Insights for Future Success at University

In these messages from the future, discover invaluable advice on networking, engaging with people, adapting to changes like COVID, and embracing new experiences during your university journey. Learn the importance of making genuine connections, honing remote work skills, and seizing opportunities to try diverse activities. Embrace these insights to thrive academically and personally.

• University life
• Networking
• Future success
• Engaging with people
• COVID adaptation

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Uploaded on Feb 18, 2025 | 0 Views

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Presentation Transcript

1. or Things you will have wished youd known Bob Eager September 2024 Messages from the Future 1 20-Sep-24

2. Introduction From The Hitch-Hiker s Guide to the Galaxy : Arthur Dent: You know, it's at times like this, when I m stuck in a Vogon airlock with a man from Betelgeuse, about to die of asphyxiation in deep space, that I really wish I d listened to what my mother told me when I was young. Ford Prefect: Why? What did she tell you? Arthur Dent: I don t know! I didn t listen! So now is the time to listen Some of this is stuff picked up over the years Some of it was crowdsourced from other students and graduates, on Bob s own Facebook group which contains some students from over 45 years ago, and some who graduated much more recently! Use what works for you but try some new stuff while you re here Messages from the Future 2 20-Sep-24

3. Networking No, not computer networking that starts later Friends real friends, not the hundreds you have on social media, etc. - this is where you start making them A good friend will help you move; a great friend will help you move a body and really great friends will bring a spade and not ask any questions You ll help each other for many years to come Messages from the Future 3 20-Sep-24

4. Engaging with people Get to know important people, as a long term thing not just at university, but at work and everywhere secretaries, cleaners, building managers, postmen, delivery people, catering staff make their life more interesting, and yours will be too Use common rooms, bars and other meeting places look at Fermat s Last Theorem and the use of a common room Google s management of restaurant queues Meetings are important, but going to the pub afterwards is often the best bit; non-alcoholic is fine Messages from the Future 4 20-Sep-24

5. COVID may not have been all bad It developed skill in remote working Who knows what will happen this (academic) year? Hang on to your skill in online meetings You can use Teams (if licensed), Zoom, and other offerings and of course there are many other electronic forms of communication, such as group chat, Discord, etc. Messages from the Future 5 20-Sep-24

6. Try New Stuff University is one of the cheapest, easiest places to try new stuff Sports Societies Ballroom dancing? K-Pop dance? Debating? Sign language? Frisbee? Probably TinkerSoc!! Don t forget all the other stuff take a break from computing too Don t live in your room all the time Travel round Kent it s a nice place Messages from the Future 6 20-Sep-24

7. Immerse yourself University isn t a part time occupation don t turn up for a lecture and then just go home/back to your room; this is really important talk to people! This isn t school or college you have to live it to get the most out of it (and get a good degree) Meetings aren t just for content they re for what happens before and after part of the living is places like the Hackspace Pubs and caf s are important places, as are common rooms You learn from your peers as well as from staff Staff learn from you! Messages from the Future 7 20-Sep-24

8. Academic stuff everyone has their own approach; plenty of study help available start coursework when you get it, or you will get terribly behind embarrassing when you start it on the last day and something is missing don t disregard things you think you ll never use don t trust the system check don t assume lecturers are always right! don t assume books are always right! never assume the Internet is right! BIG lesson NEVER be afraid to ask you ll look silly if you bluff and fail mistakes are fine that s how you learn Messages from the Future 8 20-Sep-24

9. Odd advice look after yourself! try to eat properly (no one else around to make sure you do) go for a walk somewhere instead of arguing on social media! trust yourself! You may well be right, and everyone else wrong but don t count on it it s more important to be yourself than to be accepted do what youwant (as long as it s legal ) this might be your first chance be curious, all the time not just computing, but everything learn something new every day Messages from the Future 9 20-Sep-24

10. More odd advice join LinkedIN now and start building connections a good job marketplace, and useful in second year sanitise your social media history while you still have time! just have fun be creative try new things, get involved, EXPLORE! if interested, get into an open source project make yourself stand out now is a good time if you want to re-invent yourself a bit sort out your study space to make it easy to study Messages from the Future 10 20-Sep-24

11. Finally you re here to work, but to have fun too don t live in a straight line take the scenic route personal development is really important, and really part of your degree get out there and LIVE IT! http://messages.bobeager.uk Messages from the Future 11 20-Sep-24