You’re finally done with the ‘A’ levels. What’s next? According to the usual route of JC students, you’ll find yourself in a local university after a long hiatus from school. Unfamiliar faces, different learning methods, brand new environments – we feel your apprehension. Here’s the lowdown on what to expect.

By Sharon Lin

University life spells the start of a liberating experience. By that, we mean university students are allowed much more freedom and flexibility, from dressing the way you want to planning your own schedules. You will be regarded as an adult and required to behave like one. And a mature, responsible adult at that.

Hello, adulthood
University tutors no longer treat students as adolescents who need to be banished to the corner of the classroom for not doing their work. They see you as an adult, so the least you could do is to act like one.

“There isn’t so much supervision and lecturers can seem like they aren’t interested in how you fair in your assignments, but when you approach them, they are usually very helpful. So unlike JC, you’re expected to be more independent and seek help when you need to,” says Derrick Ho, 23, a former student at National Junior College, who is now studying at NTU’s Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information.

It’s also time to say goodbye to freshly photocopied notes given out by JC tutors. In university, reading lists are provided and it is up to the individual to look up the required books in the library, do your own research and make your own notes. “Your actions, or inactions are likely to have direct consequences on your results and there’s no one to blame if you don’t help yourself,” adds Derrick.

Pamela Tan, a second-year management student at the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM), previously from Temasek Junior College, agrees. “Since we have no tutorials or assignments, a lot of self-discipline is required to prepare yourself for the final exam,” she says.

If you’re absent from class, tutors trust you have a valid excuse. They won’t hound you for your medical certificate, or call up your parents to inquire about your disappearance. They believe adults know the consequences of their actions, so skip classes at your own peril.

Generally, tutors want you to treat them as peers. Discussions are encouraged if you wish to clarify anything or want to review your assignments. “We are no longer supposed to be passive listeners, absorbing whatever information they throw at us. They look forward to more lively, two-way communication,” says Wong Jialiang, 21, a first-year student at SMU’s School of Accountancy who was from Victoria Junior College.

It is advisable to build a good working relationship with your tutors; you’ll be amazed at how much you can learn just by chatting with them.

Class system
The best part about university is having the freedom to plan your own timetable; something which you were never able to do in your past 12 years of academia. You can choose to squeeze your modules into a three-day week, or have a longer school week with more breaks in between. You can also select subjects according to your interests, and schools do offer interesting ones like film or language studies. But don’t get too excited and start on a learning spree; the workload for some modules can get quite heavy, so take only what you can handle.

Making yourself heard during lectures and tutorials becomes imperative, especially with class participation point systems in universities like the Singapore Management University (SMU). Put aside your fears of “what if my question is stupid” or “what if people laugh at my answer”, and take the initiative to speak up. Even if you’re wrong, tutors appreciate that you’ve tried, and you might even leave a good impression behind.

“It took time for me to feel comfortable voicing out my opinions in class when in JC, I’d rather be unnoticed. In school, we often have to make individual speeches and presentations, so over time, I got better at it,” says Sim Sue Ann, 21, a third-year student at SMU’s School of Economics and Social Sciences, who was previously from Temasek Junior College.

Many subjects in university are project-based, with projects accounting for as much as 50% of your overall grade. You might have to manage a few projects at one time, which will overwhelm you at the beginning, but you’ll get the hang of it after a while.

Wire up
With free wireless networks in all four local universities, e-learning sessions and online discussion boards to facilitate information exchange, students are encouraged to be tech-savvy. However, participation in such web activities can be dismal as most students only make use of the wireless networks to do research and check for school announcements.

Laptops are not a must, but they will come in handy. “I feel lost when I don’t have my laptop with me for a day because I use it frequently for projects and to check my email,” says Alvin Hong, 21, a first-year Chemical Engineering student at the National University of Singapore (NUS).

Besides using them for assignments and projects, most students also use laptops to take lecture notes, as the pace of some lectures are quite fast. This allows student to concentrate better, as compared to scribbling furiously and missing the next point the lecturer makes.

However, using laptops during classes also means having to deal with distractions like web surfing and online chatting. If you find your attention wavering, especially during boring lectures, you would probably want to switch off these devices to help you focus. And stop deluding yourself that you can multi-task because chances are, you’ll be chatting the whole lesson away.

Get out of your comfort zone Unlike JC, there are no fixed tutorial groups. Instead, you will be meeting different people at every tutorial group, so it makes sense to polish your social skills. Get to know everyone. Besides widening your social circle, you will also be able to assess which ones make suitable project mates, and which ones not to touch with a ten-foot pole.

You will also come to meet many peers from a smorgasbord of student activities – from the staid religious and cultural clubs, to unconventional ones like wine appreciation and archery.

“Be open, and dare to try new things! Don’t just stick to your clique because there are so many interesting people you will come to meet,” advises Jialiang, who has come to expand his circle of friends through participating in three orientation camps and activities like golf and dragon-boating, which he never did before in JC.

Similarly, Pamela, who never ran for any committees in JC, is now serving in SIM UOL’s Student Representative Council; a decision she never regretted. “I wanted to get more involved in school and immerse myself in campus life,” she says.

Timing is everything
And as clichéd as it sounds, time management really is key. In order to juggle the demands of schoolwork, exciting activities and newfound friends, you will have to learn how to prioritise. It won’t be easy in the first year, but you’ll get better at it as time goes by.

As with every entry into a new environment, you’ll have to adapt to new challenges. The trick is to take your own time to adjust. If in doubt, you can always turn to fellow freshies and friendly seniors for help.

“Go in with an open mind, and don’t be unsettled if you feel like you are starting secondary school all over again; eventually you’ll come to enjoy it,” says Sue Ann with a smile.

Clockwise from top:
Sim Sue Ann (centre),
Wong Jialiang (second
from right) and
Pamela Tan (second
from right)