First Month At Uni: To-Do List

Register with a local GP
Whether you've come down with Freshers' flu or managed to avoid it altogether, registering with a local GP is always a good idea. You're likely going to be spending at least three years in your university town/city, and unfortunately you never know when you might need to book an urgent appointment. It's best to get registered now instead of waiting until the time comes - make sure to check your university website for guidance on registering with nearby practices or recommended study GPs!

Draft Up a Budget
The first few weeks of uni can be a bit of a blur financially, especially considering your costs might be a bit high with buying kitchen essentials or room decor. Now is the perfect time to draft up a realistic budget of your income and expenses, making sure to give yourself some wiggle room for any emergencies or one-off transport costs (e.g. flights/trains home on weekends/Christmas).

Narrow Down Your Societies
We've all done it - in the blur of Freshers' week, you've somehow managed to sign up to five different societies and now have a packed social schedule. Whilst this seems great in the first week, most people can't maintain attending who knows how many different weekly get-togethers on top of your lectures (nevermind the cost of joining some societies) - so maybe consider picking just one or two of your favourites and becoming a regular member of them instead.

Check Out Local Part-Time Job Opportunities
If you're lucky, you might not need to work whilst studying - but in reality, especially with the current cost of living crisis, more and more students are having to get part-time jobs to supplement their income. In fact, 55% of students are currently in paid employment, rising from 45% last year: you can tell these figures are rising rapidly! Now you have your timetable and have settled in a bit, organising shifts should be easier, so check out websites like Indeed or Reed.co.uk for job opportunities near you or look around campus to see if any university departments are hiring.

Start Studying!
I know, I know - you probably don't have any 'important' exams until Christmas or January, and you think it's far too soon to be properly studying - but the sooner you start to build good study habits, the better! You've no doubt heard infamous uni horror stories about rushing to finish assignments in four hours or cramming all-night just to pass a module, and trust me, you don't want to become one of them. Try to allocate a portion of your week to study - potentially on weekends, where you might have a couple extra hours to spare.

What are your top things to check off in your first month of university? I feel like so much advice is focused on the actual process of moving in rather than what to do after you've moved in - so if you have any tips of your own, drop them down below!

- Eve (Kingston Rep).