How to Maintain Good Health as a Student in 2022

Saying that your health is important is an understatement. Staying healthy is not only good for your longevity and happiness, but it can also help your brain retain more information - something very important for when you're at university. While this may seem like it may be difficult, with good habits and a little willpower it can be much easier than you may have originally thought.

In this blog, we take you through a brief guide on how to live a healthier day-to-day life.

Eating Your 5 A Day

You've probably heard it before, and you may even have tried it. As per the NHS website; almost all fruit and vegetables count towards your 5 a Day. You can have fruit and vegetables in almost any form, such as frozen, tinned or canned, cooked in various dishes, dried, or inside convenience foods such as ready meals and sauces.

Be aware though, that some foods that you buy that count towards your 5 a Day can also be high in salt, sugar and fat. Fruit and vegetables in drinks such as juices or smoothies can also be high in sugar, which can damage your teeth. As with most things; moderation is key!

Watch Your Calorie Intake

As a general rule of thumb; consuming more calories than you use will lead to weight gain while consuming less will lead to losing weight. Because of this, keeping a food diary and monitoring your calorie intake can be very useful, even if you're aiming to stay at the same weight. This may be something that you monitor and revisit over some time to find what works best for you.

Every day, men will require approximately 2500kcal, while women need around 2000kcal. These numbers can depend on a variety of factors such as age, size, and activity level. The most important thing to remember is that there's always time to change up your dietary plan and try something new to achieve your goals.

The Benefits of Fish

It's easy to forget that we need to eat a variety of different meals to get all the vitamins and minerals we need to be healthy. One of the most easily overlooked foods which adds a lot of benefit to us is fish. White oily fish (like salmon, trout, mackerel, sardines, pilchards, fresh tuna and herring) provide omega-3 fats which are important for preventing heart disease.

Most fish are also rich in various other vitamins and minerals, as well as being high in protein. The NHS recommends you eat a minimum of two fish portions every week, with an oily fish being at least one of those portions. Don't forget that you can play around with the meals you have fish in; a tuna sandwich, salmon and pasta, or even sushi, there are plenty of options.

Stay Hydrated

Many of the times when we feel hungry or otherwise out of sorts, can be attributed to being dehydrated. The Eatwell Guide advises that we should drink 6 to 8 cups/glasses of fluid a day. While water is perhaps the healthiest choice, you can also get a benefit from low-fat milk and sugar-free drinks such as tea and coffee.

While water may be the healthiest option, many people do not like the taste of plain water. If you fall into this category, why not try sparkling water or add a slice of lemon or lime. As mentioned prior, while juices and smoothies can contribute to your 5 a Day, they can contain either added sugars or "free sugars" which are released in the juicing or blending process and can damage your teeth.

Exercise Regularly

Keeping active and fit doesn't have to mean going to the gym. Exercising can be as simple as being active wherever possible. This can mean walking more instead of driving or taking public transport, or playing more sports with friends. The key is to maintain a healthy balance of exercise, including aerobic and strength every week.

NHS guidelines are that up to the age of 18, everyone should be completing at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity every day. This includes walking, cycling, running or sports like tennis. Additionally, three days of the week should be spent exercising bigger muscle groups or promoting healthier bones/joints. These exercises can include push-ups, running and jumping.

For adults aged between 19 and 64, you should be aiming for 2.5 hours of moderate aerobic activity such as cycling or brisk walking weekly. You should also be doing 2 days of strength exercises a week which focus on the major muscle groups, including the legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms.

Catch Some Z's

Sleep is a very important part of staying healthy. A lack of sleep can cause you to become irritable, can make you forgetful and unable to focus, as well as many other health problems. The NHS recommends that 8 hours of good quality sleep is a general requirement for most people, but you should work out how much you need as it can be different between people.

For a student, the typical causes of a poor night's sleep include late nights, going-out and studying. If you notice that you're starting to feel the effects of a lack of sleep, try establishing a bedtime routine that helps you feel relaxed and ready to sleep. This can include not looking at a screen half an hour before sleeping, keeping to your regular sleeping hours, and reducing your alcohol and caffeine consumption close to bedtime.

What is Unihousing?

