Top Tips for Starting University
For anybody going to uni this September now is the time that you will start getting prepared to move in so here are a few tips which I used when I started uni.
Find your flatmates
When I found out which halls I would be staying in I decided to see if they had a facebook page so that I could try to find my flatmates. This completely worked and within a few days of posting my flat number I have managed to find all of the people I would be sharing the flat with. We then started a group message and got to know one another. I think this is a really good thing to do because it made me feel a bit more relaxed with the idea of moving away and it also meant that when we did eventually move in we felt like friends already. It is also brilliant for asking people what to bring; for example we spoke about big things that we only needed one of and decided which one of us would buy it.
Only take 2
A lot of people when moving to uni buy a whole dinner service however this is completely unnecessary as it takes up a lot of room and unless you do not wash up you will not use them all. When I moved to uni I decided to take 2 of everything, eg. 2 plates, 2 bowls and 2 sets of cutlery, and I thought that this was enough. The only exception to this rule is glasses! I would take plenty of glasses with you because after a few pre-drink sessions glasses are broken or just disappear!
Find people on your course
As before I decided to find people who were on the same course as me by posting on the freshers facebook page. I found that a lot of people on my course were also staying in the same halls as me and we decided that on our first day we would all meet and walk to uni together. This not only helps you make friends before you start uni but you also won't get lost walking there by yourself.
Don't pre buy freshers tickets
This is something I did and I didn't use the ticket once! I purchased a week ticket however until I got to uni we hadn't decided where we wanted to go so it was pretty much a wasted £20. Once you move in sit down with your flatmates and decide then where you want to go and which specific events you want to go to. There are always plenty of tickets but I will say do pre-purchase them on the internet as you can get fast track entry.
Register with the uni doctor
This one is pretty self explanatory but do register with the doctor. You never know when you will need them so you do not want to be caught short. When I received my uni welcome pack it included a registration form so I filled it in and sent it off, it's as easy at that.
Budget
Before starting uni you will receive notification from student finance about how much you will receive throughout the year and in order to stay on top of things you need to work out how much money you can spend each week. This means that you can buy things that week without the worry of going in to your overdraft which many students end up doing! If you do however think you may end up in your overdraft then it may be wise to open a student bank account. Most banks offer these and the bank I am with offer an interest free overdraft of up to £2000 but it's definitely worth shopping around to find which one suits you best.
This is something I did and I didn't use the ticket once! I purchased a week ticket however until I got to uni we hadn't decided where we wanted to go so it was pretty much a wasted £20. Once you move in sit down with your flatmates and decide then where you want to go and which specific events you want to go to. There are always plenty of tickets but I will say do pre-purchase them on the internet as you can get fast track entry.
Register with the uni doctor
This one is pretty self explanatory but do register with the doctor. You never know when you will need them so you do not want to be caught short. When I received my uni welcome pack it included a registration form so I filled it in and sent it off, it's as easy at that.
Budget
Before starting uni you will receive notification from student finance about how much you will receive throughout the year and in order to stay on top of things you need to work out how much money you can spend each week. This means that you can buy things that week without the worry of going in to your overdraft which many students end up doing! If you do however think you may end up in your overdraft then it may be wise to open a student bank account. Most banks offer these and the bank I am with offer an interest free overdraft of up to £2000 but it's definitely worth shopping around to find which one suits you best.
I hope these small tips help you when planning for uni and good luck to everyone starting this year!
Ellie
xxx
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