1. Arrange your accommodation, most first year students opt to stay in halls, which are on campus and are an easy way to get to meet different people. Halls now offer various types of accommodation including a mixture of catered & self catering, quiet & social as well as mixed gendered and single halls. 
2. Sort out your finances, you need your finances in order before freshers week. Make sure you have your student loan in place so you know how much you’re entitled too on top of family allowances & part time job earnings. This will help to budget your day to day life. Including bills, food, course materials (utility bills If you live campus), as well as luxury items such as clothes, socialising & visits home) By learning to budget straight from the off you will avoid getting yourself into. Financial debt and problems later.
3. Open a student banking account – make sure you get one that fits you & your circumstances. Martin Lewis Explains the different features & best account here https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/students/student-bank-account/
4. learn to cook – Learning to cook may not seem like a big thing, but take always soon get boring and very expensive.  Mastering some quick, easy and delicious dishes will make your life much easier. Find a recipe You like and get ready to start practicing cooking it. Ask your family & friends to write out your favourite recipes.  This can help with home sickness and may even help you settle others in around you, especially if what your making can be a communal meal, which is a good way to win over housemates and new friends.
5. What to take? -think about what you need to take, check your contracts if you are in halls, things like clothes airers are not only a trip hazard but also attract mould.   If you are taking a laptop/ tablet or any gadgets make sure you get them insured. Don’t forget you are not leaving home, so you don’t have to take everything with you… see the list of suggestions below – written list of important telephone numbers in case you lose your phone.

• *Clothes – for all seasons including some smart clothes. You are not leaving home so you don’t have to take everything with you.  
• *raincoat, umbrella, rucksack/ bag and reusable drinking water bottle & snacks for breaks or during long lectures.
• *Coat hangers will always come in handy.
• *bed linen, duvets, pillows blankets, duvet covers & pillow cases
• *towels
• *medicines, prescribed and general pain killers / cold remedies
• *personal items, toiletries, toilet rolls, anything else that maybe needed.
• *kitchen items & food (to keep you going for the first few weeks)
• *washing powders/ liquids to wash your clothes / iron 
• *mobile phone / chargers
• *PC/ laptop/ Ipads/ tablets with relevant chargers 
• * extension leads / USB stick(s), 
• *stationery, note pads, pens, pencils, highlighters, postit notes, files, sticky book markers, academic diary to you know where lectures/ seminars and such will be & your own personal schedule.
• *desk fan, desk lamp, torch, music speakers, drawing/ pushpins. Command strips.

6. Apply for jobs whilst at uni, – this will not only provide you with an extra stream of finance, but also get you meeting other people & having different experiences, which could be fun and very fulfilling away from your university friends.

7. Check out groups & societies online, look at the overall university page through social media, this will signpost you to different social groups. Once you receive an offer letter you will be invited to different groups on social media, regarding your course & accommodation as well as  interests.  This will also help you find your house mates & course mates

8. Buy event tickets for freshers weeks activities- not only will you save yourself money on venues, it will also give you vouchers and money off vouchers for drinks.  Push yourself to get out and meet as many new people as possible. This is a brand new start.

9. Travel- arrange a yearly or termly rail or bus pass so you can go home any time you need, the more organised you are with it, the more cost effective it will be. 

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