Planning for Uni Life

Off to university? Planning for the ‘big step’!

After all the thinking, planning and applying, going off to university is coming round very quickly! Where did all that time go? So, this blog is aimed at helping you plan what you need to do before you pack up and head off to university. And even if you’re staying at home and ‘commuting’ to university, there’s still practical things you need to do.

7 Top Tips – Planning for Uni Life 

1) Double check all the accommodation requirements, have you paid any deposit needed, what do you need to take with you? E.g. how much bedding do you need and are you allowed pot plants? (https://www.theuniguide.co.uk/advice/student-accommodation )

2) Are there any resources or materials you need for the course? For instance if you are doing an education or medical related course you may need to make sure you’ve got some decent footwear. Puzzled? If you are going to be on placement, you may be on your feet a lot of the time, in a classroom or hospital, sore feet won’t help you settle in!

3) The next few weeks may be a whirlwind of social activities – are there any friends you know you need to actively ‘fit in’ time with before you are all in different parts of the country?

4) Spend time with your family – I know, you’ve probably seen more of them than you’d planned over the last year and a bit, but you may actually miss them when they aren’t around you, getting under your feet. The same goes for any family pets! Unless of course, you are taking your horse with you to university, to try out for the dressage team (in which case, double check your DIY stabling arrangements!).

5) Have you got your cooking skills up to scratch? (https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/student-recipes) Food tech lessons will be a distant memory. Its worth having 2-3 recipes you can do well. Why? Partly so you will eat healthily some of the time and also, making new friends will be a lot easier if you can cook them a decent meal. And understanding what’s still ok to eat, once its past its sell by date will keep the food poisoning to a minimum.

6) How good are you at budgeting? Have you already got this worked out? If not, now would be a good time to sit down with a parent or carer and put together a plan so you don’t blow all your ‘socialising’ money in the first month.

7) Have you got a part time job currently? Could you transfer this to where you are going? If you haven’t, update your CV and apply for a few part time jobs now. By doing this now, it will give you a wider choice! Your university careers service may well be able to tell you about any part time jobs they know about – especially if they link to your course (https://www.agcas.org.uk/Communities/Member-Directory).

We hope these 7 top tips for uni life help. Going to university can be both exciting and nerve racking at the same time. But with some planning and forethought, hopefully the transition will go smoothly!

Here at My Uni Choices we specialise in helping students, parents & educators make the best choices. Review all the Universities & Courses here or discover more About Us & the best Uni courses for you, finally if you’re ready let’s take The Test to find out what course or degree you should do.