Top Tips for New Uni Students
written by Ghazal Qadir
You’ve got the grades, met the requirements, gotten into a great university and figured everything out – yay!
But now what? Here’s some things that might help you on your student life endeavours.
Support:
Starting university is a big deal and one thing most first years have in common is nerves. We’ve all been there – but you’ll find there are lots of support services from personal advisors, student wellbeing, health and welfare, advice(su), Norwich Nightline, pet therapy and of course the buddy scheme! You can find all of this on the SU or UEA websites. It’s worth getting acquainted with the services available so you can make the most of them if the need arises.
Societies and clubs:
Now the fun part. The best way to find people like you is by joining the clubs and societies that interest you. Being a part of a committee is also a great way to make friends and get some experience and of course, who doesn’t want one more thing to add to their CV! UEA has over 200 clubs and societies with lots of Do Something Different events so it’s a great time to try something you’ve always wanted to do and meet lots of great people while you’re at it. There’s something for everyone and you’ll inevitably make friends here
Saving money:
If you’ve been skimming so far, fair enough – but here’s the real stuff.I know it’s tempting to pop into the closest Tesco but a great way to save money on your groceries is to shop at places like Aldi or Asda or do a group shop online with your housemates! It really does add up, they have great variety and Aldi is only about a 30-minute walk from campus! (I swear I don’t work for them.) Wilko is great for buying appliances and homeware and they’ve got a great student living section. If you think you’re going to be using the bus often, it’s also worth looking into getting an annual bus pass that gives you the option to purchase a semester only pass (so you are not charged when you are back home!)
Places to go in town:
The best place to start is probably the Norwich Market. They’ve got a range of scrumptious food and lots of special little stores. There’s lots of unique cafés, themed pubs and retro games and comic books stores scattered around town. The Waterfront is great for a night out and students get a free pass to the Castle Museum (and others) if that’s more your thing. There are often events, pub-crawls and tours into town being hosted to look out for!