With my not-so-litter sister finishing college this year and starting to think about University, I found myself thinking back to my time as a student. Between moving away after finishing sixth form and then graduating three years later, there were many ups and downs which all contributed towards some of the best years of my life.
For anyone who's taking the step and starting university this year or still trying to figure out which path is best for them, I've listed some of the things I found helped me the most during my time as a student.
Freshers Events:
For those who don't know, Freshers is the name given to the time after moving for university, but before studies actually begin. The Student Guild organises events from bar crawls to quiz nights designed to encourage new students to start making friends. Whilst a little awkward and nerve-wracking at first, there really is so there's no better time to start forming friendship groups then with drinks and nights out all together. Five years after my first "Freshers Week" I'm still best friends with some of the people I met during those first nights out.
Student Discount:
Whether it's through using your university ID,
NUS Extra or
My Uni Days - Student Discount will quickly become your best friend. So many high street and online shops offer discounts off of full price items which quickly add up to pretty decent savings over the years (top tip, in your last year of studying be sure to purchase a 3 year NUS Card to continue enjoying those discounts even after graduation).
Budget:
Whilst it may be tempting to splash out as soon as that Student Loan payment hits your bank, it's really not a wise move. With only a small amount going spare, I found the best way to make my pennies last was to divide my total amount of loan (after rent and bills etc) by the amount of weeks left until the next payment, which then gave a weekly allowance. Whilst it seems dull, your future-self will definitely thank you! Remember your student loans are not just free money. They have to be paid back eventually and when they do you should look at all your options of repayment. For any US readers places like
Earnest* can help you manage those hefty student loans by
refinancing them!
Homesickness:
If you've chosen to move away for university, the feeling of homesickness is something you'll more than likely experience at least once. I personally loved being away from home for the "full university experience" but still had times when there was nothing I wanted more than a good home-cooked meal and to sit see my Mum. If you're unable to travel home due, a phone call or Facetime is the next best thing to seeing loved ones back home - without the expensive train ticket!
Food shopping:
If you can, I couldn't recommend shopping at places like Lidl and Aldi enough - I was luckily enough to live down the road from a Lidl in my second and third years of uni which quickly became my favourite place for a food shop. Alternatively own-brand items are usually just as good as branded products at a fraction of the price.
Rail Cards:
Another great savings tip for those who have chosen to move away for university is purchasing a Railcard. National Rail's
16-25 Railcard costs £30 and offers 1/3 off of all train journeys. Whilst a little pricey up front when on a budget, it quickly pays for itself in savings (this little card saved me a whole lot of money during my three years as a student).
Whilst a huge and scary step, going to university was one of the best decisions I ever made. I gained huge amounts of independence and met some of my best friends during the three years spent studying (and partying).
What tips do you have for any new students moving for uni?
I'd love to know in the comments.
xxx