Unihousing is a student accommodation provider near the University of Birmingham, operating since 1984. All of our accommodation in Selly Oak is owned by us, so we can respond quickly to any requests using our qualified team of tradesmen. Our property office is located on Bristol Road, only a short walk away from all of our accommodation. This means we can deal directly with our tenants.

Unhousing was selected as the Number 1 Student Letting Agent in Birmingham by the UK's biggest fresher community, Unifresher.

Contact Unihousing today to find out more!

20 Simple Tips to Save Money for Students

1. Make One Day a Week a No-Spend Day

Assign one day a week where you don't spend anything. It might be hard to do, but one day a week of not spending can amount to a lot of savings.

2. Discount Hunt as Often as Possible

Before you make an online purchase, you should always shop around for better deals, vouchers, or discounts. While you may not find something for everything you buy, the money you'll save from the discounts you do find will make it worthwhile.

3. Make Money From your Loan

The student loan is a large pot of money that you should do your utmost to make the most of. By taking a portion of it that you won't need and putting it into a high-interest account, you'll be able to make even more money from it.

4. Save on Your Public Transport

If you're frequently using public transport to get to university or into town, it will be cost-effective to get a bus or rail card. Of course, you should do the calculations to make sure it's the best investment.

5. Student Deals are Your Friend

Lots of businesses offer student deals, especially when you're living in a student-focused city like Birmingham. Keep an eye out for these deals when you're going to the cinema, eating out, or on any other occasion.

6. Stop Watching TV and Ditch the Licence

A TV licence is only legally needed if you watch or record live TV programmes on any channel or watch BBC programmes on BBC iPlayer. You don't need a licence if you watch any other streaming service.

7. Try Working out at Home

Gym memberships can be very expensive, and it's hard to make the most of what you're spending. You can try working out at home using YouTube tutorials, or by going running or cycling out and about. 

8. Do Your Shopping at the Cheapest Supermarket

If you have a choice of a local supermarket, try shopping at the cheapest one. Both ALDI and Lidl come out as the cheapest supermarkets for a small basket, and Asda is one of the cheapest when doing a larger shop.

9. Do Your Regular Shop at the Best Times

You can often save money by buying reduced items at the supermarket, and the best time to find them is either in the evening or early morning.

10. Try Upcycling for New Furniture

If you're looking for some new furniture for your student accommodation, the cheapest and most environmentally friendly option is to use places like Facebook Marketplace to find furniture that people are looking to get rid of. Charity shops are another good option for finding cheap furniture.

11. Leave Your Card at Home on a Night Out

Taking your card out when visiting the town can lead to you spending a lot more money than you had planned. Try taking out some cash to spend instead.

12. Make Packed Lunches

Making your own food at home and bringing packed lunches can save you lots of money, as buying meals and drinks while out and about will be much more expensive.

13. Plan all Your Meals

Food waste is an insidious culprit of lost money. Try planning all your meals so you only buy what you need, and avoid throwing away both your food and money.

14. Eat Before you Shop

Shopping when you're hungry is a very easy way of spending more money than you had bargained for. Make sure you've had a good healthy meal before shopping so your head is in the right place for making decisions.

15. Track Your Expenditure

Knowing exactly what you're spending and where can be difficult to work out, which means it becomes even more difficult to save money. By tracking all of your spending on a notepad, you can not only see where you need to cut back, but it might also give you a reality check!

16. Save on Postage by Using Click and Collect

If you tend to buy a lot of items online, the postage costs can ramp up. Try saving on postage by using click and collect. There are a lot more pickup points these days, so you should be able to find one that isn't too far away. 

17. Take Cash Instead of Your Card When Shopping

Taking just cash when doing your shopping limits you to that amount of money. This will help you avoid making frivolous purchases and stay within your budget.

18. Put a Portion of Your Student Loan into Savings

Once you've worked out how much you're spending each month, you can start to put any extra money from your student loan into a savings account. Having some money set aside in savings for when you need it will be useful in the future.

19. Walk More

Catching the bus or train to university every day for lectures can start to become quite expensive. If it's possible, walking to university instead will save you a lot of money, and be good for your overall health.

