As I flick though blogs I'm flooded with posts named "top tips for starting university!". I have to read every one of these posts just out of curiosity to see if the suggestions are as silly as the last post I read.
For a start, if you're starting university this month - do not take these posts to be like your new bible! Everyone is different and if something is definitely not your cup of tea don't feel like you have to.
I'm going to list the most common "tips" and put my own spin on it.
1. Get involved with clubs and societies.
If there isn't a club or society that you're interested in - don't join one. You can join any time or at the beginning of next year. I didn't join any when I started last year and I don't feel like I missed out on much. Don't get me wrong if you're a massive fan of a sport or hobby and there's an appropriate club/society then join it - you'll meet loads of people who share your interest.
2. Go to every freshers event.
This is stupid. To go to every freshers event or even plan to is crazy. You will have a seen or received your freshers week calendar thing. Pick out your favourite ones and highlight them in a certain colour pen. Then, once you've got to university discuss with people in your halls of residence which events they'll be going to. If a lot of people in your block are going to an event and it doesn't sound completely nightmare-ish then give it a go if that many people in a small space are interested in it chances are a lot of people will go and you might meet some people from your course while you're there. But if there's an event you really wanted to go to and no one else in your block wants to go - still go you'll meet people who you are most likely to things in common with interest-wise.
(For example my university does a board game night and a computer game night as well as all the alcohol related nights that are on.)
3. When you move in - pack light.
When you pack to move in DO NOT pack light. Pack everything you think you might need in a year. I had to do 2 trips in a Peugeot 306 to move my stuff in and I managed to fit everything into my room (just about (to takes a lot of planning to find a sensible place for everything)) but I'm so glad I took everything I did because I felt like I have everything I could possibly need and it saves the situation where you realise you need something and you didn't pack it and now you have to waste precious money on something you already own. You can always take things home when you visit home if you realise you definitely did not need to pack it.
Also, make sure you pack home comforts. I didn't pack my stuffed toy from when I was born because I didn't really use it anymore but when I moved in and nipped back home for my 2nd load the whole idea that I was moving out was starting to dawn on me and I quickly grabbed my stuffed toy which I was go glad I did. It's nice to have something like that for when you feel homesick because for me just seeing the toy in my Uni room it made me feel so much more comfortable.
4. Put up lots of photos and posters
This is one tip I couldn't recommend more. Lots of websites give you 100 free prints of any photos you want and you just have to pay postage (such as boots and snapfish) when you sign up for them. Make the post of it I completely covered my room in photos, posters, tickets, pictures of my favourite bands etc and every single person in my block said my room was by far the most homely.
5. Don't go home when you feel homesick.
I sort of agree with this. When I moved to Uni I only moved 2 bus rides away from home (25ish minutes in the car) and during my first week of Uni I had to go to inductions for my lectures and I was in campus accommodation which was about 10 minutes walk from campus still and it was absolutely pissing down with rain. I have naturally curly hair which I hate so I HATE rain because it makes my hair go curly so you can imagine my shit mood when on my first opportunity to meet people on my course I turn up looking like some weirdo. I was freezing cold and just wanted to go back home so when my lectures finishes I caught the bus home, had a shower and got ready and went back to Uni and this quick trip home did me the world of good it got rid of that bit of homesickness I had and I was completely ready to start again with Uni life after spending just an hour at home.
Anyway the moral of the story is that if you feel really home sick, go home if you feel you really need to. Just try not to go too often - you'll also be surprised how your home sickness can go away when you speak to family or friends on Skype or if you invite people to visit you at Uni rather than going home to visit them because as much as going home can help, it can also make it so much worse if you go home too often and it will also mean you'll end up losing out on the university experience.
To top off the reasons why you shouldn't go home to often is that when you actually move home whether its for summer or permanently at the end of Uni, you will hate every minute of it you'll have to live by someone else's rules and you'll lose a portion of your freedom so make the most of your freedom!
6. Get a TV and TV licence.
Don't. It a complete waste of money there's nothing you can't go on your computer/laptop as long as you've got Internet. Chances are you'll miss most programmes you like when they're actually on so you will have to watch them on on demand players online anyway and if you aren't going to miss a programme you're much better getting freewire anyway which has all the freeview channels on and runs off the Internet streaming tv programmes as they're being broadcast.
Further if your parents have sky or virgin media TV get their username and password and you can watch sky/virgin channels online too and it's such a space saver in your room not having to have a TV and a computer/laptop.
7. Share food shopping
I never did group food buying but I do know other accommodation blocks which did and it worked well for them but even if you don't group buy food (I can't see the practicality as everyone wants different things) I do recommend going in small groups to a local supermarket as you can divide a taxi fare between you to make it work out cheaper than if you'd caught the bus and catching a busy bus with food shopping is not pretty.
I would like to add one recommendation which I haven't yet seen anywhere else.
eBay eBay eBay!
It's been a life save when preparing for both of my courses and its been great for feeding my shopping addiction at the lower cost as some clothes on there are great value.
Anyone who is starting university this month - good luck and make the most of it!
Much love
xxx
