Eurovision 2024

[Lucinda]

Yeah, we use Sainsburys Basics all-purpose cleaner - it's about 30p a bottle, and Basics Washing up liquid - about 14p a litre.

It is true that home cooked food is often cheaper than microwave meals. However you can save a lot of money, for example, buying Sainsburys Basics tinned chopped tomatoes, they are the basis to any pasta sauce (all students live off pasta) and really cheap. You don't gain anything by buying a more expensive brand. Although Asda Smart Price food isn't nice.

[Andy B]

Ingredients I agree with buying cheap stuff but not meat. Never get cheap meat. Or anything that's to be eaten on it's own. Cereal, crisps etc... Always get the normal stuff but ingredients you can save on. With enough herbs and spices you can make almost anything taste nice.

Oh one word of advice. Spaghetti and custard never go together no matter how drunk you are or how much of a good idea it seems at the time. Trust me I know.

[Catherine.]

Seeing as this thread has turned more in uni advice, anyone else got any gems to share? I'm sure there are a lot of people going to uni this year on the forum, including me of course!

[Lucinda]

- If you're going to be living in Halls, buy some ear plugs (if you want to sleep at all in your first year)

- When you get there, get a map of your local area and walk around it and get to know it properly. Lots of people I know didn't make it into the centre of Nottingham during the day at all in their first term. I have a definite advantage in navigation still.

- If you're in catered halls, take some snack food with you.

- Unless you're a very energetic person, don't try to do everything in Freshers week. Spending some time chatting to people rather than going clubbing every night can help you to make friends and also delays the onset of the inevitable Freshers flu.

- On that note, take tissues, paracetamol, whatever else will make you feel better.

- Take posters to decorate your room with. They have regular poster sales here where some of mine came from but posters make you feel at home. Without posters, uni rooms tend to look too much like prison cells.

- Make the most of Freshers Fair. If there's a good free gift, go round again. Don't get pushed into signing up for societies unless you're sure.

That's all I can think of for now...

[Andy B]

I still advocate stripping as a great part time job that doesn't take up too much time but that's just me. Other than that when in a shared house be prepared for everyone eating the last of your food and drinking the last of your milk and coming home at 3am to have noisy sex while you try to

sleep before an exam!

[Guest CancerForTheCure]

I still advocate stripping as a great part time job that doesn't take up too much time but that's just me. Other than that when in a shared house be prepared for everyone eating the last of your food and drinking the last of your milk and coming home at 3am to have noisy sex while you try to

sleep before an exam!

And that's why I have gone for a private flat. It was a hard decision - education or social life but I've always been good at prioritising

Stripping? Not everyone would be allowed to strip, let alone get paid for it

[superchris0110]

- Make the most of Freshers Fair. If there's a good free gift, go round again. Don't get pushed into signing up for societies unless you're sure.

That's all I can think of for now...

I agree with that. They always said to us in the run up "its not a competition to see who can collect the most" Well actually it is, pick up as many free bits as possible, pens paper the lot! ASDA were at mine and they gave away a free shopping bag with packs of soup, mugs, pens, fruit... wasnt interested in them trying to get me to shop there, just wanted the free stuff hehe!!

Also as has been said, freshers week is great, but dont try to do everything in that week, there will be plenty of other opportunities throughout the year!

Also, get to know as many people as you can/want to in the first few weeks, because it becomes harder as the year goes on to make new friends in the same way as you would within the first month or so, as everyone starts grouping off!

[Behelzebub]

If you're in self-catered halls then make as much use of the uni canteens as possible during the day, the food may be slightly dodgy at the best of times but it saves you having to cook and going out to the supermarket all the time after a hard day of lectures...

And I definitely agree with what Lucinda said about buying ear plugs, be prepared for the fact that halls can be very noisy (particularly if your actual home is relatively quiet like mine is) and if you like your 8 hours' sleep a night then ear plugs are essential. Don't worry if you feel like complete sh*t during freshers week, it is a very chaotic period but things'll soon settle down after lectures start and you'll gradually feel less homesick. Try and keep all your food in one place and write your name on it if you find that it's getting nicked. And always always lock your door when you leave your room/flat, even if it's just for a few minutes, locks on bedroom doors are massive privileges that you don't get in some shared houses so make the most of them... That's about all I can think of for the time being.

