Lifestyle: My Thoughts On Going BACK To University

photo credits (weheartit.com) Every choice you make is a learning experience and in 2013 I decided to leave university in the search of finding a job. I was doing a Fashion Management degree in Birmingham and I really didn't like the course. My lectures were always cancelled and despite living in Birmingham it took me nearly an hour to get to university. I'm now studying in my 2nd year of Fashion Promotion and Communication and I love my course. You can read my previous posts about university and my experience of it here and here. University isn't for everyone and with the fees being £9,000 to study and about £4,000-£5,000 living fees a year it's not cheap either! I've gone from living in a city and going to university to living in a very quiet town and going to university. I thought I'd tell you about what my experience has been like going back to university and to a different one doing a different course! Here's 10 things I've learnt... 1. It's not about where you're living it's about the course. My new university has the most amazing facilities but not much to do, university isn't always about doing things and picking the right course is what's most important. 2. Don't try and be anyone else, be you. A lot of people you meet in life will judge you and I think you get to that age where you just don't care anymore. Not everyone in life will like you but you should never apologise for being who you are. 3. Don't be afraid to make new friends. Having taken a year out of university going back into education was hard and it's so hard to step out of your comfort zone and make friends. Don't be afraid to chat to someone new in your lecture, on the bus or just in the uni cafe! You never what kind of a friendship could blossom! 4. Wear what you want. With doing a fashion course I just assumed there was a certain pressure to make 100% with your appearance, where all the latest clothes and always have my make-up done perfectly. There's no harm in putting that hoody on and scraping your hair back into a bun! 5. Be organised. It's so easy to be lazy at university and just sit and watch netflix all day! Always keep on top of deadlines, keep a diary and make lists so you're organised! 6. Don't be afraid to ask for guidance with projects/modules. I seem to forget that my lecturers want me to do well and are there to help! Don't be afraid in emailing them with your work and asking with advice of how to improve it. 7. Your happiness is what's most important. If you feel like your in the wrong place, change it. If you feel like you're doing the wrong course, change it. If you feel like you're in a tricky situation try your best to get out of it. I was in a situation where I thought something was getting me down and I didn't realise how much so it was getting me down until I got myself out of the situation and I'm a million times happier now. 8. Don't forget your loved ones and always make time for them. I love my friends at university and my flatmates are lovely and i'm enjoying my time in Huddersfield so far. I always make time to go home from university (about 2 weekends a month) and see my family, friends and boyfriend. It's nice to have a support/friendship network in both places you're living don't forget about them! 9. The library is there to be used (as are the book inside). In my old university I barely set foot in the library as there were no resources for my course. I never used a computer in the library, took out books I kind of just avoided it all together. My new university the facilities are amazing! I take my laptop to go and work, use the computers and sometimes just have a look at the marketing, pr, fashion books available to help me with my course. 10. Don't be afraid to ask for help. This ones probably the most important point but don't be afraid to ask for help. I suffer from long-term illness and a few other illnesses and some of them affect how I can study for my degree. All universities have help services to cover situations like this and are there to help you and I feel so much better about my illnesses and my degree now I have that support! My new university course is 100x better then my last one and I definitely made the right decision dropping out. I used to be in University 4 hours a week and now I'm in 14+ hours. It may be an awful lot of work and projects but I know it'll benefit me in the long run!  If this helps just one of you guys I'll be over the moon! Have you left university and gone back? Are you at university? Twitter//Instagram//Facebook