Money+ Useful Tips

Try and go to as many events and activities as you can in Fresher’s Week, it doesn’t matter if it is tiring. Also don’t stick around the same people, there is lots of time to get to know everyone, try and meet as many people as you can in the first week. You may grow out of the first people you meet or they may grow out of you!

 

Where possible live in or near campus so you don’t have to drive. Get used to using public transport as quickly as possible, because it’s cheaper than running a car and you can typically get some form of discount for being a student.

 

Don’t buy books beyond the core ones until you actually start your course: you can then decide what you need, seek out second hand bargains and source non-essential ones from the library.

 

Arrange your Student Finance as early as you can.

 

Try to get a student discount wherever you go. Your student card will work in a lot of places, but sometimes you may have to sign up to get an NUS Card to avail of other benefits. There are also many online sites listing student discounts so make the most of them.

 

Be careful with your money. Look for bargains, plan your spending carefully, save up over the summer if you can, avoid the temptation to spend your student loan as soon as you receive it and keep a log of the money you spend each week. The biggest danger for overspending is in the first term. Don’t be tempted to buy designer clothes, 20 CD’s or loads of beer when you have the just had the first instalment of your student loan. Wait until the end of term, if you still have the money!

 

Work out a budget of your income and expenditure. If it is obvious that you are not going to be able to manage, think of ways in which you can supplement your income. Most universities will have a Job Shop for students, either within the Careers Service or the Student Union, so contact them if you need to find part-time work.

 

Learn how to cook and wash your clothes before you start your course

 

Make the effort to meet new friends and Join a few clubs or activities, this one especially applies if you aren’t really a clubbing/pubbing type as it gives you a chance to meet people in different kinds of situation

 

Go to lectures and try and write notes, it can be hard but its worth attempting to do it! Most lectures these days also go online beforehand so you can supplement them in class, which makes things much easier when it comes to exam time.

 

Try to attend all tutorials and do the work for them. A lot of tutorial work is derived directly from past papers so by doing them you will give yourself the best chance of doing well.

 

Check your email regularly. Information from your tutor, exam results, work and important information from your department will frequently come this way.

 

It’s a good idea to do the optional work set by lectures, it gives you a chance to gauge how well you are doing, and what kind of marking to expect when exams come around.

 

Do not leave coursework until the last moment. Prioritise it by how big the coursework is and how far away the deadline is.

 

Staying up till 4am when you have a 9am lecture is not a good way to learn. If you do stay up that late you will end up sleeping in the lecture – you may as well stay in bed and not make your morning painful.