[popbitcher]

I still advocate stripping as a great part time job that doesn't take up too much time but that's just me.

no wonder you don't give out your age ya big perv! :shock:

[Andy B]

CFTC - Private flat? How minted are you? I can't afford a private flat other than a shoebox! And as for the stripping. I agree there are some people who shouldn't and while I couldn't make any money from it ( I know, I've tried!) I'm sure Catherine is emminetly qualified.

Oh yeah and always get drunk before you go out As that's far cheaper. I can't understate the importance of a big Bottle of Vodka!

[FreakaZoid101]

CFTC - Private flat? How minted are you? I can't afford a private flat other than a shoebox! And as for the stripping. I agree there are some people who shouldn't and while I couldn't make any money from it ( I know, I've tried!) I'm sure Catherine is emminetly qualified.

Oh yeah and always get drunk before you go out As that's far cheaper. I can't understate the importance of a big Bottle of Vodka!

1. My mum wanted me to get a private flat. Don't know how she expects me to afford it.

2. There is a pole dancing society at the UEA (they post ads on all the fresher facebook groups).

3. I don't drink so I'm already saving loads of money on that. My sister doesn't anymore and she is loaded compared to her friends.

[simonf]

Oh and unless you have a great reason for staying at home for uni I believe everyone should get away from home. Bad housemate are part of it. Dodgy halls, shared flats are part of the experince. For all the bad times at uni. The good times far outweigh it. When was the last time you had a house full of people drinking and dancing and all your furniture locked up in one room and ransoms crashing out on the kitchen floor at 5am while you try to get an hours sleep!

It's ace!

You're making me upset now! I have to go back to the parentals house (I refuse to call it home - uni is my true home) in less than two weeks and it's killing me! I definitely agree on the moving out thing. My uni experience would be nowhere near as good if I hadn't done it. My sister didn't move out for her first year and she completely regretted it when she saw how much fun everyone else was having! And to anyone moving into halls....FIRE ALARMS! You'll likely get one or two on your first night and they'll continue throughout the year. The halls across the road from me had a nice round 40 in the first semester...

[Bumble_85]

I am sooooo glad I'm not going home now.

[Catherine.]

Firstly, thank you all for the great advice/tips/general experiences from and for uni.

Secondly,

...as for the stripping. I agree there are some people who shouldn't and while I couldn't make any money from it ( I know, I've tried!) I'm sure Catherine is emminetly qualified.

Oh yeah and always get drunk before you go out As that's far cheaper. I can't understate the importance of a big Bottle of Vodka!

How am I eminently qualified? Apart from being a woman I suppose

Not too sure about stripping, I think some people can pull it off but not sure i'd be one of them. Nice little earner though.

I always drink before going out! Saves loads

[Andy B]

Well whatever job you go for, I'd advise against working in a bar. It's nowhere near as fun as people imagine. Long nights where you can't drink till the end clearing up all sorts of stuff.

[Behelzebub]

Ah, fire alarms, that's another good point... I was quite lucky in that the fire alarm in our block only went off once the whole time I was there and it was at about 8:00 at night, my hall was a bit of a hotspot for fire alarms going off though, god only knows how many times the fire brigade were called out when I was there. But watch out for them going off at ridiculous times in the morning.

[Guest CancerForTheCure]

CFTC - Private flat? How minted are you? I

I'm not. My boyfriend is taking a gap year...

[Jono]

I can't believe it's only three months until September. Scary, but some what exciting... Any more forum members starting university this year?

[Emma]

Yeah, I am. I'm dreading it, I've got my back-up plan sorted incase I hate uni!

[Jono]

Yeah, I am. I'm dreading it, I've got my back-up plan sorted incase I hate uni!

I didn't even realise you were at that stage for university yet. Then again I think it's because I'm a year behind, I'm all out of sync with the age thing.

[Emma]

I didn't even realise you were at that stage for university yet. Then again I think it's because I'm a year behind, I'm all out of sync with the age thing.

Oooh it's okay. I'm still in shock at how quickly the two years of 6th Form go...Is your course 3 years at uni?

[Jono]

Oooh it's okay. I'm still in shock at how quickly the two years of 6th Form go...Is your course 3 years at uni?

Yeah, I finish in 2011. It's weird saying that, but that'll be here in no time...

[Emma]

Yeah, I finish in 2011. It's weird saying that, but that'll be here in no time...

I hope it is here in no time! Argh, then we have to venture out into the big, wide world looking for a real job, scary.

[Jono]

I hope it is here in no time!

Why? University is supposed to be the best years of your life.

[Emma]

Why? University is supposed to be the best years of your life.

Yeah, I guess I'll settle into it in no time, but for now I'm all worried about it