I have always known, and had it at the back of my mind, that secondary school and university are not the same. However, this realization truly hit me when I became a university student. Knowing something in theory and experiencing it in reality are two very different things.
One of the major things I find confusing in the university is the issue of subjects—now called courses. As a Mass Communication student, I offer nine courses, and each of these courses comes with its own code. Honestly, this was very confusing for me at first. I was used to the secondary school system where Mathematics is Mathematics, English is English, Government is Government—simple and straightforward. There were no codes, numbers, or divisions attached.
Now imagine offering a course that you do not even fully understand—both the code and the title. Everything just feels confusing.
For example, one of my courses is NCM105, which is titled Introduction to Book Publishing. At first, I kept asking myself, what does NCM have to do with book publishing? There is no “M” or “C” in the words book or publishing. How were these codes even created? Who decided them? Everything just felt overwhelming.
The most challenging part is that nobody explains these things to you. Nobody sits you down to break down course codes or titles. You are expected to learn, understand, and master them by yourself.
Another thing I find confusing is the mode of teaching of some lecturers. Sometimes, you are just seated in class listening to a lecturer who does not know how to properly break down explanations. Some even dictate notes without proper explanations, and before you realize it, you are lost. That is when panic sets in. You start asking yourself questions like, Will I be able to survive in this school? Is this school bigger than my brain? Why don’t I understand anything? That is where self-doubt begins.
In secondary school, things were different. You could be punished for not completing your notes, assignments, or for coming late to school. But in the university, nobody chases you. Nobody forces you. You are fully responsible for yourself.
Despite all these confusions, I have learned some practical ways to cope and adjust.
First, I write all my courses in one place—the course codes and their titles—and I read them every day, even if it is just for two minutes. Familiarity matters.
Second, I stopped waiting for lecturers to teach perfectly. I remind myself that real learning happens after class, not just in the classroom.
Third, I accepted that confusion is part of the process. Understanding does not come instantly. First, you are confused. Then the words start looking familiar. Later, things begin to click.
Finally, I work on reducing self-doubt. Instead of telling myself “I am not smart enough,” I replace it with “I am still adjusting.” And that makes a difference.
Through my experience, I also came to understand what course codes really mean in the university. A course code is not an abbreviation of the course title. It has three main parts.
The first part is the department or program code, for example MCM, which simply means Mass Communication. It only shows which department owns the course; it does not describe the topic.
The numbers attached to the code show the course level. Courses between 100–199 are for 100 level students, 200–299 for 200 level, 300–399 for 300 level, and so on. Therefore, NCM105 simply means a Mass Communication course meant for 100 level students.
Understanding this did not remove all the challenges, but it helped reduce the confusion. University life is not easy, but with patience, self-discipline, and consistency, adjustment becomes possible.