The whole experience of being at university and being a student can be a wonderful and exciting time which will leave you with fond memories.

However, throughout your time studying you will go through a number of different phases, these phases generally change as you progress through each year of studying. It’s these phases which make it so easy to tell the difference between someone in their first year and some on in their third year.

A Different Kind of Tired:
Your first year at uni will always be exciting as for many it’s their first time experiencing the freedom of living without adults. No one to tell you to go to bed, no one to complain if you’re playing music till 4:30 in the morning and no one to tell you you’re going out too much. This generally results in partying 7 nights a week creating a zombie like figure in your lectures as you struggle to focus when you have the hangover from hell. Despite this, you will generally still be loving your uni life.

Third years are generally just as tired, but not due to the constant partying. Instead third years will pull all-nighters to try and meet their thousands of deadlines which seem to be due every week, and of course, to try and work on that damn dissertation. If you’re not working you will either be cuddled up crying over the immense stress or you will have led down for a nap only to wake up 12 hours later feeling groggy, angry and confused. This generally can explain why third year students are always tired and are usually grumpy.

Looking Good:
In first year you will probably still be trying to make friends and to impress people meaning that you will still be wearing your nice clothes, tiding your hair and wearing a full face of make up. You will dedicate time precisely to sorting yourself out in the morning.

Third years tend to dress in clothes which sole purpose is comfort. You just don’t have the time or patience for that cute but uncomfortable pear of jeans. With all of the stress in a third years life, there is no need or time to stress about what your hair is doing in the morning. During your final year you will generally embrace the natural look and not even care about if your socks match.

The Library:
If you want to go and see these differences in full effect the best place to go is the library.
First years will be sat in a group all having a laugh and happily chatting away.
A third year will be sat on their own frantically smashing at the keyboard whilst giving the occasional death stare at those making all of the noise.

Believe it or not these differences may actually save you life one day! Trust me when I say, you do not want to get on the wrong side of a third year during their deadline week. Hopefully these pointers will help you avoid their wrath and keep safe!

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