16 Tips to Help Prepare Yourself for University – Part 2

We're back with another blog containing some useful tips and ideas that are worth considering before your university experience begins in September. If you’re well prepared, you’ve probably already thought of the last 8 tips. However, these 8 should be a little more out the box and hopefully inspire you to make some more headway in your preparations towards university.

1. Build a Film Library

During your time at university you will find that you have periods of the day and week where there isn’t much going on; you’ve completed all of your university work, none of your friends are available, or you have some time to spare. After all you can’t be out socialising every minute of the day, and it can sometimes help to spend a little time on your own recharging. Therefore, we it can help to have a film library which you can dive into during your free time. While accumulating a load of DVDs or Blu-Rays is one way of doing this, spending some money on Netflix, Amazon prime or other streaming services can give you a lot of choice. If you’re sharing accommodation, it might be worth sharing a family account with your housemates.

2. Get to Know the Washing Machine

It’s unlikely that the washing machine you use at university is going to be an exact copy of the one you have at home, so getting some tips from mum and dad will come in very handy. Things such as knowing all the different materials and how to wash them, what all the washing symbols mean on your clothes, or how to remove certain stains can all come in handy. The more familiar you are with your washing machine, the more likely you are to adopt regular washing routines, which is especially important for your towels and bedding. If you do find that you don’t know how to wash something or how to use a certain washing machine, don’t be afraid to search online. This is a great tip to help you ease into living independently.

3. Work out the Local Transport Routes

Most students won’t be lucky enough to have a car at university as they are expensive to run. This means that you will be left with walking, cycling and public transport. Getting to know the public transport routes in the area will help you to travel the city with ease. You could also find you save yourself a little money by doing this. In addition to this, buying a rail/bus card can save you loads of money if you use public transport frequently.

4. Find Ways to Save Money

Saving money is much easier then you may first realise; cutting back on simple luxuries will help you save money for the more important things in life. Making use of loyalty cards can help you get some money back, as can getting a student discount card. Not sure if somewhere is offering a student discount? Just ask! Being savvy and making the most of any discounts or deals when they come about can really help you save money in the long run, just be careful about falling into the trap of buying something because it’s on sale, even though you don’t need it. Make sure you get your student discount card over the summer, so you have it when you need it.

5. Look for a Good Gym Membership, or Join a Sports Team

While films are a great way to fill your time, they are not the only way you can use your free time constructively at university. Being active and partaking in sports, or visiting the gym, is great for releasing stress and tension. Exercise can help your mental health and can even help with studying [1]. Start looking for ways to get exercising; the sooner you get into the routine of looking after yourself physically, the easier it’ll be.

6. Look at Your Study Modules

It’s always worth checking your course before you start in September. This will help you to get a bit more knowledge about your subject and get you excited for starting. There can also be work given over the summer, and it’s good to get this done so you’re prepared for the next year. A common one is reading specific books, but it is often course specific.

7. Learn How to Make New Friends

For students about to tackle the first year of university, making new friends is important. Your experience at university will be much more enjoyable if you can enjoy it with the people that you are living and working with. The best method for doing this is to join societies, sport teams and getting to know the people in your student accommodation. Everyone will be in the same boat of looking for new friends so don’t be worried.

8. Don’t Panic

Thinking about University may fill you with fear, and that not a bad thing. Spending time away from your family and friends, having to live and fend for yourself can be a difficult task but don’t forget, you’re not alone. Students from across the country will be experiencing the exact same thing, so relax and trust in your ability to succeed.

That wraps up our 16 tips to help prepare yourself for university. Hopefully these tips have helped to motivate and intrigue you enough to make an impact on what is for most students, the most memorable time of their lives. Good luck to all students starting University in September and thank you for reading. Don’t forget, if you haven’t sorted your student accommodation yet, we still have some available studios. Call today to book a viewing.

[1] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/mental-benefits-of-exercise/

A Productive Work Space for Students

Making sure the work is complete when the final day rolls around at University is important. Having the right working environment will help you to succeed while at University. Therefore, choosing the right student accommodation is important. It should be of high importance to a student that they pass their exams, after all you are paying a lot.  There are a few factors that can cause a student to under perform in their work. Understanding the importance of these can have a dramatic effect on the quality of your work come the end of your time at University. The areas that should be considered include: noise, colour, furniture, lighting and use of space.

Noise

Noise has a massive impact on a student’s ability to perform. A noisy environment can cause you to become very distracted. Finding a quiet space where you can work will help you to produce the best possible work. It is sometimes hard to find a quiet place, so don’t forget that you can always use music as a substitute. Music can help your work to flow, it is important however that you choose a genre of music that is not distracting. Try to avoid any songs with lyrics and refrain from listening to quick tempo music that makes you want to dance. 

Colour

The colour of your room can have a dramatic effect on your productivity and creativity. Selecting the right colour can be dependent on the courses you are taking. An example of this would be blue and yellow. Both stimulate the mind to be more productive. Blue is a calming colour and can help to increase a person’s mental focus. On the other hand, the colour yellow boosts imagination and creativity. This is the perfect colour for somebody who is completing an art based project. Colours that you should try and stay away from include red as it is associated with physical endeavour and can become very distracting when trying to keep your head in your work. When looking for accommodation in Birmingham, look for places where they have used these positive colours, this will help you to work.

Furniture

Another aspect that can affect a student’s ability to perform is furniture. Surprisingly, the way in which you choose to lay out your furniture in a room can cause both positive or negative effects on your ability to perform.  Boring furniture has a negative effect, to prevent this you want furniture that is comfortable and stylish which allows for both relaxation and productivity when it is needed. Work out how it is you like to work, what makes you feel comfortable and the sort of environment you prefer to live in. Look at different types of accommodation including: studios, apartments and community houses. 

Lighting

Having a dark, dull room can have a bad effect on a student’s productivity. It is always better to work in the light, than in the dark. However, it seems that artificial light can have a negative effect, when you are required to use your eyes while working, for example for reading text or watching video. The recommendation is that you stay between 300-500 lux. This is the optimal range that will have a positive effect on your work. Look for buildings that are well lit with multiple windows allowing for good, natural light and an effective work space.

Use of Space

Having a tidy space in your accommodation in which you can work is key to producing high level work. The best way to do this is by having lots of draw space to put things away. Having a overloaded desk can cause distraction and lead to low quality and slow productivity. Create a space in which you can perform well.

Unihousing offers a range of student accommodation, we hope to offer students attending the University of Birmingham a place they can call home. This year we have even more studios and apartments in Selly Oak and the surrounding area that we offer to student.