Lesson 5: Halfway there

So, for me it's week 6 which means essays and my dissertation are piling up and procrastination is in full swing. Never before have my facebook friends been so stalked, spotify playlists are go-go-go and I've styled my hair in four different ways this morning alone. I'm just trying to get that studious "look" you know....?


The halfway point marks, for me at least, a horrible time. While lesson 4 tells you how to control stress, it doesn't tell you how to get rid of it. That's because, as of yet, I haven't found a cure. If there is one, WHY OH WHY don't they give it out on the streets I ask you? If you've got a reading week, I ask you to cherish it like Simon Cowell cherishes tooth whitener. For goodness sake, use it wisely as well!


As well as stress, I know I'm not the only one who is partial to a cheeky bit of homesickness at the halfway stage. The trick is, I find, keeping yourself busy. If you actually concentrate on your essay, rather than start daydreaming about a time when life was simpler, when the skies seemed more blue, the grass more green (if you actually dream about the grass seeming more green, seek help) and food cooked itself as if by magic, the weeks will pass before you know it. And then you'll be sorry you ever wanted to be back home. What's that Mum? The dishwasher won't empty itself? Ohhhhhhhhh no. 

Lesson 4: Coping with STRESS!

If anyone tells you they don't tend to suffer from stress, chances are, they're lying. We all get stressed from time to time. It only becomes a real problem if you don't deal with it very well. So, here's my top tips for coping with stress.

• Don't leave anything to the last minute. If you give yourself plenty of time to do that essay/lab report, it won't seem like such a huge task.
• Don't be scared to say no. If you really can't do a favour for a friend because you've got loads on, there are ways of letting people down gently. Perfect these and you'll be just fine. Careful though, you might not get a favour in return.
• Tell your friends how you're feeling. They're probably in the same boat as you and might have their own pieces of advice. 
• Take time to chill out. Set aside some time where you can just kick back and relax. This is absolutely vital. The more stressed you are, the less productive you'll be and the reason for your stress will only get bigger.
• Get some sleep. This might seem like a simple one, but making sure you get at least 8 hours kip is often something which is overlooked by students. Ask the people who frequent the library at 3am. They'll tell you how important sleep is.
• As with everything else, be sensible. If you've got an assignment to work on, a night out on the lash might seem like what you need, but trying to do an essay with a hangover is horrific. Sometimes, you just have to miss a night out. 
• On the other hand, make sure you leave time to have fun. If you spend all of your university life getting stressed in the confines of the library, you're not getting the most out of the wealth of opportunities available at uni. 
• If you're really not coping, there's no harm in going to see someone. A seminar leader, your academic advisor, or your university counsellor. 

Lesson 3: What to take to uni?

So, you're accommodation is sorted, so is your course, you're all ready to make the big move. But what on earth do you take with you? You're trying to create yourself a home from home but you might not have an awful lot of space to do it in if you're in the average student residences.


Check your university website to see if they have a list of things to bring. A lot of universities send out a list within their guides to accommodation, so it's worth having a look around to see what's already going to be in your halls and what you're going to need to take. for instance, I needed to take a duvet with me, my brother didn't. You can't assume things will be provided, nor can you pack your entire room.


Why not try and go through what you use in a day? Wake up in your bed (duvet, pillow, sheets), stumble to the bathroom and have a shower (shower gel, shampoo, conditioner). Brush your teeth (toothbrush, toothpaste) and go downstairs for some breakfast (bowls, spoons) and so on. 


Remember, even if you have forgotten something, it isn't the end of the world. You can either buy one or (if it's a teddy that you thought you didn't want but actually can't sleep without) it can be sent to you. Ideally though, you want to avoid these situations, so start packing about a week in advance. You'll find that as you go about your day-to-day business at home, you'll remember more and more stuff that you need! Maybe you should leave it to Dad to pack the car.....

