It is around that time again when lots of you will be starting to prepare yourself for your first year of university. For most people, going to uni is a totally new experience, and it is often difficult to know how to get ready. Here are my top tips on being as prepared as you can be to start your speech and language therapy degree. Firstly, it is a very good idea to make sure you have all the supplies you might need. The main ones I would say are the most helpful to have are a lanyard with a card holder, smart, black placement trousers, and smart but comfortable black placement shoes. A notebook and pen are also a placement essential for making notes. I’d also highly recommend ensuring you have a reliable laptop/tablet, highlighters, a small whiteboard, and some whiteboard pens (the best thing for revising!). Although there may be a reading list with some textbook recommendations, it can be difficult to know which ones to buy. Textbooks can be very expensive and sometimes might not be used much. I would definitely recommend buying your textbooks second-hand if possible and using eBay, Depop or specific websites for preloved uni textbooks. Furthermore, lots of textbooks can be accessed online through the Reading University Library website! If there are two textbooks I would say are worth getting, it would be ‘Mary Sheridan's From Birth to Five Years: Children's Developmental Progress’, and ‘Basic Medical Science for Speech and Language Therapy Students’. These have been the ones I have consistently reached for and referred to throughout my studies so far. Another tip I advise would be to think about getting to know some people before beginning this course. Whether this is talking to student ambassadors on Unibuddy to ask them any questions you might have, or finding other members of your cohort on Student Room, it is always nice to go in knowing someone! There are often Facebook or WhatsApp chats for other applicants and having a chat with others in the same position as you is great for reassurance and comfort. In welcome week, there was a picnic for members of the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Studies which was a great opportunity to meet people you will be studying with. This was accompanied by free ice cream, so definitely worth a visit! Finally, and most importantly, make sure your mindset is prepared! In order to really excel on this course, you need to be open-minded and ready to collaborate with other students, clients, and healthcare professionals. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself right from the offset as you won’t be expected to know everything straight away. Be ready to work hard, learn lots of new information and become a truly excellent speech and language therapist. Click here for the course page to learn more about what this degree involves!