Top 5 tips for 1st years!

Hey guys!

Since results day has just passed many of you will be getting your S*** together for the start of your 1st year at University, lots of you will be leaving home to fend for yourself for the first time so having survived my freshers year in halls in the center of Birmingham I figured I would put this post together with 5 tips on how to come out of the year more or less fully functional!

TIP NUMBER 1

If you're moving into halls or residence remember everything you plan on taking has to actually fit in whichever vehicle you are travelling in, if it doesn't, sacrifices must be made. The same applies at the end of the year coming home... When I moved out this summer I had to get the train home because I had too many bags and the only thing that wouldn't fit in the car was me! ( I may have gone a bit shop crazy with all those lovely student discounts us uni-goers are entitled to)

TIP NUMBER TWO

You DO NOT NEED an entire cutlery and crockery collection. It WILL get broken, or stolen, or just mysteriously disappear until the last day of exams week.. Honestly I went with a 16 piece cutlery set, 4 plates, 2 bowls and like 6 pans. I came back with 4 pieces of cutlery, 2 plates, a bowl that isn't mine and I don't even know about the pans..

TIP NUMBER THREE

Find some course mates on Facebook before you arrive. This was one of the things I was most worried about before moving in, what if I couldn't make friends before class?! Best suggestion I can make is to find a Freshers page/group for your Uni by searching on Facebook, write a post like "hey there! Who else is studying *insert course name*" get chatting to anyone who replies, make a group chat and get to know your new course mates (chances are they are all just as nervous as you are!) Once you arrive there will be an unreal number of Freshers events and parties where you will meet all sorts of people so charge your phone for the influx of requests and snapchat adds!

note: (If you're planning on getting trashed all week remember anyone you meet may see you at your worst, and from there, it can only get better- thus forming life long friendships) << True. Trust me.

Note two: Go to the freshers fair, even if you don't plan on joining groups/societies there will be cheap or FREE food (usually pizza) and everyone gives you a free pen which you need for all those lecture notes you'll be taking at 9am Monday ;)

TIP NUMBER FOUR

ENJOY YOURSELF! First year doesn't seem easy but compared to 2nd and 3rd it's considered a doss. While you are there to further your education and (fingers crossed) get a 1st overall, don't overdo it! It's okay to sit in bed staring at your essay title all morning and decide screw this who's up for Wetherspoons?! (Don't do this if its submission week and you haven't started yet, because at this point it's time to get working HARD) Balancing work and play is good for you and can actually help productivity when you get to the work part.

TIP NUMBER FIVE

Make yourself a budget plan, especially if you don't have a student bank account/ interest free overdraft allowance ( though I strongly recommend you consider having one) You know from your student finance entitlement when you will be getting paid this year and how much you'll be getting. Work out how much you will have left( or how much extra you will need) each term after rent payments. If the final figure shows a very small number - or a negative number- either get yourself one of those fancy student accounts or start applying for jobs asap ( if you wait till you move in you'll be competing with every other fresher in town) 

First year will be the time of your life, whether you get mad drunk all year or stay relatively sober watching crap daytime TV with your mates and eating whatever was on sale at B&M Bargains ;)

If any of you have any questions for me I will be happy to answer on Twitter @lucycles as always!

This post has been lengthy and wordy so I'm going to finish here!

Lots of Love

Lucycles