Student life is exciting and a little scary – as it should be! It’s time for you to really put yourself out there and find out what you’re capable of. But you don’t have to figure that out on your own. And you certainly could do with knowing a few vital things first.
We’ve been there ourselves, so we know what you will need to know before you step into your new chapter this autumn. Read on for some of the essential bits of student knowledge that will keep things running smooth and ensure you have the best time at university.
If you’ve come from living at home with your parents, you’ll find out quickly how much effort it takes to keep a house clean. It’s sort of a weekly thing. If not daily for some things.
The easy way to do this is to just take care of chores as and when they appear. Dishes should be rinsed straight away to avoid having to scrub them later. If you leave your dishes on the side of the sink, others will do the same, and then you have a tsunami of plates and cutlery on your hands.
If you prepare food make sure you wipe down any surfaces and sweep the floor around that area. Bins need to be kept tidy and looked after. No one wants to find bits of food on the floor, or worse, to step in it.
Sometimes you may want to keep food in your room. To make sure this is done in the safest and cleanest way – packaging should remain sealed, and any loose items stored in containers. You will thank us when you don’t wake up to a strange smell in the early hours.
How to unclog a toilet/sink – the best way of ensuring your toilet remains unclogged is to be mindful of how much toilet paper you stuff down it. Don’t flush any other items.
You don’t have to spend that much money on food, and it’s easy to prepare meals. We posted a blog recently about ways to make easy meals with what you have lying around in your fridge.
Learning how to do the most basic of food preparation is available to you online – watch YouTube videos or read recipes.
You will no doubt have a lot going on in both your student and social life. Make sure to be prepared and organised with the time you have and what you can do with it.
One method you can try is time blocking – block in time for your most important tasks. It is important to put aside the more time for bigger projects, research, and writing.
It’s still important to schedule in time to take breaks and socialise. If you think you have a lot of work to do and don’t know where to start – break everything up into smaller, more manageable chunks and go from there.
You’ll want to be able to write effectively when you begin your university degree – regardless of which subject – and be able to communicate your ideas in a concise and formal way is essential if you want to get those top grades. You may also need to communicate with your university through emails and knowing the appropriate way to ask and respond will help you.
There are a number of online tools and books written to help you prepare for this. One you may have heard of is grammarly.
Most students have a laptop or tablet with them at university – tech that can be easily hacked into, so protecting yourself online is important.
Don’t share personal information online and install appropriate security software to keep yourself safe.
If you are moving to a new city, a place unfamiliar to you, then it’s important that you remain aware of your surroundings. You may not be aware of just how much crime takes place, especially in bigger cities. Any valuables that you have should be always kept on you or locked away in your room.
If you go out and drink – make sure to be responsible and stay with people that you know and trust.
Our staying safe at university blog will give you advice on how to stay safe and have a good time.
Ideally, everyone would be taught the basics of first aid whilst still in school. But it can be surprising that many students wouldn’t know what to do in a situation that would call for it, or have forgotten.
You can watch videos online that will give you the correct method to deliver CPR and other basic lifesaving skills.
Creating a budget for university doesn’t have to be complicated or stressful. You can easily keep track of what you have to spend in a spreadsheet. There are also apps that help you to organise spending and reminders for when things need to be paid.
Being a student means access to thousands of student discount offers, normally it just takes finding out where they are. Student discount is normally about 10 or 20% off the full price, which can go a long way. Keep your student ID with you at all times, and if you’re not sure, just ask.
You can read part 1 of our getting ready for uni blog here.
To become more ‘environmentally friendly’, Host is launching the #HostEnvironmentalPledge campaign to encourage responsible behaviour and drive sustainability across our sites throughout the UK and Ireland.
It’s a simple campaign! For every percent we reduce our overall utilities (electric, water and gas) consumption by we donate to one of our nominated charities.
Show me all newsYou will need money for a range of things during your time in University, ranging from food and travel to accommodation and uni supplies. What you need will depends on your particular circumstances, but we have created an exhaustive list to ensure you can plan ahead and save for your university experience.
You’ve packed everything that you can physically fit into your family car. And said goodbye (tearful or otherwise) to your friends back home. Pulling up to your new uni home will be a bit of a whirlwind. Between finding somewhere to park and what you will need to take into reception to check in on move in day. Move in day can feel stressful, but the main thing is that once it’s over and you’re in your new room – the fun can begin.
Being a student can be a little expensive, especially when some find that their maintenance loans don't cover the basics and due to the cost of living crisis. So, be sure to make the most of your student discount while you can. We have been busy finding the best student discounts this Freshers for you. Take a look at some of the best discounts we believe you need to know about right now.
