First Year Tips

So, a lot of you will be starting university right now, or are just about to.

I have just gone into my second year of university at Northumbria studying Fashion Communications. I have been back up in Newcastle for nearly a week now as Northumbria have their freshers a week before Newcastle uni do.

I thought I'd put together a few things to help some of you freshers on your way!

Things to take:
- Door wedge - to be sociable and not lock yourself away in your rooms!
- Coat Hangers - who likes creased clothes?! Hang them up!
- Paracetamol (for those dreaded hangover headaches!)
- Extension cables - for your laptop, lights, chargers etc
- Side lamps
- Bin
- Mirror - I brought a full length one with me
- Cleaning Products
- Photos - to decorate your walls
- Drying rack - in case you don't want to pay for the tumble dryer
- Iron - to help with those creased clothes!
- Alcohol....
- Any medication
- Hand wash

There is obviously other things that you would bring, but these might be the less obvious ones for you.

Now being a fresher in Newcastle is great fun but it did take its toll on me, as well as a lot of my friends so...

Health:

Make sure you get some sleep at some point! We all got groggy and down after nearly two weeks of going out and drinking so make sure you rest, eat and get some decent sleep. I have just done a week of freshers and I've got such a sore throat and I am so tired already! Make sure you do the washing up and cleaning too because the amount of people I knew that were ill from it being dirty in their flat was unbelievable, I'm surprised I wasn't ever ill with the messy boys I lived with!

Eating:

Don't resort to take outs all the time! As easy and convenient as that is, it's no good for you. It is really not that hard to cook, get a recipe and follow it! I got two books called 'The Student Cookbook' by Hamlyn, which he had put together for students. It's a great book, with tons of different recipes that are healthy and cheap. There is also a section on how to make cocktails which was also useful. Spag bol is an easy and quick meal to make, and dead cheap! I also made a lot of fajitas and pasta meals, as they were cheap and quick.

Clubbing:

As annoying as some promoters are, and I can say that, because I am also a promoter in Newcastle, take their name and number because you don't know when they may be useful! Here at Newcastle at Tup Tup Palace we can do group bookings for a table, where if there is ten of you, you'll receive a free bottle of vodka and mixers. We can also get you guestlist which makes your entry cheaper. And for birthdays you'll want us to be your best friend. We can sort tables, free vodka/champagne, VIP etc for you... so don't slate us if you want something... we are only doing out job to make sure you have a great night out!

Flatmates: 

I got on really well with my flat mates last year, but you might not in yours, try and be understanding of them as well, living with people you don't know may be hard, just be civiliased. I know as I have lived with different people for nearly 7 years after being at boarding school as well as university! Makes your life easier if you don't put up such a fuss about things.

We all got on so well in my flat that we were always pranking each other. Safe to say my poor flat mate Michael got pranked the most as he always left his bedroom door unlocked after a night out... so we may have done a few things! (Vaseline was always a great one on the back of door handles etc!)

The brown stuff is his old stale brownies! Ha!

Cleaning:

Make sure you ALL clean put into the cleaning of the flat. The boys in my flat had to be forced by me and my other flat mate Hannah, to even put their empty burger wrappers in the bin. They soon started helping with the cleaning when we put their dirty pots and pans all in one huge pile and left their mouldy food they had left out outside their bedrooms door. You all live together, so make sure you make an effort. You wouldn't live like that at home with your parents so make sure you don't with your fellow flat mates!

Make sure you make the most of being at uni. It honestly has been the best time of my life so far. I've made some great friends, I love my course, I live in a great city and I'm just really enjoying life.

I'm now in a lush flat with 5 other girls! Loving life even more so! Make the most of it all! They will be the best years of your lives!