Student Life: Expectation vs Reality
Worried about travelling to university, being lonely or being overloaded with work? Tobias shares his expectations of university life and how they matched up to reality.
Expectation: Travelling from England to Belfast for University will become a burden
Reality…
Initially the thought of having to travel from England to Belfast for university seemed like it could become a hassle compared to many of my friends who can simply get on a train or drive across the country to get to university. Whilst many people associate going to an airport as a hassle and time consuming, I’ve found flying to Belfast for university to be a painless experience.
The flight time is approximately an hour from almost all GB airports which is significantly shorter travel time compared to driving or getting the train to many other universities across the country. There is also a lot of different options regarding flights flying into different GB airports.
If I ever want to visit my family back home a carry-on case will suffice and as I’m flying domestically the process of getting through the airport is quick and easy with no passport checks or baggage to collect. Arguably, travelling by air is much more relaxing compared to train, bus, and car as you can relax or catch up on some university work in the airport terminal.
Expectation: The weekends could be boring and lonely as a lot of students go home on weekends
Reality…
Although many NI students’ choice to go home on weekends, I’ve found this doesn’t mean student life stops on a Friday and then recommences the following week. If you do stay up in Belfast on weekends you will find many other students do as well. Of course, you do have to put in effort to kindle these connections and meet people who do stay up on weekends, but once you do, you’ll find the weekends offer a different side to Belfast. There is plenty to do on weekends to keep you busy, such as heading to the gym, various club nights, trips organised by Queen’s accommodation, for those staying in Queen’s managed accommodation and more.
If you are looking to meet people to hang about with on the weekends, I recommend hanging around your accommodation’s lounge such as the Treehouse in Elms Village. Another good option is to head to the Student’s Union and SU bar. The SU bar hosts Good Friday’s every Friday night which is a great way to meet people who stay up on weekends. I know it can seem daunting approaching people you don’t know but remember everyone is in the same boat and will be happy to make new friends.
Tobias and his friends at The Bot
Expectation: Studying Computer Science will be 24/7 coding
Reality…
A lot of people associate computer science with programming and having your head down in a computer screen writing code 24/7. The reality is studying computer science at Queen’s is the opposite. Of course, you will do a significant amount of programming, but you’ll also find yourself studying modules that focus on other important areas of the subject. Such work includes, mathematical concepts of computer science, creating and presentating presentations and learning theory that relates to the course content.
Tobias in the Computer Science Building
Expectation: Your first-year flat mates will be friends for life
Reality…
The sad reality is that during your time at university you will meet a vast amount of people, some of whom will come and go. Everyone has different goals and interests and thus as you may get on with your first-year flat mates in Elms, you’ll also likely go your separate ways as the years go on. Of course, there are some expectations, and you may stay in touch and even share a house together with some of your first-year flat mates. For example, one of my close friends and first year flat mate from Elms BT1 is one of my house mates to this day.
Expectation: You’ll go out drinking/clubbing all the time
Reality…
The common conception of university life is party, sleep, repeat. Whilst this may be true for fresher’s week and at various times during your first year this simply isn’t sustainable throughout your whole time at university. Of course, you will still go out a lot during your time at university, but I’ve found the novelty eventually wears off and studying becomes more important as your final year approaches.
Tobias and friends at The Boneyard
Expectation: You’ll spend most of your time studying
Reality…
Initially I thought I would have to spend a lot of time studying towards my degree at university and this would take up a lot of my time. I found with good preparation and starting coursework early, the workload is manageable. Unlike school, at university you don’t have class every hour of the day. Therefore, there is plenty of time during the day to work on coursework or revise for upcoming exams. From my experience, manage your time well and you will find the workload manageable.
Expectation: Completing a degree is another 3-4 years of your life that will just fade away
Reality…
The reality is your time at university will fly by faster than you think and will hopefully be some of the best years of your life. The university academic year is approximately 9 months long for undergraduates, including university holidays. Therefore, university isn’t as long as many people think compared to school. Make the most of it!
Find out more
Tobias Hunter-TodComputer Science | Undergraduate Student | EnglandI am a 21-year-old undergraduate student from Herefordshire, England. I've always had a passion for technology and business which led me to study computer science at university. In my spare time you'll find me developing apps or on a night out in Belfast! I lived in Elms BT1 in 1st year and now currently live in the Stranmillis area. In terms of Societies, I am a member of the Wine and Cheese Society and Queen's Computing Society. My interests/hobbies include, app development, travelling, socialising/networking and Enterprise SU events/competitions. |
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