5 things everyone should know before going to University

Manage your Student loan

When the first chunk of your student loan arrives in your bank account it can be really tempting to go out and spend a huge whack of it straight away! For most people they’ve never had so much money readily available to them and it can be tempting to go out and buy that games console you’ve always wanted or splurge the cash on your favourite clothes at a exclusive student lock-in but it’s worth refraining slightly if you can. The sad reality is for some people their loans won’t even cover accommodation costs let alone cover nights out and a new wardrobe! A recent study by The Independent showed that 1 in 10 students will have spent a whopping £2,700 of their loan in the first fortnight at University, whilst you should definitely enjoy yourself during fresher’s it’s important to try and budget! The gaps between the loans are long and you will thank us later on.

Communal Area’s

If you leave anything in the communal areas expect them to go missing or be used frequently. The unwritten rule of the communal areas in University halls is that everything in them is fair game to use or borrow. If you don’t want people using your cutlery, kitchen set or speakers then it’s best to return them to your room after you’ve used them. Things will go missing or be stolen but you can help yourself by getting into the habit of not leaving your valuables or personal items lying around.

Back everything up

Get a good laptop and an external hard-drive. This one is so important! In first year at University, essays tend to be short, relatively easy and can often be smashed out in a few hours. (We don’t encourage this) So this one might not seem like a priority straight away but take it from us that there is nothing more infuriating than losing your work because your computer has crashed, been stolen or died. By getting into the habit of backing up your work on an external drive you’ll be guarding against disaster later. The amount of people who lose their dissertations they’ve been working on for 6 months in 3rd year is staggering. By getting into the habit in 1st year you’re helping yourself guard against disaster later on when it really counts! Student halls and houses are unfortunately a hot bed for crime and whilst taking out insurance may get you a new laptop, it can’t get back the hours you’ve put in to your work!

Fresher’s fair!

During fresher’s fair you’ll be asked to sign up to every society on campus from sports to music to things you didn’t know existed. It’s important to remember you don’t have to sign up to absolutely everything despite pressure! Having said this, the best way to make friends to is try something completely new or different. Taking yourself out of your comfort zone whilst at University will open you up to new people and opportunities and shouldn’t be sniffed at. Once you’ve finished University it will become much harder to try your hand at sailing or paragliding so if it takes your fancy, go for it!

You’ll also be bombarded with millions of freebies from domino’s pizza slices, Frisbee's & pens to name a few! Take everything and anything because you never know when it will come in handy. A pen will always be useful and that Frisbee might just be perfect post exams in May when the sun is out and you’re bbq-ing on the common!  

Open & Close your door!

During fresher’s one of the best bits of advice you can ever be given is to leave your door open.  If you’re too shy to go knock on your flatmates’ doors & say hello at least by leaving the door open It shows you are open to making new friends and it can lead to instant social situations. Although don’t feel you always need to have your door open. Going to university can be a daunting and challenging experience and you’re entitled to your moments of peace by yourself!

Lastly when you leave make sure you lock your door. The sad reality is that University student areas are the perfect spot for thieves and whilst the people in your flat might all be really nice and trustworthy. Who’s to say the person in the flat above is? Leaving your door open and unattended could also invalidate your insurance leaving you at risk of losing everything!

Get Insurance

It’s worth getting insurance when you go off to university. Students are unfortunately often targeted by thieves because of a combination of poor household security in budget homes to the fact that students tend to own desirable items!

Head on over to our specific student zone online to claim discounts on gadget, travel and bike insurance.