Top 10 tips for new undergraduates

[MAJID_HUSSAIN]

Christine Fanthome is the author of The Student Life Handbook, a new book aimed at helping undergraduates to get the most out of university life. Due for release in September, to coincide with the start of the new academic year, the book contains information and practical guidance on student life from finding accommodation, to managing finances and how to balance a social life with studying.

Here are Christine's top 10 tips to help you settle in and make the most of your life as a new student.

1. Re-read all the correspondence you have had from the university, particularly any information about accommodation, and remind yourself of all the details. Have another look at the website and note what will be provided and what you have to take with you. This is particularly important for people who have got a place through Clearing. Don't make any assumptions - check!

2. Make a list of what to take. Apart from clothes, remember key books and study equipment such as a memory stick, discs and stationery; sports equipment or anything you may need to pursue your hobbies; utensils, crockery, cutlery and items to clean your room if not provided; your address book, mobile; bank cards, spare passport photos, and a file with paperwork including correspondence about your loan, letters from the university, insurance details, your national insurance card, your NHS card and your bank details.

3. Getting organised when you first arrive and have time on your hands will mean that the scene is set for studying and socialising before life gets too busy. So register for your course, check that your loan has arrived, pay any tuition and hall fees, sign on with a new GP, get your library card and NUS card, and buy any items you may have forgotten to bring from home. Make sure that you have the necessary things in your room to be able to offer your new neighbours tea, coffee or a drink, as this is a good way to get to know them.

4. Sort your room out to your personal satisfaction so that you can live and work in it and find what you need easily. Get to know your surroundings and check out the nearest good place to shop, the local bus stops and routes, and any interesting pubs and bars nearby. Have a look around the university and work out where you will have to go for lectures and seminars.

5. If you want to find a part-time job, buy and read the local paper, sign on at an agency if appropriate, or pop into local bars, restaurants and so on to ask if there are any vacancies. You might also enquire if there is any work at the university, for example in the library of the students' union. It might be helpful to update your CV before you go, so that you are prepared.

6. Make the most of Freshers' Week by attending as many events as you can and by accepting lots of invitations. But don't feel pressurised into joining more than a manageable number of societies. You can always reconsider and join later.

7. Give yourself time to settle in. It can take a surprisingly long while before you feel absolutely comfortable with your new life. If you are unhappy and feel it would help to talk to someone, don't keep your feelings to yourself. Talk to a student counsellor, your new GP or contact Nightline, which is a service run by students for students. You can get the number from your student union.

8. University life calls for a more independent approach to study. In order to keep control of your commitments, write out a personal timetable which includes any employment obligations, scheduled study such as lectures, at least one library session per week, private study, planned activities such as clubs and societies, and time for rest and relaxation with your friends. Try to stick to it in principle. Even if you have not had time to do the background reading, make sure that you try to attend all your lectures, seminars and tutorials, as this will help you to form an impression of the broader picture. Keep copies of all written work, back up your computer and keep the discs in a safe place.

9. If you have not already done so, work out a budget that itemises your income (from your loan, job and other sources) and lists your predicted expenditure (rent, bills, food, books, travel, stationery, photocopying, entertaining and so on). If the numbers do not add up, seek assistance at an early stage. The student union is a good place to start.

10. Enjoying yourself is a major part of university life, but remember that it's important to eat regularly and to get enough sleep, and that you have to set the rules by which you will now live. Keep healthy snacks in your room, such as fruit, and seek medical advice if you are unwell. If you don't want to go to the doctor, you can ring NHS direct in the first instance (0845 46 47) if you are worried about any health-related issues. Give some thought to your personal safety and try to travel back from late night social events in a group. This is the start of a new chapter in your life so it's worth checking out everything that the university has to offer and taking advantage of anything that appeals to you.

Good luck! Enjoy university and the student life experience!