New Uni Student 2022 - tips?

Harlequin · 14 Mar 2022 at 22:22

My son is in his Master`s year - his advice? Your entire list of stuff is pointless.

Especially :

nives and a chopping board
saucepans and a frying pan
baking tray
plates and bowls (microwavable ones are a good idea)
cutlery
glasses and mugs
corkscrew and bottle opener
tin opener
vegetable peeler
measuring jug
grater
cling film
tin foil
tea towels
dish cloth
student recipe book.

pens, pencils and highlighters
lever arch files
A4 file paper
ruler
eraser
stapler
hole punch
diary/personal organiser
different sized notebooks
Post-it notes.

1 pan, 1 plate, 1 bowl , cheap ass knives / forks/ spoons and a mug for coffee. Rest will never be used. It`ll be microwave everything.

Tech? what does he actually want to use? Mac book/laptop - maybe a tablet for watching stuff in bed. cheap duvet/pillows and bed stuff from Tesco - it`ll be thrown away after year 1 anyway. Pens and stuff - again, cheap stuff for £10 from Tesco will be enough.

Best thing for him to do is get a job which he can work around his class time and not waste his money on freshers week.

ivrytwr3 · 14 Mar 2022 at 22:26

Thanks for that - the list I posted was from a website, I wasn't planning on getting all that

Ta, will deffo look into microwavable stuff.

Harlequin · 14 Mar 2022 at 22:29

He also has said (and being 10.30pm has had a drink); first year isnt about the work - sure there is some but all he has to do is turn stuff in as it doesnt count for the final grade. First year is about being on your own and independent , which works both ways, parents have to take the step back as well and let their kids fall some times.

ivrytwr3 · 14 Mar 2022 at 22:32

That's good to hear - thanks for asking and thanks to your son.

Freefaller · 14 Mar 2022 at 22:45

Harlequin said:
He also has said (and being 10.30pm has had a drink); first year isnt about the work - sure there is some but all he has to do is turn stuff in as it doesnt count for the final grade. First year is about being on your own and independent , which works both ways, parents have to take the step back as well and let their kids fall some times.

I guess it depends on the course. But a lot of what you say is right. For a lot of people they've never been alone from parents, or had a job or travelled without parents by the time they've been to uni, so it is going to be a heck of an experience.

I think the important thing is managing money that's what students always seem to struggle with.

Pawnless Endgame · 14 Mar 2022 at 22:45

Not mentioned yet in this thread, but a noticeboard. It's the type where half of it is whiteboard where you can write notes on it with non-permanent marker, and the other half is cork for pinning stuff. You can get this from Argos or a stationery shop.

ivrytwr3 · 14 Mar 2022 at 22:52

Awesome one - ty.

Harlequin · 14 Mar 2022 at 23:01

Freefaller said:
I guess it depends on the course. But a lot of what you say is right. For a lot of people they've never been alone from parents, or had a job or travelled without parents by the time they've been to uni, so it is going to be a heck of an experience.

I think the important thing is managing money that's what students always seem to struggle with.

Student accomadation is one huge racket and very expensive. See if private halls are available (sanctury students is one) my son stayed with them for 4 years, ended up getting an offer in the last 2 years of £50 a week for a shared flat. But anywhere south its horrible at 150 or more a week. I would suggest a job where he can transfer, say a supermarket. Keeps money coming in. Otherwise, pub work or dominos delivering

Freefaller · 15 Mar 2022 at 06:57

Harlequin said:
Student accomadation is one huge racket and very expensive. See if private halls are available (sanctury students is one) my son stayed with them for 4 years, ended up getting an offer in the last 2 years of £50 a week for a shared flat. But anywhere south its horrible at 150 or more a week. I would suggest a job where he can transfer, say a supermarket. Keeps money coming in. Otherwise, pub work or dominos delivering

Yes a job is very sensible. I did that as well as a lot of others. But 20+ years ago accomodation was cheaper I think. It helps with hobbies ans holidays too, or maintain a car etc... I wouldn't have managed without a job, in fact I have no idea how people do it without.

