Top tips for starting uni

Written by Molly (she/her), who shares her tips on getting ready for higher education…

As we hurtle towards the summer, for many people this also brings the end of exams – and with it, the end of one chapter and the start of a new one. For those that are choosing to continue in further education, this often means heading off to university to live in a new city completely on your own. Navigating a new school or college is hard enough, let alone trying to find your way around a new area, make new friends, and attempt to properly separate your washing and clean the toilet! Living independently for the first time is a huge challenge, but that doesn’t mean that living away from home is something to be scared of! Moving to university, whether it is thirty minutes or 300 miles from home, is an amazing experience that really pushes you out of your comfort zone and lands you firmly on your feet.

To help make the overall moving process a little less daunting, I have compiled my essential top tips to take on board when moving to uni as a first year:

Before leaving for university

Before you set off and move into your student accommodation for first year, there are two main things to do – make sure you learn the essentials (mainly so you don’t keel over from malnutrition or drown in washing within your first week) and buy the essentials (there is nothing quite like unpacking your clothes into the wardrobe without any hangers)…

Tip 1 – Essentials to learn

• How to clean your bathroom properly - no one wants a mouldy shower!
• How to change a double bed – believe me, if you are going from a single to a double duvet, it is MUCH harder to wrestle it in on your own
• How to cook some basic meals, like a curry, pasta dish and jacket potato. There are some great basic student cookbooks out there, like Nosh for Students
• How to do a food shop and a meal plan – meal planning isn’t for everyone, but food can get expensive and if you don’t have a meal plan, it can go off more quickly than you think. So make sure you know the basics that you need to buy and/or have in stock, like eggs, bread, beans, and tomato sauce!

Tip 2 – Essentials to buy

• Mesh bags for your socks and delicates – you don’t want to lose your underwear in the washing machines, especially when they are the communal ones!
• Drying rack – washing and drying can be expensive in student accommodation, so a great way to save some cash is to dry your clothes in your room
• Iron/kettle/toaster/dustpan and brush – not all student accommodation provides these so check before you move in!
• Shower rack – there isn’t always a shelf in the shower or any storage space at all in the bathrooms
• MULTIPLE tea towels – trust me, they will get grubby so quickly
• Hangers and storage boxes for the wardrobe/under the bed – wardrobes are usually pretty small and not all accommodations have under-the-bed storage. This may be something to buy after you have moved in and can measure the size of your wardrobe and room to make sure the boxes will fit.

Once you've arrived on campus

Whenever you talk to a university student, whether they are a fresh-faced first year or seasoned graduate, they all give the same general advice for your first few weeks – get to know your flatmates and go to as many social events as possible. I have expanded on this list slightly, but the overall principle remains the same.

Tip 3 – Familiarise yourself with the city

• Have a good old wander! Walk the route you will be taking to uni to see how long to will take you…and so you don’t get lost on the first day
• Make sure you know where your nearest corner shop is, where the supermarket is for the food shop, where the town centre is, and where the bus stops and train stations are
• Find where the student union and libraries are! These will probably be the most important places on campus. If you have your timetable, check to see which buildings you are in, so you don’t get hopelessly Find where the student union and libraries are! These will probably be the most important places on campus. If you have your timetable, check to see which buildings you are in, so you don’t get hopelessly lost (which is guaranteed to happen throughout the entirety of the year)!

Tip 4 – Figure Out Who Your Flatmates Are

• Learn all their names when you first move in! You can often find out who some of your flatmates are beforehand through Facebook groups. There is usually one set up for each accommodation, and from there you can search for people in the same block, floor and flat as you. This can take a lot of the pressure off of moving into a flat with anywhere between three to ten complete strangers
• Make sure you make a flatmates group chat to co-ordinate who is taking the bins out and to find out who left their chicken curry out on the side…
• Try doing a food shop together, eat meals around the same time or go out together in freshers – even if you end up not all getting along amazingly, the first few weeks do count

Going to your first lecture

Tip 5 – Get to know your coursemates

• You should be able to find people doing your course before uni starts by checking in the uni Facebook groups – this is a great way to familiarise yourself with people before meeting them
• Suggest going in together for the first lecture, or organise something during freshers week to try and get to know people before starting your course. Everyone is in the same boat and will be feeling the same as you!

A final tip is to make sure you will be supported throughout your transition from living at home to an independent student. Try to set up times to call regularly with your family and friends, and have a look on the student area of your university’s website to find any student counselling or support they can offer.

And lastly, don’t worry! Uni years really do fly by – and it is a time to learn more about yourself and make amazing friends for life.