Anonymous asks :
Hi Lucy,
I just started university 9 weeks ago and I'm worried I'm not making the most of it like every other university student. I don't like clubbing and I don’t drink, and my parents are quite restrictive with me staying out late. I don’t know whether I should be doing this stuff or not, and if I should be making more out of university. I’m still meeting people and getting to know them, and I suppose it takes me a while to get comfortable. But everyone seems to be clubbing, and I don’t know if I should be too...I really want a good university experience and I don’t know what to do!
Our Reply
Hi Anonymous,
University is whatever you want it to be. It is a place where you should not feel like you have to go with the crowd anymore like in school or college but follow your own path. The majority of students spend their time getting drunk and clubbing- that is the stereotypical lifestyle of a student, but not all of them do. If you want to have this experience then why not try it? But if you don’t and think that you should only do it to follow in someone else’s footsteps then you are not really being true to yourself.
University is a lot about meeting people and it seems that you are doing that and you are right, it’s only been two months; these things take time to adjust to. Are there any groups you could sign up for? A sports team or a hobby or interest that has a club attached to it? The more you put yourself out there and the more involved you get in different things, the better you might feel. The more social circles you have the more you get invited out and then there opportunity is there to see if you like going out at night. If you don’t you will still have all the benefits of feeling part of something but sticking to what you know and like, without missing out.
Lucy x
tagged in Parents University student yin and yang agony aunt
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