometimes. Give yourself time and soon you’ll be shocked to find yourself right back into the swing of things.

Just like riding a bike, you never forgot how to write an essay, right?