Things I wish I knew before I started polytechnic

The first day of polytechnic can often be the scariest thing ever.

Entering a brand new environment filled with new people and classes can be pretty overwhelming. Being a freshie can be tough, as you have no idea about what to expect. At least that was how I felt when I first started.

If only I knew these few things before I started polytechnic…

1. Make your timetable your phone wallpaper because it changes every day

Forget about that cute wallpaper of Ian Somerhalder, and chuck the adorable penguin out the window. When you are in polytechnic, timetables are the most confusing thing ever.

You’ll have one class at 10am in one building, followed by a two-hour lunch break, and a four-hour tutorial in a small room halfway across campus.

So, make your timetable your wallpaper so that you will never miss a class. You might keep your attendance top-notch too.

Because if you do not have at least 80 per cent attendance in every module, you could get debarred, which does not bode well for you in the grand scheme of things.

2. Afternoon classes are actually the best thing ever

When I started polytechnic, I used to hate afternoon classes. I was a big fan of getting everything done in the morning and getting home early.

However, I quickly realised that this was a dumb way of thinking.

In polytechnic, you will have loads of assignments, and that usually means staying up late (or even all night) to finish them up. As a result, getting to indulge in a few extra hours of sleep before your 1pm class is a true blessing.

Appreciate it.

3. Always start your work ASAP, because it will pile up

School work in polytechnic is vastly different from secondary school, simply because you operate on a long-term basis. You also have to manage your own time and your own targets.

This is why you need to start your work literally the second you get it. Do not get lulled into a false sense of security just because the deadline is next month.

Your teachers have most likely been teaching this exact same module for eons and they have set the deadlines based on years of feedback from their students. If you are given three weeks to complete a project, it’s probably because you really need three weeks of effort.

4. Befriend your teachers

Teachers in polytechnic are unlike those patronising ones you had in secondary school.

Firstly, most polytechnic teachers treat you like adults. They talk to you about life outside school, tweet about or at you (cringe), and they usually try (and succeed!) to make lessons fun and relevant.

They are also the biggest gossipers. Piss off one teacher and next thing you know, every teacher hates you. I’m not even joking. So, befriend your teacher. Give them a good first impression and keep it up.

If you are starting your first year in polytechnic today, I wish you all the very best. If you are in your second or third year, remember how confusing it was when you were a freshie? Yeah, so please be nice to your juniors.