20. Search for the Best Deals with Your Student Accommodation

When you're privately renting your student accommodation, you should make sure you're getting the most out of your money. At Unihousing, we include utilities and your internet into the cost of your rent so you can see exactly how much you'll be paying for your accommodation.

How Unihousing can Help Students With Accommodation

Since 1984, Unihousing has been providing accommodation as a landlord near the University of Birmingham. Because we own all of the accommodation that we provide in Selly Oak, we can provide quick response times using our own qualified maintenance team. At our property office on Bristol Road, only a short walk from our accommodation, we deal directly with all of our tenants.

Unhousing was selected as the Number 1 Student Letting Agent in Birmingham by the UK's biggest fresher community, Unifresher.

Contact Unihousing today to find out more!

Top Tips for Being a Good Housemate

Are you moving in with friends for your next year at university? Try not to worry too much about how it'll go, as long as you follow the basic rules of living with other people it'll be fine.

Having understanding, kindness, politeness, and a few basic rules and codes of respect can go a long way. This will reduce both your and your housemate's stress levels, helping all of you to enjoy your time studying at university.

That said, here are some of our top tips for being a good housemate.

Respect Your Housemate's Belongings

There's little else more annoying than having someone else eat your food without asking, or using your possessions behind your back. This goes both ways, so make sure you avoid taking anyone else's food without asking first.

This goes doubly for the most precious resource for any student; alcohol. Stealing alcohol will definitely lead to many arguments and a breach of trust that will take a long time to recover.

The biggest thing you can do to respect other people's belongings is to make sure that the front door is locked when you leave. You don't want to be responsible for someone else's stuff being stolen because you didn't take the time to properly lock the door.

Do Your Part of the Cleaning

One of the main causes of disputes in student households is in regards to cleaning. Everyone has a different definition of what is clean, and it's important to define this at the beginning of the tenancy to avoid any arguments.

A common strategy is to create a cleaning rota which is agreed on with everyone in the house. This can split up the chores into manageable amounts for everyone, so they are more likely to be done. You can also make chores easier and fun by doing them together with your friends.

Make sure you take the time to clean up after yourself. Leaving your mess for others to clean is not only rude, but it's not fair for your housemates to clean up after you.

Privacy is Important

Everyone deserves to have a private space where they can be by themselves. This can be very important for some people, who recharge by spending time alone and away from other people.

As an example, always make sure to knock when someone's bedroom door is shut. Even if you can hear them inside, respect their privacy if they don't answer you; they may just want to spend time to themselves.

Equally, make sure that everyone in the house knows when you have guests visiting. If you do have guests over for any reason, you should respect your housemate's schedules and not stay up to late making noise, as they may need to sleep to get to early lectures.

If You're Annoyed, Sleep it Over

When you're in the moment, you may get rather irritated by something your housemate has said or done, but after sleeping on it you may find that you aren't that bothered by it anymore. Tensions can get quite high, but sometimes the best thing to do is have a good night's sleep, and ask yourself in the morning if it's something you still want to raise with the household.

Try to avoid leaving passive-aggressive notes when something does annoy you. These rarely solve any issues, and often just cause more arguments when they annoy the person they're aimed at. If there is something you'd like to bring up, it's best to discuss it openly with the particular person.

Be Open to Criticism

It's just as important to be open and receptive to complaints or criticism from your friends as it is to catch them out when they aren't being good housemates. It's often much easier to simply make a small change rather than make the entire problem bigger than it has to be.

You may find that you don't click with someone after you move in with them, which is a perfectly normal thing to happen. Even so, as long as everyone acts with politeness and kindness, you should be able to make it through the year without any major problems occurring.

How Unihousing Can Help

Located next to the University of Birmingham, Unihousing is an accommodation provider and landlord since 1984. We can provide quick responses to repairs using our qualified team of tradesmen. We're able to do this because we own all of our accommodation in the student village of Selly Oak. Our office is just a short distance away on Bristol Road, which allows us to deal directly with our tenants.

Unhousing was selected as the Number 1 Student Letting Agent in Birmingham by the UK's biggest fresher community, Unifresher.

Contact Unihousing today to find out more!

