Tom.

I was browsing the site for information on travel and thought I’d peruse the UCL board as I knew some bright young things were getting their results. I can’t resist an opportunity to sound wise so pull up a chair and listen in…
I graduated 2 years ago with a 2:1 in Project Management for Construction and I’m now at Sandhurst. I had a pretty unconventional route into UC due to some average A levels but an excellent gap year. I’m not going to tell you how great or crap the place is because most of you reading this will have already got your offer to go there.

Here are some nuggets that I wish I’d been told/things I’m glad I did:

1) Apart from a slightly heavier work load in Science subjects; 1st year is all about socialising (learning how to drink). From the off go head first into things; you may not instantly click with people in your halls, doesn’t matter, most people find their real friends later on in the 1st year anyway. You only realise when you leave the importance of going out and enjoying the freedom you’re unlikely to have again.

2) Related to point 1) Fella’s, get laid as much as possible. Girls, if a fella is trying to lay you, run with it, have some fun. You can put all of it down to experience.

2) UCL is a very liberal and excitingly intellectual place; embrace it and be prepared to leave prejudices at the door. You can always pick them up again later on in life.

3) Get a bike. Explore and learn London, it’s an education in itself. Bikes are cheap, quick, easy, burn off the beer belly and not as dangerous as you’d think; I didn’t have a single accident in the four years I was there (except for the time I rode straight into the back of a bus, but that was my own fault)

4) Join a sports team. Even if you’ve not done it before. Sportsnites on Wednesdays are an education in depravity and fun.

5) Related to point 4. Learn Burlington Bertie:

Oooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh
Burlington Bertie, I’m short fat and dirty,
My college portrays my high class, HIGH CLASS!
I walk down the Strand, with my cock in my hand,
And I wave it at Kings as I pass!

Oh Bert, Bert, I come in my shirt,
But at least I go to UC, UC!
There’s one thing I’m sure of Strand Poly are *******!
I’m Burlington Bert from UC, thats me
and him (point at someone) and him etc…

6) Learn to read, learn and revise properly in preparation for the 2nd and 3rd years. It sounds stupid but there are techniques which you’ll find out through trial and error/learning off others.

7) Try to live as close to the Bloomsbury/Camden area as possible in 2nd and 3rd years. It’ll make life a lot easier and enjoyable if not a bit more expensive.

8) Learn to cook simply and cheaply. One thing that saved me a lot of money was to make sandwiches/pasta for lunch; I rowed so ate twice as much as normal students and this saved me a fortune. Also as mentioned before, the Hari Krishna used to give free food at 1pm outside the Cruciform. It’s veggie so I used to supplement it with Chorizo or if I really needed the protein, tins of tuna.

9) Organise your notes. I threw away/lost most of my notes in first year which made exams pretty emotional, it’s easily done. Put the date at the top of each page, make a title and file it, oh and struggle through the hangover to actually learn things in lectures. This last point is suprisingly effective!

10) Stay fit, here comes another cliche: excercise your mind and body. Work hard and play hard, there you go, there’s another. It’s all true though.

11) Student politics are infruriating, petty but also intruiging, much like the grown up ones. Get to be friendly with the Sabbs, they can wield a suprising amount of power in the union.

12) Go to Mr. Toppers for your hair cuts (gents mainly) but make sure your tell them exactly what you want in a way which will make them want to do it.

13) Go to ICCO’s pizza. However don’t drunken fight in there, getting barred isn’t fun.

14) Go to the Roxy club on Wednesday with your sports team. The stuff of legends happens in there.

15) If you’re really motivated; learn a new language. I wish I did.

16) Above all, experiment: listen to Mozart one day and read some Nietzsche. The next day try some Dubstep and impress your friends in the bar with your debating skills by talking about Nietzsche. Spend two days awake getting slaughtered and then the weekend exploring London and lying about talking crap with your new best mates.

Oh and try to control procrastination, which is what I’ve been doing for the past half hour because I’ve got an essay to write :/