University can be tough, there’s no denying it. Balancing your studies with the added pressure of actually looking after yourself can be exhausting. But do not fear, I am going to share with you 10 little tips, tricks, hacks and life lessons, from one recent graduate who learned them all the hard way. Whether you’re a fresher or a finalist, here is what you need to know as a uni student.
Money is going to be tight when you’re a student – that’s a given. But there are discounts and offers for students everywhere. You’ll be able to find loads online, but first, invest in an NUS Extra card. Starting from just £12, this will give you money off at over 200 UK stores, and over 42,000 internationally (which will come in handy for that summer inevitably spent inter-railing and/or find yourself in South East Asia). 40% off Pizza Express – need I say more?
It can be a little overwhelming trying to find answers to the many questions you’ll have as a uni student, but it’s good to know everyone is in the same boat. There will be specific university Facebook groups for many things – freshers, subjects, different societies, women, self-care, the list is endless. Just type the name of your university and the area you’re looking for into the search bar, and 90% of the time it will come up. You may need to be approved to join, but then you can ask away, plus make some friends – ideal!
Opening up a student bank account is boring. I know. Banks are dull. But did you know that there are incentives at most major banks for student accounts? Have a look around to find the deal that appeals to you the most – from cash back to free railcards, there are freebies out there for the taking!
This one may seem boring, but as a uni student, it’s something you really need to know and remember. Unfortunately, in the UK you cannot be registered at two different NHS doctors’ surgeries at the same time. If you’re moving away for uni, remember to register at the beginning of the term, then re-register back home for the holidays. I know, it’s a massive faff, but trust me you’ll thank me when Freshers Flu strikes!
As a uni student, you’re likely to be bombarded with reading lists, pre-lecture readings, post-lecture readings, suggested readings, just stuff you’re supposedly meant to be reading all the time, everywhere. You don’t have to do it all! No one could physically read all of that – it’s impossible, and your lecturers know that too. Pick a couple of things that take your interest, and don’t feel guilty about skim reading. If you’re still unsure, ask a lecturer what they’d recommend as vital reading. They’ll be happy to answer, and it’ll give you more time to do other things – whether that’s studying or Netflix is up to you…
When your maintenance loan first comes through to your bank account, you might be under the impression that it’s a Lot Of Money. This is not true. It might be more money than you’ve had in one go before, but trust me, as a uni student you’re really gonna have to watch what you spend it on or it will be gone before you can say “overdraft.” Budget, budget, budget!
It’s happened to the best of us. You’re just finishing off your essay, you’re pretty happy with it, gonna smash that module – and then your laptop crashes and you’ve lost everything forever. As a uni student, you need to back up your files and back them up regularly. I would recommend signing up for a file hosting service such as Dropbox. You can set this so that every time you save a piece of work, it’s automatically saved to the cloud too, so you’ll never lose it. Do not skip this step!
There can be so much pressure as a uni student to party hard, especially in freshers. You need to know that it’s completely okay to say no to a night out – or even to all nights out. No one will care or judge you. That many late nights and that much booze is inevitably gonna result in you feeling a bit shit, and if you’re not feeling up to it, fight the FOMO and have a night in – treat yo self!
This was the best piece of advice I ever received as a uni student. If you haven’t clicked with your flatmates, or don’t think your course mates are gonna be your new besties, don’t panic! It’s so normal for it to take a little while for you to find your group – this is so important to know. They’ll be out there, I promise, and once you find them you’ll likely be friends for life.
It’s the middle of the term, you’ve got deadlines, you’re exhausted, and you can’t face cereal for dinner again. Everyone has been there. In these times of despair, it’s so important to remember who you’re doing this all for – you! Try to remember the reasons you applied, the reasons you fell in love with your subject, and that you’re not doing it for anyone else. Stay strong – you got this!
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