First of all, hello to all of the Freshers that are starting at the University of Chester! Undoubtedly, you will have already gone through the madness of moving into your accommodation and are now out there in the big world thinking this adulting thing isn’t so hard after all!
However, give
it time, a couple more weeks of freshers filled fun, drinking games, and realising that the trips to mum and dads to get one load of washing done is wearing thin and you’ll start to feel the pain of living independently!
But don’t worry, we’ve got you! We have all been there and done that and that’s why we can assure you it will be okay and you will get through it. It also means you don’t have to make the same mistakes we did after we have all test run different methods going through University!
Budgeting
Budgeting is really important when coming to University. Even more so with the added pressure of the cost of living crisis! There are tonnes of ways that you can help yourself in budgeting and we have even written a blog post to help you with this, take a look after reading this one! The first vital bit of advice we would give you is to try and get a part time job that works for you around your studies. There are loads of places in Chester that thrive off the student population and understand that you have studies so that they can work the hours to work around those for you. The beauty of Chester is also that it is a city and full of places to eat out, go for drinks and shop – meaning there are also tonnes of opportunities within the hospitality and retail industries! If being amongst the city life isn’t your thing and you want the opportunity to do a job more remote, look at opportunities to write blog posts for companies that advertise to students, because lets face it who would be best to speak about matters that concern students then yourselves?! Once you have your job if you then ensure that you budget your loan accordingly and use your money that you earn at work for shopping, eating out and anything else then you will already be less stressed about funding your journey at Uni. Revolut is a great way to bank and budget, you can go for the free version, and it even provides you with the option of splitting bills with your friends – meaning no more awkward calculations when going out for tea in a large group! Revolut also offers cashback at loads of retail, hospitality and online stores so start making your purchases work for you!
Making Friends
We all know how awkward and strange it can feel being a fresher. You are alone in a city you unlikely know, and with no one to comfort you or remind you of home. However, use this to your advantage – most people you speak to will say that University is where they made life long friends and where they really learned about who they were as a person! Use this opportunity to find your people and who you are and OWN IT! There are loads of ways to put yourselves out there and here are a few tips that we have trialled and tested!
Make the first move – Instead of waiting for people to come to you – be the person that does even a small gesture that provides a longing impression. HINT: Make / buy a cake/pizza and let everyone know they can help themselves, your housemates will appreciate you and it also provides that conversation starter that you may have needed! Winner, winner cake/pizza dinner!
Join Sports and Societies and Attend the Fair – From course based societies, to MMA and Quidditch, Mountaineering and Disney, there is something for everyone when it comes to University of Chester’s clubs and societies. If you are unsure as to what you would like to join there are loads of ways to see what you want to do! You can either choose to visit the Chester Student Union website and look through the endless list of activities that you can take part in or alternatively you can attend your Sports and Societies Fair on Wednesday 20th September and speak to the people who already promote and take part in the clubs!
Social Media – Students each year flock to Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Whatsapp and TikTok to see what’s going on with their next year at Uni! It’s an easy way to meet people in not such an intrusive manner and allows you to scope out what else if going on around your new home. HINT: To get the most out of your searches make sure you type in relatable things to yourself, the halls / area you live in, or your course type and you will find an array of group chats! Just join in and you’ll soon be visiting us to find your house share for the next year!
Keep your door open – If you move into halls, nothing signifies a confident and social person more than an open door. People are more likely to come and say hello if they feel welcome and like they’re not disturbing you. The same method can be applied in a house share. Make sure that you bring yourself out of your room and sit in the communal areas to study. Even if people are there it’s a great way to make friends and get to know those you’re living with better! Ultimately if you ever need someone to talk to our door is always open too!
Attend your Welcome Fair – As well as being an opportunity to talk to new people in the same situation as you, you’ll also get an idea of what the University of Chester and City has to offer. You’ll find a lot of the trendy bars, clubs and offers in the city will have promotions saying that they’ll be there, which will give you an insight on who will be attending. Also, there’s usually free pizza! And if you needed any other incentive, we’ll be around there too with some exciting special offers and freebies!
Be safe on your nights out!
We cannot stress this enough! Although Chester City centre is known to be a safe city and has so many friendly people within it you can never be too careful. Always make sure that you know your limits on a night out, and make sure you have everyone’s contact details and aren’t left alone. Although there are loads of ways you can walk back to the Garden Quarter we recommend that you ensure that you stick to the well lit, main roads. The reason being as typically there will be more people in these areas – no matter how late it is at night and also there will be businesses with CCTV within this area. Avoid using the canal or the back alleyways. Especially if you have been drinking, it is far too easy to stumble in to the canal and could result in what would have been the best night out the last night out instead. We also recommend that you stay with your friendship group, and although we encourage all of you to make friends, always make sure you know who you are talking to and more importantly who you are going home with. Do not hesitate in alerting someone if you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation that you can’t get yourself out of and need to ask for help. Unfortunately, especially during Freshers there are increases in spiking’s being reported and unfortunately being administered. Although most venues in Chester, take this extremely seriously and have taken progressive actions to prevent this, you can make sure you help yourself in these situations as well. Do not accept a drink from a stranger that you cannot confirm what is in it – if you are ever unsure about what you are consuming then just don’t – for your own safety. Also make sure that you always keep an eye on your own drink and don’t drink from it if you feel that there may have been an opportunity where someone could have tampered with it. Lastly, if you witness any behaviour which is unsettling or unsafe – ensure that you report it and make those around you aware. Do not confront them – you never know who they are or what they are capable of, but make sure that the relevant hosts / authorities are aware.
Health is Wealth
It is so important that whilst at University you make sure that you look after yourself both physically and mentally. Whilst your University journey is supposed to be enjoyable and a new adventure for you it also means that you will feel more pressure than ever before and may not have the usual comforts to reassure you. So keeping on top of your health is a priority! On campus there is a great wellbeing hub where you can speak with people who will be able to provide you with the advice and guidance to help. There are also tonnes of gyms in the local area that all offer student discounts so that you can think strong and be strong! Nuffield Heath have provided us with an exclusive student offer that means you can get free day passes to try before you buy! Not only this but if you then decide that you want to continue a membership there you get 20% off and this includes not only the use of the gym but also the pool, sauna, steam room, a choice of 100 classes per week and 2 free personal training sessions! Think we are spoiling you? Well there’s more! Not only will you get all the above however Nuffield Health are huge on your wellbeing and checking in to make sure that you are achieving goals you want – which is why they offer the free ‘Personal Best’ Programme, complete with free health checks, a workout plan and check ins to keep you on the right path in your fitness journey! Keep an eye out for upcoming events that we will be conducting with Nuffield Health where you can have your free health check and workout plans! Also make sure that you register with a doctor in the local area so that should you ever fall ill you have easy access to someone who can help.