Semple · 15 Mar 2022 at 07:14

ivrytwr3 said:
It's difficult, but i can't see any other way.

Example figures:

-£9250 tuition fees (paid back later).

-£7.5k accom costs

+£5.5k Maintenance Grant.

Where is he meant to find £2k accom shortfall + find money to live?

I think the £2k shortfall is down to me and £50 per week living allowance isn't too bad, + plus he will need to work. This is only for the 1st year, he wants to go into a shared house for year 2 and onwards.

I am also thinking of this as an investment into his future and if he gets a solid career, bank of mum and dad can close.

Yeah that's perfectly fine. I think people are forgetting that accommodation is expensive. As Raymond points out, those costs are similar to a mortgage.

I had a mix of savings from working before uni, overdraft, and help from my parents. I did my first 2 years on that, and then moved back home for my final year whilst also working. The final year you had something like 6 hours of contact time at uni.

ivrytwr3 · 15 Mar 2022 at 07:28

Thank you.

I will suggest working over the Summer so he can get some savings behind him - but like i say, we're pretty rural, so opportunities are limited.

Harlequin · 15 Mar 2022 at 20:44

Have a read :

How much the Govt expects you to give your children for university - Martin Lewis' Blog... (moneysavingexpert.com)

visibleman · 15 Mar 2022 at 21:14

Harlequin said:
1 pan, 1 plate, 1 bowl , cheap ass knives / forks/ spoons and a mug for coffee. Rest will never be used. It`ll be microwave everything.

I would add to that a few cheap tea towels from drying up, a decent glass or two and a can + bottle opener. But as others have said, keep it basic as some student accommodation is small so storage can be a PITA and usually the kitchens are reasonably equipped for the essential stuff. If he needs anything then i'm sure he can grab it himself.

Harlequin said:
Student accomadation is one huge racket and very expensive. See if private halls are available (sanctury students is one) ....

Personal experience is that private halls is fine for following years, although it can work out cheaper/better to rent houses between mates, but student halls is where you want to be for your first year as everyone is (usually) the same in that they're first year students and similarly aged which massively helps with making friends etc.

ivrytwr3 said:
Mentioned loads on here and sorted!

https://thetab.com/uk/soton/2013/11/15/britains-horniest-student-45506

Usually you can get fistfuls from the Uni medical centre/clinic for free and to be honest, they give them out all over the show during freshers week so he'll be fine for those.

Hades said:
One tip I've heard is to get one of those memory foam toppers for the bed...

100% this! @ivrytwr3 Make sure he has a decent topper or cheap thick duvet to stick under the sheets. Our halls beds were plastic wrapped, hmmmm lovely!, and hard as nails and this was the best thing for them.

dowie · 15 Mar 2022 at 21:31

ivrytwr3 said:
Chatting to some students at the Uni, they say they do similar and their parents give them £50 per week - one of the lads says he sometimes has to choose between eating and a night out - lol.

Anyone done similar? Or an alternative?

Get him to sign up with the University-affiliated officer training corps unit or maybe local army reserve, he'll get paid for various training weekends away + annual camp + training courses... + each training weekend he's not only earning money but he's not spending it either and he's getting fit + he'll get an annual tax free bonus on top too.

If he's a bit coddled as some people have also suggested in this thread then perhaps that will help sort him out a bit too.

tbh.. working in general is an option - could be part-time job during term time (maybe not in 3rd year depending on how intense the course is), but better still he's going to have plenty of holidays!

Basically he's going to have circa 20 weeks of the year free in which he could earn money, easily enough time to make up for a 2k shortfall.

In particular, the summer holidays are long and idea for a bit of work and/or travel - Christmas worthwhile too perhaps, maybe not easter if revising for exams. Various companies offer summer internships and they're usually paid at quite a decent rate, also ideal for finding an employer to join upon graduation.

When I was at uni back in the 00s a summer internship could pay the equivalent of circa 30k pro-rata, throw in some part-time work during term time, even if it is only a shift or two per week, maybe some temping over Christmas and he could easily make not only that 2k shortfall but a few grand above it too.