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26th January 2010 by Julia Hosking

The uni offers have come out.

Some people are deferring, another group is worried that they've made the wrong decision, and others have accepted the offer. In all of that madness, I'm sure that there are quite a few people who - when they stop to think about it - are nervous about starting uni.

Here are the top three things to remember when starting uni (aside from your timetable - never EVER forget to take your timetable with you!).

1) Take it as it comes

So you have this massive break before it all starts. You work out what subjects you need to do, you revel in the fact that you can actually choose which classes you want to take, and you are excited at the huge spaces of (what appear to be) free time on your timetable.

Then you start to plan. You work out the train timetable, the bus timetable, how long it will take you to get from the train to the bus, how long it will take you to get from your lecture to your tutorial, what the nearest coffee station is to Lecture Room A, who you will (or won't) know in each class ... You plan it all out.

Here's what you need to do: stop planning. Sure, work out how to get from Class A to Class B, but be assured that something will happen to change your plans! The uni life is a flexible one. It might make you feel more comfortable to have every minute of your day planned out, but being flexible means less of a freak out when things start mucking up your plans.

Work out your first day, turn up, and from then on, just let the good times roll - and roll with it!

2) Be Jesus in the classroom

Uni classes are a breeding ground for discussions about things that may not quite fit with your Christianity. In order to become knowledgeable about a topic (i.e. your uni degree), you need to look at it from all angles, and that may mean looking from some angles that you're not entirely comfortable with.

It will probably also mean that you'll come head-to-head with people and opinions that are in direct contrast to yours. So, rather than turn the classroom into a boxing ring, try this on for size - be Jesus.

This is the perfect situation in which to remember that we are Jesus' witnesses, not his defenders. It's easy in a classroom situation to want to stick up for your beliefs, and to get on your high horse about all different issues. Here's my advice - shut up and listen for awhile.

Jesus never beat people over the head with his beliefs. He simply lived them out, and that's what won people over to him. No amount of arguing or reasoning or explaining will ever change someone's mind on a moral / touchy issue. However if they see you actually living out what you say you believe - that's much more powerful.

3) Make the most of it

Believe it or not, there are about 200 other people getting all hyped up to start uni this year too. They might be the same age as you, they might have received a similar ATAR (UAI / OP) to you, but there's a good chance that that is where the similarities will end.

Uni is an amalgamation of people from all different backgrounds, beliefs, opinions, experiences and circumstances. And with that comes an incredible wealth of knowledge to be gained. Get involved in conversations you don't know much about, ask questions, hang out with people you wouldn't normally hang out with ... in general, make the most of it.

A final word

All in all, the most important thing to remember about uni is to enjoy every minute of it. God has an incredible plan for your life, and he's put you in your uni course for a reason. Find out what that reason is and do it.

Casey O'Brien has recently finished her degree in Criminology, and is about to start her Masters degree. She is Youth Group Leader at Sydney Congress Hall, and thinks that it would be impossible for anyone to find a better bunch of young people than them.

Casey is passionate about social justice, loves watching The West Wing and 30 Rock, and reading crime fiction. She loves chocolate (fair trade, of course), Coke and cookie dough.

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