Going to university is a huge step in a person’s life. Whether you’re moving away from home or just moving out to stay in student accommodation in the same city, it’s a huge milestone. The start of further education hopefully spells the beginning of a person’s career, so it’s important to be prepared before starting university.
So, what sort of things should you be doing to prepare for university? New students should all think about setting up a student bank account, applying for student finance for their student loan, looking up the students union and even start thinking about freshers week, as well as much more.
What to do before starting university?
Organise your university accommodation
If you’re moving away from home, you must sort your accommodation. Whether that’s on campus or in private accommodation, it’s a good idea to try and sort this out well in advance. If the deal falls through, you’ll hopefully have plenty of time to arrange something else.
If you are moving onto the university campus, you’ll likely have lots of options in terms of room size and layout. At Orlando Village in Bolton, there are four types of rooms to choose from (Bronze, Bronze Plus, Silver, and Gold). You’ll likely have a choice similar to this in other universities, so plan well in advance and get your room boxed off.
Organise your student finance
The next thing to do is to arrange your student finance. A student loan is necessary for many students as it can help to pay for accommodation, books, equipment, travel, food, and more (like general uni life).
If you’re planning on receiving a government-funded student loan, you’ll need to apply to the relevant body – like Student Finance England – to get started.
The entire process for securing funding before starting university can be lengthy, so be sure to get this started as soon as possible. Once you’re aware of what type of finances you’ll be receiving, you can start to budget weekly to sustain a healthy, social lifestyle during your studies.
Have a health check-up
If you’re moving away from your home town for your studies, you should try and visit your local GP for a health check before leaving. This can help to pick up on any potential issues before living on your own. It can also give you – and your parents – peace of mind that you have a clean bill of health.
We also recommend you sign up with a local GP wherever you’re studying, if you are away from home. Health issues can arise at any time so it’s better to be signed up to a local doctor near your university, especially if you’re far from home.
Consider doing the same with your dentist and make sure your teeth and gums are in good health.
Research the area you’re studying in
The next step you should take is to research the area you’re moving to – especially if you’re an international student. If it is a university town, like London, Manchester, Leeds or Birmingham, you’ll want to know what interesting things there are to do, the type of public transport available and more.
Whether it’s a big city or a smaller town, it’s a good idea to research where you’re moving to so you’re not left with any surprises once you’ve moved.
Check on Google Maps to see what’s located around your campus. Are there any retail parks or supermarkets? How far away is the nearest train station?
Moving to a new town or city can be daunting so make sure you’re as prepared as possible before arriving.
Take advantage of discounted travel
If you’re moving away from home, you’ll likely want to visit family and friends and train travel can be expensive. However, you can alleviate some of the stress of the unnecessarily high fees with a railcard.
A 16-25 railcard slashes a third off the price of your ticket. It costs £30 for the year or £70 for three but easily repays that in discounts, especially if you travel frequently.
A bike could be ideal if you live near the university, as some accommodation is off-site but nearby. It keeps you healthy and active, and gets you to your lessons quickly which is helpful when you’ve had a cheeky lie-in!
Learn how to cook quick meals
Once you’ve arrived at university, you’ll be cooking your meals. This can be an issue for many students who don’t know how to prepare even the smallest dishes. So, you must learn a handful of small, easy meals that you can quickly prepare because you can’t live on takeaways!
Before moving away, ask for help making your favourite dishes – you’ll be glad of it when you’re alone on campus. Pasta and rice dishes are low effort and quick, so try and mix them with other ingredients. Take a student cookbook to follow simple instructions to make healthy meals each day.
Save money by shopping for cheaper food and try to shop in places that offer student discounts. Morrisons, for example, have a Student Club that provides discounts. Also, a quick tip to remember is never to shop on an empty stomach! You’ll fill your basket with unhealthy snacks that massively increase the price of your shopping.
Sign up with your students’ union
Your student union is a good place to check out as they provide plenty of online resources and further advice on local services like GPs.
They display regular updates on upcoming events you can socialise in, or even help out. Most students can take advantage of student societies, and it can help massively in your first week when you’re unsure of your surroundings.
Often, your uni website won’t have as much information as you’d like, so check out the students’ union for more personalised guidance.
Check reading lists
Many universities will publish a reading list for specific courses which helps you get a head start before you start uni. One of our top tips before starting university is to check the reading list to ensure you can hit the ground running when classes start.
This can help massively boost your exam results at the end of a semester and a lot of students may not think to do this, so you’re getting a head start on them too.
Spend time with family and friends
The final piece of advice we’d offer you before you head off to university is to spend as much quality time with your family and friends as possible.
If you’re moving away from home and your friends aren’t, you’ll miss them greatly so try and make as many memories as possible before you leave. The same applies to your family. You won’t see them as much as you normally do so spend quality time with your parents, siblings and extended family before departing – you won’t regret it!
Student Accommodation in Bolton
If you’ve been accepted to higher education and you’re preparing to start university, we hope this guide has helped you.
As previously mentioned, moving to university is a big step in life and requires a lot of preparation to ensure you’re ready. If you tick off all of the above points, you’re well set to get started on your next adventure.
If you’re moving to Bolton for university, don’t forget to check out Orlando Village for high-quality, safe and secure accommodation during your studies. We offer a range of packages for students with a variety of rooms. Plus, we also have plenty of information for international students studying abroad.
If you need support or more of our top tips, don’t hesitate to contact us at 01204903488 or info@orlandovillage.co.uk.