Lesson 2: Surviving your first week

Your first week at university is one of the most crucial weeks at university. It can be a very daunting prospect; you'll be living with people you don't know, cooking for yourself, getting yourself up and motivated for the day. DO NOT PANIC! Everyone else is in the same situation as you. Some people might seem like they're the most confident people in the world but deep down, they're almost definitely as worried as you are.

• Make sure you go to all of your introductory lectures and talks. These are designed to make your transition to university as easy as possible. 
• Keep yourself occupied. If you have too much time to yourself, you'll start thinking about what you've left behind and homesickness could creep up on you before you know it.
• Talk to anyone and everyone. This takes a certain amount of courage but you never know what someone is like until you talk to them. I met my best mate on the first day of university by turning around before a lecture started and introducing myself. It's almost like buying a pair of shoes - you never know what suits you perfectly until you have tried loads on.
• Don't get completely wasted. While the temptation to get slaughtered in your first week away from home is there, your reputation as the one who vomited everywhere on the second night will stick.
• Get involved. There will be a whole load of clubs and societies who are itching for freshers to sign up. Have a look around, see what takes your fancy and try something new. 
• Don't be afraid to ask for help. Everyone was a fresher once. If you're lost, stop and ask someone. If you don't know what to do, someone else will. 

Lesson 1 and a half - get some good work experience under your belt!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/aug/28/non-science-students-tuition-contact-hours?showallcomments=true#end-of-comments

Lesson 1: Moolah/wonga/quidsies.

So, you've probably heard the stories of students eating cold beans out of a can because they can't afford anything else, but rest assured, it doesn't have to be that way!


First up, look at your spending habits. If you're spending levels are pretty high, you need to accept that you're habits are going to need to change. If you're sensible with your money before uni, chances are you're going to stay that way when you get there,


Second, make sure you fill out your student finance forms in plenty of time. That way, you'll know what you're going to get and when so you can start working out how much money you're going to have.


Third, get yourself a good student bank account. There are loads of deals around, so have a look at what different banks offer. Consider if you are going to need an overdraft. Some people do, some people manage just fine without them. You're going to need at least an hour to set everything up, so put aside some time to go and sort it out with a parent. You might want to check what you need before you go such as identification, confirmation of your place and so on.


It's a good idea to have some money put aside in a separate account for your first week of term, just in case your loan isn't paid on time. The student loans company are notoriously unreliable and your first week of term can be pretty costly what with fees for joining clubs and societies, tickets to fresher events and your first "big supermarket shop".


When you get to university, just be sensible. There's no excuse for spending your whole loan in the first couple of weeks. Your bank won't have any sympathy and neither will your parents! 


When it comes to your necessary purchases, such as food, there are a few ways to cut corners that you might want to consider. Value baked beans taste just as good as the top quality ones. You can freeze bread!!! If there's 2 for £2, you can actually freeze a loaf! I was amazed by this fact as a fresher and it turns out you can freeze other stuff too, even meat!!! Meat can be quite pricey though, but bananas = pretty cheap!


As a student, you'll find a world of discounts and deals on your doorstep. Take advantage of them while you're still a student, you'll miss them when you're not! There's no shame in asking anyone and everyone if they do student discount, you might be surprised just how much you can get for your pennies.


Questions about finance? Don't be afraid to post a comment! 

Where it all begins

So, as I approach my final year of university, I've created a blog to see me through my final year and into my job search.


I decided to start the blog as a result of doing work experience at the Guardian Comment is Free. While there (I say there, I'm actually typing this in the Guardian offices) I discovered a whole realm of information through blogs. I must confess that I have always thought of blogs as a tool for the pretentious and the self-indulgent. However, there are so many blogs out there, it's impossible to generalise. Yes, there are some blogs which are somewhat self-indulgent. However, there are also genuinely informative blogs. Fashion blogs, political blogs, green blogs, celebrity blogs....


So, hopefully, this blog can guide me through my last year of university. Ultimately, I think it will be interesting to examine what I find out about job hunting - what should people do, what shouldn't they do etc. If fellow and future students can learn something about life as a student or about the search for a job then I think I'll be pretty chuffed.