I worked hard enough to do well in my GCSE's and receive all five of my offers for university due to the dedication of my blog, and generally doing well in academia. However, I evacuated from my hometown of Stoke-On-Trent and relocated all the way to Southampton to do what I love most - Music Journalism. This blog post will provide some advice and life hacks for university regardless of what subject you may be studying and whether you are a first, second or third year - one of these carefully thought-out points will hopefully help you.
1. Before you go to/back to university make sure you aren't going empty handed. You won't get your student loan in time for your move, therefore make sure you go to university with a few hundred pounds to last you the first few weeks and to prevent you from being in your overdraft in your first term. (Unless living at home)
2. Don't spend £70 on getting a 'freshers wristband' that lets you enter any club for two weeks (for free as you've paid for the wristband) because unless you're planning on going out every day for 14 days, there is no point - just pay as you go.
3. Try to get a part-time job at the start of the year as this will help you out a lot more than you think.
4. Start on your assignments at least one month before they're due, this will give you time to make a plan and understand what you're supposed to be doing.
5. Try to prepare for your course before hand especially if it's a creative course. My blog has helped me so much because it got me both reading and writing more and I gained a huge understanding before I started - resulting in me doing well in my first year at university.
6. If you live down south - don't go out on a Friday or Saturday unless there's good drink deals on. (Wednesdays are usually the best days to go out in Southampton anyways).
7. If entry is free before 12 - go before 12.
8. PRE-DRINK IN YOUR FLAT!! PRE-DRINK IN YOUR FLAT!! PRE-DRINK IN YOUR FLAT!! This will save you so much money compared to going to the pub, or just drinking in the clubs. - Lambrini and Frosty Jacks with blackcurrant juice are cheap favourites of mine when I'm broke - (embarrassing I know).
9. Make sure your year group and subject have a groupchat (it will help more than you think).
10. Homemade soup! Feeds you for days, it's tasty and if you want to lose some weight - then it's perfect. Credit to my flatmate for teaching me.
- Make sure you have onions, garlic, carrots, potatoes and LOADS of seasoning - then add as many vegetables as you want - it will taste amazing regardless.
- Chop all of your vegetables up, put some butter in a big saucepan, add the garlic and onions, fry them and then add the rest of the vegetables.
- Fill the pan with boiling water so all of the vegetables are covered then add LOADS of seasoning to make it taste amazing.
- Leave to simmer, for half an hour, then check on it every 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
- Then simply put it into a blender and voila!
- Melt a bit of butter, toast some bread and there you go - carton it up and put it into the fridge and/or freezer.
- Cheap, tasty, good and easy to do.
11. If you're a smoker and you prefer straight cigarettes, then you better get used to roll-ups.
12. Don't feel pressured to get a house in the first few months when you move into halls. The people you meet in the first few months, whether that's on your course, or they're you're flatmates - might not turn out to be who you think they are in 6 months time. Get to know people and then find a house on your last term - it's never too late.
13. If you've decided to move away for uni, use this as your opportunity to visit new places and meet new people! I've been to Bournemouth, Central London and Camden (on my own), Portsmouth, Brighton, Liverpool, Wales, Glasgow, as well as Southampton - obviously.
14. Love what you do and try not to stress too much, you'll fly with passing colours!
