Tips For Starting University...

If you are starting university in the autumn, there is no doubt that you will be feeling a wide range of emotions from nerves to excitement; you will also want to make sure that you are ready for what is in store. This way, you will be able to simply enjoy the experience as it comes. So, here are a few tips which will help you out to get you fully prepared for starting university life. I've already made a video similar to this but I thought I'd include some extra tips just incase anyone fancied knowing a little bit more about starting university for the first time.

Learn to Cook

If you don’t know how to cook already, it is worth teaching yourself to make some basic dishes. Getting
too many takeaways is going to end up hitting your student budget hard - it also isn’t going to be great
for your health either. Luckily, there are plenty of recipes available online and for free. Give yourself
the time to run through a few practice dishes so that you are fully prepared when you arrive. I'd also
take some Tupperware pots because preparing a meal for just one can be tricky at first. You can
then bulk cook and freeze meals for the rest of the week!

Set Yourself Up a Budget

For most students, you will be living on a very tight budget which you need to stick to as best you can.
If you set up a little budget for yourself now based on how much of a loan you will be getting, extra
income from part-time jobs, family members etc. Over summer, I've been working 2 part-time jobs,
running my blog/Youtube channels and selling some of my clothes online to help me get some money
behind myself before I start my second year. Of course, you may need to reassess once you arrive
at your university but the last thing that you want to find is that you blow an entire month’s budget
during your fresher’s week!

Make Sure That You Are Properly Organised

One of the most important things to get sorted is your accommodation, so give yourself enough time to look at student lettings if you have not done so already. Double check all the important dates such as when your course will be starting and buy any equipment which you are going to need. This includes tools for studying, as well as stuff to go in your home. I'm currently hosting a giveaway on my vlog channel (CLICK HERE TO ENTER) where I'm giving away a university survival kit - this includes a variety of goodies that will help with organising yourself for university so it's worth checking out even for some ideas of what to pack!

Get Ahead with Your Course

If you have a long period of time free during these summer months, it makes sense that you get ahead
with your reading now - especially if you are taking a course which is going to involve a lot. In my spare
time, I'm planning to research into my upcoming modules and read up on any topics which I'm not
familiar with at all. Extra reading is a great way to get ahead and also gain some new knowledge whilst
you're not actively studying every day. This way, you will notice less of a step up during the first few
weeks, and you can ensure that you remain one step ahead of the game. If you think that there are
any other skills or knowledge that you need to brush up on beforehand, now is the time to do this.

Chat with Fellow Students Online

It can be an extremely nerve-racking experience to start university and not know anyone, so get to
know people early by checking online for any social media groups which have already been set up. Even
having one or two social connections now can end up opening a lot of doors for you further along your
university life. I made two course friends and knew my fellow flat mates before I'd even moved into
student halls so it's definitely worth utilising social media so that the move isn't so intense.

Starting university is always going to be an overwhelming time but I hope that this post and these tips
can help you make the transition that little bit smoother.

Lots of love