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So, for those who don’t know, “JAFFY” stands for “Just Another _____ First Year” – you fill in the blanks. (We like to think the “F” stands for “Friendly” 😉).

Whilst you’re generally (and affectionately, no matter what anybody tells you) considered a JAFFY for the first year of your university degree, some say that JAFFYness is more a mindset. The aim of this article is to help you “graduate” from being a JAFFY to any other university student.

NOTE: There’s nothing wrong with being new to the university system. Everybody experiences it at some point or another, and there’s so much new information and so many new experiences that it’s more than understandable to be confused here and there. But here are some things you can avoid to get around the whole “JAFFY” label.

There’s no need to clap in lectures. 👏👏👏

You’re probably used to clapping after presentations all through your school life as a sign of respect or thanks. It’s so built into us that you’d probably clap along even if you hated the presentation. But it just doesn’t really happen at uni, even after the best of lectures.

I think the only time anybody ever clapped after a lecture throughout my entire university degree was when this guest lecturer delivered a banger presentation about climate change – and even that was a pretty weird experience.

Don’t get me wrong: there’s nothing with really appreciating a lecture – and, hopefully, you’ll appreciate many throughout your time at uni. And if you really want to, all the power to you if you try to start a rapturous round of applause! Just keep in mind that it’s not an obligation – it’s not even a norm – and you might get a few strange looks if you do it.

I guess uni’s a bit more transactional in that way. It would be like clapping a bus driver for making a really nice turn, or clapping your barista for making a swell coffee. Perhaps a nice touch – but unusual. Just give your lecturer a nice “thank you!” on your way out of class instead.

Honestly – don’t let your assignments pile up.

It’s a JAFFY mistake, but it’s also just a “university student” mistake in general – haha.

Particularly in your first couple of semesters, though, you might not be used to being hit with assignments from all angles with such force and regularity. If you’re studying a regular full-time load, you’ll probably have expectations coming at you left, right and centre – and this is something you’ll have to get used to.

Due to the new-found freedom and independence of uni, it’s relatively easy to just ignore it all, and try to sweep it under a rug. You won’t have teachers reminding you to submit assignments, or to complete readings, or to study for exams. It’s on your back, and if you don’t stay on top of things – well, you’re the one who’s going to feel the consequences.

It’s probably worth checking where your classes are.

Because there are two things you really don’t want to happen:

(1) You miss your class, or you walk in halfway through a class, because you couldn’t work out how to find it;
(2) You go to the wrong location. You might be expecting a lecture on anatomy, only to be greeted on an entirely different lecture on the ethics of human organ donation. Walking out of a lecture a few minutes in can be pretty awkward!

To avoid this, simply suss out your timetable before the start of classes each semester – at least until you’re comfortable with your new campus. Having an understanding of how to physically make it to your classes can make a big difference, even to internal confidence levels.

Year 12 jackets – yes or no?

Controversial!

Some people continue to wear their Year 12 jackets/hoodies/whatever else at uni. Others think it’s silly, and don’t. Does doing one or the other make you a JAFFY? No – but whatever you choose, do it with pride and assertion. 😎

Save your questions for tutes.

For the most part, lectures aren’t the place to ask questions. You especially don’t want to interrupt a lecturer unless they’ve previously mentioned they’re cool with it. Some lectures are semi-interactive, but it’s best to save your questions until after the lecture or – even better – in tutorials if you’re unsure.

If nothing else, lectures have probably been planned to cover a certain amount of material in a certain amount of time. If there are 300+ students in the lecture, imagine if the lecturer had to field questions all the time. And imagine how frustrating it would be for you if people kept asking questions that either didn’t interest you, or weren’t applicable to you!

So yep, best to save your questions for another time.

Work out when readings are necessary.

You’ll probably have to prioritise work throughout your degree, particularly during peak periods.

With that in mind, you might prioritise finishing an assignment over completing a reading, for example. And it’s generally the case that some readings are more essential than others. In your first few weeks, you’ll probably start to work out which units really rely heavily on readings/the textbook, and which don’t. With that knowledge, you can emphasise some tasks over others with some confidence.

Please, don’t email unnecessarily.

Your lecturer/unit co-ordinator isn’t an open book who you can email every five minutes to answer your questions. They are the head of that particular unit, but they don’t want to be getting emails from hundreds of students every day – particularly when the relevant information is publicly accessible.

Don’t get me wrong: it’s not the case that you can never email your lecturers and the like. Far from it. But they’re not going to be overly pleased if you ask a question like, “hey, when’s assignment two due?” when that information has been published previously.

Before you email, do research. Do research before you email.

Roll with the punches.

Perhaps the most distinctive element of JAFFYness is a sort of nervous energy – it’s hard to explain. Uni isn’t going to go 100% as planned for you – basically nothing ever does. But if you can take setbacks in your stride and try to learn from them as much as possible, you’re on your way to graduating from being a JAFFY. 😉