STARTING UNIVERSITY

So I started studying Fashion Marketing at the University of Northampton in September and now that my first year is over, I thought I would give some tips and information to those of you who are about to go to University or are thinking of applying for it later on.

Living in Halls

I always wanted to live in halls when I went to University. I have liked living in halls but actually, I am fed up of living in them now and I am looking forward to moving into my house with my friends in second year. Living in halls can be loud and annoying because so many idiots live there who don't have respect for other people BUT you make lots of new friends and you definitely make lots of new memories that you will always remember. I would recommend living in halls to have the experience of it, I don't really know why people wouldn't live in halls in their first year, it's just something you HAVE to do in my eyes. Even if I didn't move far away like I have done, I would have still lived in halls! Also, everyone's accommodation is different, I am just fed up of living in mine now, I've had my time of living in halls. 

Moving Far Away From Home

Moving away from home is one of the hardest things to do, depending on the kind of person you are I guess. It marks the beginning of independence and adulthood. It definitely helps you grow up and become a new person. I would say it helps you get to know yourself more too. Its an exciting time but it can be stressful but you shouldn't just give up, give it time and you will love the fact that you are growing up and if I am honest, it is GREAT being able to do what you want without your parents telling you what to do all the time. Personally, I am so happy I moved away to a new place. I have made so many new friends and its nice to have space from my family once in a while but I would say I feel 'In the middle' about moving away. There is no place like home. I have missed my friends and my family so much, more than I thought I would have and at the minute, I am very happy to be back at home till September. 

Money 

Depending on the amount of student finance you get, I would still try and save as much money as you can. When you first get your student finance, you will just spend, trust me. For me, I get quite a big amount of student finance and when I first got mine all I did was spend because it looked like it would last ages, TRUST ME IT DOESN'T! If you're not clever about your money, it wont last you ages. I would most definitely advise making a money plan and STICKING TO IT! You don't want to end up living off scraps near the end of term. 

Learn to Cook

You should learn to cook whether you move away or not, but if you move away, learning to cook is one of the most important things you have to do. Even though its cheap, noodles and pasta gets boring after a while. Its good to have them some days but other days you should be able to have a meal that is tasty and that you enjoy for once. You can't always keep wasting your money on takeaways either. You're going to have to learn to cook ANYWAY because one day you will have your own house and will probably have to do cook for your own family eventually. Cooking is just something you have to learn. A good thing to do is to make a big batch of something which will last you for a few days like a casserole or a lasagne.

Visit an Open Day

It is very important to visit an open day before accepting offers from any university. Before I chose to go to Northampton, I visited a few and I liked the universities but the area's weren't very nice. I wanted to go to a good University in a nice area. You must make sure you have made the right decision because you have to be there for a good couple years. Also, an important thing is that don't go somewhere just because your friends are going there. Your friends aren't going to sort your future out for you, only you can do that. Base your University on your chosen course and how good it is. I visited a number of open days and loved the sound of the one at Northampton the most, the area was just a bonus.

Enjoy Yourself

One of the most important things about University is to enjoy yourself. You don't want to come out of University at the end of it all knowing you didn't have a good experience. Talk to new people, visit new places, make the most of your days there. Go out and have fun. University is an amazing opportunity.

Studying

Obviously the most IMPORTANT thing is your degree. You will have lots of work to do and you should do your best. University is a time to enjoy yourself and go out but you should still be spending a lot of your time working on your assignments and revising for any exams you have.