What You Can Do to Prevent Fires in your Student Accommodation

Although most students likely aren’t thinking about fire safety in their accommodation, it’s important to have awareness about the ways you can keep yourself and others safe in your house/complex.

Here are some things you can look out for which will help you stay safe in your student accommodation.

Be Mindful of Your Electronics and Cables

As a student, it is likely that you will either be purchasing electronics that are budget friendly, or sourcing used ones for cheap. Although this will help with your wallet, it could put you at risk when you are in your accommodation. Make sure you check any new appliances and extension cables, whilst also checking them throughout the year, to ensure all of the cabling is intact and working properly.

 

Avoid Covering Your Heaters

As tempting as it can be to hang clothes on your heaters, this can be very dangerous. Most student studios have electric heaters, which will have a higher chance of starting a fire when items like clothes are covering them. Although gas heaters are slightly safer, it’s still not the best idea to leave clothes on them overnight while you are sleeping.

Never Leave Your Cooking Unattended

As annoying as it might seem to wait around while your food cooks, even slipping out to the loo or to your bedroom for a few minutes is still enough time for a fire to break out. Any time you cook anything on the hob, it’s vital that you stay in the same room, keeping an eye on it at all times.

Similarly, never leave food in your oven while you pop out of the house. Even if your meal should take a longer period of time to cook, it is never safe to leave your food unattended, as things can easily go wrong and cause a fire to start.

Don’t Cook Food Under the Influence

This seems fairly self-explanatory, but people still do it. It is quite common to feel hungry after a night out, but cooking is never the answer. This is a hazard because whilst under the influence, you are more likely to burn yourself, walk away and forget about your food, or not notice when a fire that has started.

Try preparing something before you leave that you can eat cold when you get home, to satisfy the hunger. You can also take advantage of the amazing takeaways that are located throughout Selly Oak!

Never Put Tins, Foil or Any Metal in the Microwave

This is actually a pretty big issue that many students don’t realise when they first move away from home. Putting any form of metal into the microwave will instantly create sparks, likely followed by a fire. It can be so quick that you might have very little time or opportunity to even attempt to put it out.

Be Cautions When Frying with Oil

It’s always essential to be extra careful when you are frying with hot oil. Not only is oil dangerous for the potential burns it can cause, but it can also erupt in flames if mixed with water or other liquids. To help prevent this, make sure any food you are cooking is dry, and never leave it unattended.

Do Not Use Candles in Your Accommodation

As tempting as it is to use candles in your student accommodation, there is a reason why they are against the rules. A large number of fires are caused by candles, and the number is constantly rising. Leaving a candle lit, or knocking it over is simply way too easy to do, which is why they are such a huge risk. Try buying inexpensive lamps and/or fairy lights to create mood lighting in your property. They can give the desired effect, whilst also being significantly safer to use.

Choosing Unihousing Accommodation

Unhousing is a landlord and accommodation provider near The University of Birmingham since 1984. We own all of our accommodation in the student village of Selly Oak, which means we can provide quick response times to repairs using our team of qualified tradesmen. We deal directly with our tenants from our property office on Bristol Road in Selly Oak, just a short distance from all of our student properties.

Unhousing was selected as the Number 1 Student Letting Agent in Birmingham by the UK's biggest fresher community, Unifresher.

Contact Unihousing today to find out more!

4 Ways You Can Reduce Stress and Boost Your Student Life

This time of year can be extremely difficult for many students, as it is the awkward middle point of the academic year. Sometimes things can begin to feel monotonous, and although the end of the year is in sight, it is far enough away to feel overwhelming. Not to mention that exams are once again beginning to creep around the corner! Keep reading to find out 4 things you can do to help get through these next few months.

 

Stay On Top of Your Schedule by Writing Things Down

This can be a massive help when your course starts feeling overwhelming. At this time of year, many students will start rushing around trying to ensure all of their projects are on course. This can feel quite stressful, particularly if you keep everything in your head. Try writing things down, making a plan and having a visual representation of important deadlines, dates and criteria.

 

By taking the information out of your head and writing it down, you then are more likely to stay on track, as you can always come back to the drawing board and review your progress.

