This week we are welcoming new and returning students back to Keele and the media building. We asked returning students starting their second and third years to share their advice for new first year students. What do returning students know now that they wish they known then?

Their answers were helpful and encouraging. One of the main messages was don’t be afraid to ask for help. This is one of the major changes that students encounter when they start University. There is plenty of help and support available, but to really make the most of it you often need to reach out via email or by asking your tutors. One student wrote that lecturers were ‘lovely and so supportive’, and another said that tutors are ‘happy to help and give advice when it comes to assignment prep’.

Making the most of the resources available was another great tip. Thanks especially to the student who said that the module handbook is your new best friend! Module handbooks contain all the essential information about the module structure, expectations and assessments so they really are a crucial resource.

There were also more practical tips, like working out where rooms are on your timetable; all those building and room codes can be very confusing at first. One student wished they had discovered how helpful the library was earlier (their multiple attempts at spelling library show real perseverance!).

It was nice to see students emphasising that new first years can put a lot of pressure on themselves. It is easy to feel like you are are expected to know everything right away, and to feel like a failure if you do not. But the first year is all about learning, whether that be learning where your lectures are, how to reference, or where your interests and passions lie as a media student. No one gets there right away without time, effort, and lots of support. As one student reassuringly puts it, ‘you’re more capable than you think <3’.