8 Tips Before Starting University

If you are finishing your A-levels or higher education courses, then you may be thinking about what University you would like to go to and researching their university rankings. Alternatively, you may have already done this and are waiting for your results to know if you have achieved the desired rankings, to get into your chosen choice. 

Either way, if you are planning on going to University, then a few months before is the time to start planning and getting things in order, and ready for the start of your course. Things you should consider include arranging your accommodation, spending some time in the area to get to know it, learning to cook affordable meals may be helpful as well as putting a monthly budget together and looking for part-time work. 

Below, we have put together our guide of six different tips before starting university. 

Plan a monthly budget 

Before starting Uni, a useful task to carry out is putting a monthly budget together. Use a spreadsheet to plan what your monthly bills are likely to be, including things like, your mobile phone contract, your weekly food spend, your entertainment costs, and anything else you think will cost you. By having a budget set, you will find it easier to stick to this, instead of overspending by mistake – it’s easy to overspend at Uni, especially when going out with your friends. When setting a budget, try to overestimate, instead of underestimate as this way you are more likely to stick with it. If you overestimate all this means is you will have some money left over at the end of the month which you can put into savings. 

Spend time in the area where you are going to live 

For a lot of people who are going to University, they will move out and relocate for it. If this is you, then before you move to your chosen area, try to spend some time in it. By spending time in the area where you are going to live, you will be able to learn where it is safe to go and where to maybe avoid. You’ll discover the best places to go to eat & drink, as well as any entertainment venues, like cinemas or poolrooms. By knowing this, it can be easier to settle in when moving. 

Learn to cook affordable meals 

When at University you will not have a lot of money and will have to cook for yourself. Instead of living on pot noodles, spend some time learning to cook affordable meals. The more affordable meals you can cook, the less money you will spend on eating out and the healthier you may be. Some simple meals that you can cook include spaghetti bolognese, macaroni cheese, meatballs &  jacket potatoes. When cooking, remember to freeze leftovers, as this can save you money and time in the future. 

Look for some part-time work 

As we mentioned above, University can be expensive. If your course allows it and you think you can work and study at the same time, then looking for some part-time work may be advisable. Try looking for a simple job that has low hours and is flexible, this way you can work around your study time. If at any point you find working part-time has a negative effect on your uni course and your grades, then make sure you prioritise your studying and reduce your hours or if you have to stop working altogether. 

Register for a new doctors 

This one is often overlooked but is actually very important. If you are relocating to a place far away from home, then you will need to get in touch with a new doctor’s surgery near your uni accommodation. The last thing you want is to get ill and not be able to get help and the medication needed to get better. Depending on how busy the surgeries are near your accommodation, you may need to contact a few to make sure you get registered before starting. 

Spend some time with your friends and family members 

Before embarking on your exciting journey to become a uni student and qualify with a degree in a few year’s time, spend some time with your friends and family members. If you are travelling far, you may not be returning until your course’s half-term, Christmas or Easter Break. This could be a long time and they will miss you as well as we are sure you will miss them. 

Sign up for discounts 

As a student, there are a few perks you will get, one of them being a student discount. Depending on if you need it or not, you may want to get a student rail card which can save you a third on travel. Uniday’s is a platform that offers plenty of discounts specifically for students and you may also have one that your university has set up for you. Outside of specific student discounts, you can also use sites like Vouchercloud or Groupon. 

Consider your hobbies 

Are there any hobbies that you can do when joining your new Uni? If you are a football fan, do they have a football team for you to join? If you enjoy a hobby like chess or playing a musical instrument, they will most likely have a community you can join in with. Reach out to your university and see if they have a centralized base where they store everything like social clubs. There may be a few new things that you have never tried that you may be tempted to engage in as part of your new beginning. 

We hope our guide has given you some insight into University life and a few things you should do to get yourself prepared. A big tip to help get you started is to put a list together of everything you need to do before starting. By having this list, you can tick things off as the weeks go by before your course starts. The sooner you do this, the easier it will be to be prepared and less overwhelming. 

Are you starting university soon and what courses are you going to be studying? Have you got any tips to help people who are going to be starting Uni? Which of the above tips did you find most useful? Let us know in the comment box below, we would love to hear from you.