 

Sleep and Winding Down Are Extremely Important

 

Students are notorious for their late nights, intense cramming sessions and long hours, but there needs to be a balance. Everyone works differently; some do better working as they go along, while others perform better under pressure. However you want to do your work, just make sure you are getting an adequate amount of sleep/catching up on any lost sleep.

 

Our mental health can also be negatively impacted by lack of sleep. A good amount of sleep will help keep your brain more inspired, focused and active. Another thing to try is to reduce your screen time wherever possible, particularly before going to bed. With all of the time you are likely spending in front of screens during your studies, your brain needs a little bit of time to switch off, and you are likely to sleep better if you avoid screens before going to bed.

 

Give Yourself Time to Relax and Have Fun

 

This concept is easier said than done. Particularly for students who like working under pressure, finding time to turn your brain off and relax can be quite challenging. With the stacks of coursework, it’s understandable when students don’t want to relax and give themselves a break.

 

Even 5 minutes here and there could make a massive difference, and will give your brain a chance to reset. It’s also a good idea to try and separate home from work as much as you can. This way, whenever you come home from university or work, you will feel a sense of release, instead of stress. If you do tend to work/study from home, try to have a designated area that you use. This way, when you finish for the day, you can step away and enjoy your relaxation time!

 

Most importantly, don’t feel guilty about going out once in a while and having fun! It can sometimes feel like any spare time you have, you should be working on your projects or revising. But try to fight this feeling off as much as you can. Time for play is just as important as time for work!

 

Ease Stress by Finding Your Student Accommodation

 

One of the biggest stresses for many students is trying to figure out their future accommodation. Unfortunately, properties don’t wait and can be let quite quickly. The sooner students can decide what type of property they want, who they want to live with and their budget, the sooner they can secure their living situation for the next year.

 

Unhousing is a landlord and accommodation provider near The University of Birmingham since 1984. We own all of our accommodation in the student village of Selly Oak, which means we can provide quick response times to repairs using our team of qualified tradesmen. We deal directly with our tenants from our property office on Bristol Road in Selly Oak, just a short distance from all of our student properties.

 

Unhousing was selected as the Number 1 Student Letting Agent in Birmingham by the UK's biggest fresher community, Unifresher.

 

Contact Unihousing today to find out more!

The Benefits of Choosing a Selly Oak Studio with Unihousing

It is never too early to start looking for student accommodation for the next academic year, and the sooner you get to it, the more options you will have. Unihousing has been providing student accommodation for several years now, and our studios are brilliantly designed with the student lifestyle in mind. Still unsure? Keep reading to find out why a Unihousing studio could be a good fit!

 

1. Modern, Open-plan Design

 

Not only do our studios all come fully furnished with stylish fittings, but they contain a lot of the necessities that every student needs. This includes a large living area, double bed, plenty of storage, a desk area, an ensuite bathroom or shower room, low noise white goods, a flatscreen TV and 100Mb broadband too! Many of our studios have also been refurbished to meet a higher standard for the modern student.

 

2. Located in Student Hub

 

Unihousing studios are all located in the student hub of Selly Oak, right down the road from The University of Birmingham. This offers students the chance to get to know more students in the area, whilst also having a quick walk to university. Selly Oak is also full of a variety of shops, cafes, restaurants, pubs, clubs and even a shopping centre, which means you will have all of your essentials just down the road!

 

3. Easy, Affordable Public Transport

 

Want to do more exploring? Selly Oak is not only populated with shops, entertainment, parks and gyms, but it also has brilliant public transport. There are some great places to visit that are only a short bus/train journey away, including Harborne, Moseley, Bournville and the city centre. Not to mention that student discounts are also available for public transport, which will help you save money in the long run.

4. Team of Professionals, Dedicated to Our Student Tenants

 

Unihousing has years of experience providing student accommodation and is even one of the top student landlords in Selly Oak. Our team is passionate about providing high-quality care, not just for our properties, but for our tenants as well. As we own all of our properties, we are solely responsible for the maintenance and cleaning, meaning that you will be able to avoid any long wait times for repairs, if any arise.

Our dedicated cleaning team are also responsible for keeping the communal areas in every studio complex clean, including hallways and stairways, which means all you have to worry about is your own space!

