Top tips – Getting through your first week

Starting University can be daunting and on that first day, you might feel overwhelmed or uncertain of what you should be doing. That is completely normal.

So we’ve compiled a few top tips to get you through that first week.

Moving in

• It is likely you’ll be busy during your first week, so make sure you plan around your move in schedule when moving into halls, this year this is even more important for your and community's safety. If you’re moving into private accommodation, try to get there a few days early so you have time to unpack and settle into your new home. 

• Set up your bed as soon as you arrive – this means you can take a rest when you get tired of unpacking and introducing yourself to lots of people.  

• Make your room homier by adding your own personal touch, but make sure you check your tenancy agreement or ask your landlord for the rules on decorating your place so it doesn’t affect your deposit at the end of the year.

• Get your computer set up so you can put some music on – people will hear it and talking about favourite songs and bands is always an ice breaker!

Finding out more about your university

• Take some time to learn more about your University, what it can offer you, safety measures and any recent updates for you as new students - plymouth.ac.uk/student-life/new-students

• Your university library is open for students with a few changes to the normal way of student life, with a new booking system and social distancing when inside the library, find out more information here plymouth.ac.uk/student-life/your-studies/library

• If you feel you need to contact the university you can find details for all departments here plymouth.ac.uk/students-and-family/contact

• Please see the University-managed accommodation guidance for more information concerning COVID-19.

Finding out more about your Students’ Union

• Check the Students’ Union Website for everything you need to know on our Freshers' Hub. Whilst these events may mostly be online, it’s still loads of fun and a social way to engage with likeminded people. There are also plenty of online drop-in sessions being added so keep an eye out for volunteering opportunities, sports club meet and greets and Advice Centre Q&As.

• Learn about your Sabbatical Officers and what they are doing to help champion students:   

President

Chukwudi Kosi Ezenyi (KC)

VP Activities

Verity Lemm

VP Education

Emi Dowse

VP Wellbeing & Diversity

Fawziyyah Ahmed

• Talk to our SU Advice Centre for free, independent advice about anything you need help with, from money, to housing, to academic issues, the team here are a wealth of knowledge and will do what they can to support you. 

Socialising

• You will be able to find out about events on the Students’ Union website or on our Facebook page, make sure you set your 'follow settings' to receive notifications so you don't miss out on any events or offers!

• Be open-minded about the people you socialise with, even those you don't think you will get along with - you never know which connections might turn into lifelong friendships! The clubs and societies you join and the experiences on offer will also help push you outside of your comfort zone and you'll find you have a lot more fun as a result! Check out our Club / Societies pages for what’s available

Budgeting

• Draw up a budget for the first few weeks. In those first few days you will probably be feeling quite flush, but suddenly having money of your own coupled with the thrill of starting or returning to university could spell disaster. Make sure you stick to your budget - many new students spend too much on clothes or new tech, which means they don't have much cash left over for other activities and essentials at the end of the month or further on in the year. You will find planning ahead will help you in the long term! Find out more information on how to budget here.

• Our independent SU Advice Centre is here for you. If you need to talk about your financial situation, need support with extra funding or anything else related to your budget our team can help.

Food

• Club together with your roommates so you can buy in bulk food such as rice, pasta and noodles to share throughout the term as these products will last.

• It’s also worth buying a selection of store cupboard essentials like salt, pepper, herbs, spices, cuppa soups, and other dried foods you use on a regular basis.

• Try to keep some tins of beans, tomatoes, soup and similar foods in case you run out of everything else.

• Cook more than you need and freeze some for another day – it’s often more cost-effective and less time consuming to cook in bulk

• If your home is quite close to your university, and you're worried about your standard of cooking, you could ask a family member or friend to cook something, then store it in a suitable container(s) and freeze back at uni. You can then defrost it when you feel you need a decent, wholesome meal!

• Doing your grocery shopping online will help you save both time and money. You are more likely to just buy what you need and are subsequently less likely to buy every item or special offer that catches your eye. The delivery cost is usually quite reasonable these days, and you can always order with another roommate if you are concerned about the cost. You will be surprised at the amount of money you will save.

• Shopping online is also a great way to get food and supplies if you are quarantining or shielding from Covid-19, you can get priority delivery slots if you contact the store you want to shop from!

Staying safe

• Keep yourself and others safe from Covid-19 by following government guidelines, remember to wash your hands, social distance and wear a mask if possible.

• If you feel you have symptoms you must isolate and apply for a test either at a test centre or through a home test kit, for more information on how to do this follow this link to the NHS website.

• Always let people know where you are going and who you’re going with.

• Ask a friend to call you at a certain time to check you're all right if you are out alone or with someone you don't know very well.

• Put at least one person on speed dial in case of emergencies.

• Never, ever leave your drinks unattended at any time.

• Register with a GP and dentist as soon as you can.

• Make sure to keep your GP phone number handy so you can easily find it in case you become unwell.

Don’t forget...

• Remember to take things like pens and your notebook/diary with you- it'll help you to keep track of what you've signed up for, and you’ll be able to jot down email addresses, websites and any other useful information.

• Always make sure you carry the correct paperwork and identification to all the registration events, and always make sure you are in the right queue – it will save you time later!