Moving can be stressful, particularly given the current housing crisis. It may be your first time living away from home and it might be your first time living in a big city or new country. Or you may be a parent or caregiver. Remember to be kind to yourself and give yourself time to settle into this new routine away from home. See our Accommodation Guide.
When we think of change and university students, the focus is often on transition into the first year of college, but students at all levels of study encounter change throughout their time at UCD.
It can be helpful to take a little time to recognise that as a student you are encountering and managing change all the time. We all deal with change differently. Some of us find it exciting; others may find it threatening and scary. Oftentimes, it's a combination of both.
It can be helpful to think about times in your life when you experienced change, e.g. coming to college, moving schools, moving house, joining a new team, starting a part-time job. How did that feel? Take a moment to reflect and write some notes about the strengths you drew on to manage this change and any stress that you felt.
We hope the guides below will be helpful to you as you navigate the changes that your time at UCD might bring for you. If you need to talk to someone about any of these changes, please reach out to your Student Adviser.
Society and club events are a great way to meet new people with similar interests and can really enhance your university experience. Starting anything new involves getting to know new people. While this can cause anxiety for some, others thrive. If you are interested in getting involved, see our guide to (opens in a new window)Community in UCD Guide.
If you're going out on placement or on an internship, your daily routine is going to be different. You won’t be coming into college and attending lectures, and you’ll be joining a new team and getting used to a new environment, all of which can feel exciting but also a bit scary. It can take some time to transition from feeling like a student to a professional, so be kind to yourself and allow yourself time to settle into this new role. See our (opens in a new window)Placement/Internship Guide.
Moving to a new country to study in a different institution can be really exciting and a fantastic part of being a student. However, it can bring a lot of upheaval. You have to get used to a new culture and sometimes living through a different language. If you are a UCD student going abroad or an international student coming to UCD, our(opens in a new window) Learning Abroad Guide may be helpful.
As part of your studies, you’ll typically progress from one year to the next. The academic demands can get more intense as you broaden and deepen your knowledge of your subject areas. You might need to tackle new types of assessments, meet lots of deadlines, and continue to manage your own time and study skills. See our Academic Support Guide.
You may find yourself in a programme that is not the right fit for you. It can be hard to decide what is best to do, but it’s important to be happy with what you are doing. If transferring to another programme is what is best for you, then the first step is gathering as much information as you can so that you can make a fully-informed decision. You can read more here about transferring to a programme within UCD. It can be helpful to talk to the relevant School or College Office and/or the Student Desk. It’s important to keep in mind the UCD Withdrawal Policy and any fee implications.
Taking some time off university might not have been in your plan originally, but you are making a decision that is the right one for you at the current time. Still, it can feel like a loss to not be in college for a little while. See our Leave of Absence Guide for more details.
Finishing your programme is really exciting and the whole world awaits you! But it can also feel a little bittersweet because you’re leaving behind a place you’ve come to know, as well as your friends, lecturers, and all the familiar faces and places around UCD. You might already have decided on next steps for yourself or you might not have. It’s normal to feel fear or even resistance as you approach the finish line. You might experience some self-doubt, procrastination, or thoughts like “Maybe I’m not ready to leave yet”. But you are ready and you’ve worked hard to get to this point. Whatever you are feeling is normal, and there is plenty of support available if you need to talk. If you feel worried and stressed about this upcoming change, please reach out to your Student Adviser. It might be helpful to talk to someone about what you want to do next with your life. This might be further study, employment, or something else entirely. The UCD Careers Network is available to meet with you and discuss next steps if you have no plan, some plan, or a clear plan.
Sometimes it can happen that you find yourself in a programme that is not the right fit for you or it might not be the right time for you to be in college. Things in your personal life may be impacting your studies. You might not be able to financially manage your university programme, or there could be other circumstances that mean you need to withdraw. This can be a hard and stressful decision and can cause you to feel upset and a bit lost. You might be concerned about other people - their expectations and hopes for you, and addressing this decision with those in your life can feel challenging. If you are struggling with this, the support services at UCD can offer you a space to find your voice, the right words, and the courage you need to have these tough conversations. If you need someone to talk to, you can reach out to your Student Adviser. Our Withdrawal Guide has lots of helpful information for you.