 

5. High-Speed Wifi and Bills Included in Monthly Rent

 

Another bonus in renting one of our studios is that all utility bills and 100Mb broadband are included in the price. This means that you will not have to worry about finding rates and setting up bills when you move in, but instead, it will all be done for you! This not only offers our students ease when moving in but is also more cost-effective too!

 

Choosing Unihousing Student Studios

Unhousing is a landlord and accommodation provider near The University of Birmingham since 1984. We own all of our accommodation in the student village of Selly Oak, which means we can provide quick response times to repairs using our team of qualified tradesmen. We deal directly with our tenants from our property office on Bristol Road in Selly Oak, just a short distance from all of our student properties.

Unhousing was selected as the Number 1 Student Letting Agent in Birmingham by the UK's biggest fresher community, Unifresher.

 

Contact Unihousing today to find out more!

Why Choose Unihousing's Selly Oak Student Accommodation

When you’re on a student budget, it’s important to get the most out of every penny. With Unihousing’ s Selly Oak student accommodation, you can be sure that whatever studio or house you choose, you’ll be getting the most out of your money. Below, we look at all the reasons you should choose Unihousing accommodation as a Birmingham student.

Why Choose Selly Oak?

Selly Oak is often referred to as the ‘student village’, as it is very well suited for the student lifestyle. Birmingham is home to many universities, including the prestigious redbrick University of Birmingham, which is only a short walk from Bristol Road in Selly Oak. There are also several transport links heading into the city centre, which makes accessing the rest of Birmingham easy. Combined with the many local amenities and entertainment options, this makes Selly Oak a fantastic location no matter which university you’re attending.

Inside Student Accommodation

While it’s important to make sure that everything you need outside of your student accommodation is easy to reach, it’s also important to check that you have everything you need inside as well. Luckily for you, we at Unihousing have you covered. We have years of experience helping students find their ideal accommodation and can help you find a studio or house that suits you.

All of our student studios are fully furnished with the essentials, meaning you can move in straight away without the hassle of getting furniture. Some of the furnishings you can expect in our studios include a double bed, study desk and chair, a flatscreen TV, plenty of storage, and a snack area with low-noise white goods. Our studios also come with fitted ensuite shower rooms, which you don’t have to share with anyone else. Additionally, you can enjoy 100Mb broadband and utility bills being included in the rent, which makes planning your budget much easier.

 

If you do need any maintenance or repairs while you’re staying in our accommodation, we have a dedicated maintenance team who can facilitate your repairs quickly. Because we are a registered landlord who owns all our properties, we have a reason to keep all our properties in top condition. This includes outfitting all our student accommodation with double glazing and laminated flooring throughout.

Fitting with the Student Lifestyle

The University of Birmingham is one of the most racially diverse in the UK, if not the world. This is reflected in the rest of Birmingham, which is a hotpot of different cultures. With such a variety of tastes and interests to cater for, Selly Oak does a great job in providing many different choices for students. When you’re living in our student accommodation, you’ll find a great selection of pubs, takeaways, restaurants, cafes, supermarkets and more just a short walk from your front door.

 

But, if Selly Oak’s options don’t suit you, you can hop onto one of the many trains or buses leading into the city centre, where you’ll find a fantastic selection of shops to choose from. If you like trying different foods, there are a great many options of cuisine from different cultures in the city centre.

Party Life

Socialising is a huge part of student life, and Selly Oak has many social venues which students can enjoy. With several pubs and clubs along Bristol Road, there is plenty of choice for having a good night out. Not to mention the great number that you can find in the city centre; with so much choice, you’re bound to find somewhere that suits you and your friends.

Unihousing Student Lettings

Unhousing is a landlord and accommodation provider near The University of Birmingham since 1984. We own all of our accommodation in the student village of Selly Oak, which means we can provide quick response times to repairs using our team of qualified tradesmen. We deal directly with our tenants from our property office on Bristol Road in Selly Oak, just a short distance from all of our student properties.

Unhousing was selected as the Number 1 Student Letting Agent in Birmingham by the UK's biggest fresher community, Unifresher.

Don’t miss out on our quality student accommodation in Selly Oak, contact us to register your interest and avoid disappointment.