Starting university is both exciting and daunting, especially if you've just finished high school. The first few weeks will be filled with new faces, new rules, uncertainty, opportunities, hope and confusion.

It’s okay to feel overwhelmed in the beginning, especially if you are adjusting to other changes too, such as becoming financially responsible for yourself or moving away from home for the first time.

So you can anticipate what's coming, here are some of the ways university is difference to high school.

• You will be expected to take more responsibility for your learning and show initiative when keeping up with your studies. The teaching staff will not be as hands-on as in high-school, expecting you to manage your workload independently.
• You will have a lot more free time between classes, and probably less time spent in formal learning environments. This means that you will have to manage your time more effectively than before, designing your own schedule and allocating time to your responsibilities (such as study, exercise, socialising, part-time work).
• You will meet a wide variety of people whose beliefs, values, racial and ethnic backgrounds, socio-economic status, and sexual and gender identities may be very different to your own. You might find that you experience an emotional transition as you learn more about who you are as an individual, develop awareness of your own and others’ emotions, and reflect on how your views and identity fit into the world.

Remember, starting anything new has its challenges and often our expectations don’t match our experiences. It’s common to struggle with change, even if it’s an exciting change such as starting university.

How to ease the transition

If you’re having a tough time transitioning to university life, here are a few things you can do to make the transition easier.

• Give it time and set realistic expectations for yourself. It can sometimes take several months to feel completely familiar with university. Acknowledge that you’re in a time of transition and try to be positive about your experience. 
• Try and keep some things in your life the same. This might be a hobby or exercise that you enjoy, your sleep schedule, or seeing your friends and family.
  
• Try to meet people early in the trimester by engaging with orientation activities or joining one of Deakin’s clubs or societies. Go along to as many opportunities as possible: you never know who you'll meet or what you'll learn.
  
• Talk to someone you trust about your experiences.

Getting support

If you are struggling with your transition to university and would like to speak with someone at Deakin, you can make an appointment with Deakin's Counselling service.

We've also got a range of health and wellbeing articles on topics that students commonly struggle with at university, such as anxiety and stress, managing your time, sleep difficulties and self esteem. Browse the articles for ideas and resources on how to manage how you're feeling.

Finally, the DeakinWELLBEING app can help you find balance and develop healthy habits, which may help your transition to life as a university student.