10 Things That Happen During Your First Lecture

Lucy McLeanon 17 September 2018
10 Things That Happen During Your First Lecture

Because uni just wouldn’t be the same without lecturer gags, people internet shopping, and stupid questions...

The day of your very first uni lecture has arrived, and you, both excited and nervous, arrive in plenty of time, choose a seat and open up your fresh notebook ready to see what uni life is all about. Then the everyday happenings, which you’ll soon get used to, begin to unfold…

1. The lecturer tries to be cool

Just like you, your lecturer also wants to make a good first impression. This usually takes the form of awkward anecdotes, references to TV shows which they haven’t even watched, and embedded YouTube clips in their Powerpoint. Bless.

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2. There’s that one guy who asks all the questions

That painful moment when the know-it-all puts his hand up and everyone cringes inside. Get used to it 'cos that hand keeps going up again and again and again and again...

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3. That moment when nobody knows the answer

Yup. This will happen. And the only sound other than the tumbleweed tolling past will be the boy in the front row crunching on his Hoola Hoops so carefully, he's basically sucking them.

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4. Snacking

It doesn’t matter if your lecture is at 9am or 3pm, somebody will whip out a snack. These can be pretty impressive at times - it’s not uncommon for someone to bring a whole loaf of bread and make themselves a sandwich there and then.

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5. Internet shopping

If it doesn’t happen in your first lecture, it will do eventually. You look up from your notes to see a sea of laptops, their owners idly browsing through ASOS and quickly changing tabs when they need to write down something important. Multitasking at it's finest.

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6. People rocking up late

I’ll never, ever forget my first uni lecture when someone rocked up 45 minutes late, casually chowing down on a sausage sandwich. Our lecturer turned around, said ‘bon appetit’, and carried on with the class as if nothing had happened. True story.

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7. Someone tries to promote an event or society

Whether it’s at the start, in the middle, or at the end of the lecture, a small group of the students will get up and try to promote their society/ event. The first lectures are a prime time for this, so keep your eyes peeled incase there’s something interesting to get involved with!

8. The lecturer changes the slides too fast

This can be really frustrating, but you’ll soon get into your own rhythm and learn how to note down only the important stuff. A lot of lecturers don’t mind slowing down, either, if you ask them nicely.

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9. Confusion and panic

Uni is quite a step up from A-Levels and you might find yourself a bit overwhelmed by all of the new info in your first lecture. But don’t worry - there’s a reason why first year usually doesn’t count towards anything. You have plenty of time to figure out how to do uni and there’s usually a lot of personal support from teaching staff. You're all in the same boat and chances are, none of your friends have a clue either.

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10. You made it!

Successfully reaching the end of your first lecture is something to be really proud of. After all the applying, moving away, preparations, and a crazy freshers' week, you’re finally where you wanted to be. So here’s to all the cringey lecturers, the snackers, the latecomers, and the internet shoppers, who add the spirit of uni life to lectures. And you’ve got many, many more to come.

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Enjoy and good luck!

Lucy McLeanon 17 September 2018