Glamlife News from SS News Application
Glamlife News from SS News Application
News for tag - unilife
» 2018 Freshers' Check List
It seems like there are a million things you need to do when you first come to uni.
Our check list helps you break things down into more manageable tasks!
Download the above Word Document so you can change things to suit you and tick off what you’ve done. Perfect for printing!
Before you get here
Things you must do:
If you are a Home(UK) student or a student from the EEA or Switzerland and haven't enrolled yet, go to Getting Started at USW to find out how to enrol online and what else you need to do.
International student from outside the EEA / Switzerland need to do personalised enrolment on campus during induction week, International Students Enrolment Information.
If you pay your own fees, decide which payment plan you want to use, and arrange payments.
Good accommodation can make a big difference to your time at university. You might find our Tips for Shared Living useful.
Attending inductions is very important – you’ll probably be allocated into Student Groups for the rest of the year during academic induction sessions. Early in September, find and download induction timetables. There will be links on your UniLife homepage to take you to induction information for your campus.
Plan how and when you’ll get here. If you’ll be living in halls, see the Moving In page to find out when you should aim to arrive.
If you’re an international student, make sure you read USW’s pre-departure information (which includes several additional to-do lists) before leaving your home country.
Make sure you have enough money in your bank account to last you at least two weeks, just in case you need it, for example if there are any delays in receiving your student loan.
Make sure all your vaccinations are in order. Please double check that you have had the correct meningitis vaccination, especially if you were born between 1st September 1990 and 31st August 1996.
Things you should do:
Don't leave it to the last minute - you don't want _all_ your stuff to be in bin bags rather than boxes & suitcases! Here's a list of things to bring to uni with you. There's also a separate list of things to bring for international students.
Check UniLife regularly: at least once a week!
If you are already living in the UK, apply for a student bank account well in advance, so it's ready to use before you get here.
Things you might want to do:
Apply online for an NUS Extra Card to get discounts in shops, online and offline.
Decide which social events, parties and club nights to buy tickets for. Some freshers' events sell out in advance.
Find fellow freshers on social networks (but please don't reveal too much of your personal information online).
Make a list of regional things and places to see: sometimes, a day trip or a weekend away can be a huge boost to morale!
Give any pet you may have a big cwtch. Ditto for parents / family. Promise them you’ll call them regularly – and keep your promise!
After you’ve arrived on campus
Things you must do:
Attend your induction sessions in freshers' week. There, you'll probably get allocated to a student group, which determines which Timetable you'll be using all year.
Register with the University Health Service. They can also help you register with a local GP clinic. Don't wait until you're ill - that's the worst time to have to sort out which clinic to go to!
Things you should do:
Find out which books you need to read for your modules. You might need to buy some of them and get others from the library.
Register to vote: having a continuous record will be good for your credit rating.
Collect your NUS Card (if you have ordered one) from the Students' Union on your campus.
Get a TV Licence if you have a TV, or if you watch live TV or BBC iPlayer online.
If you are a full-time student and eligible, get a Council Tax Letter once teaching starts. With this letter, you won't have to pay Council Tax.
Keep track of your bank balance and check it against your budget on a weekly basis.
If you live in the private sector, find out what the rubbish & recycling collection schedule for your area is. Avoid upsetting your neighbours and incurring a fine!
Decide whether you need home contents insurance – burglars target student houses especially because of all the gadgets and students' sometimes lax attitude to security! (If you live in halls, insurance may already be included in your contract)
Things you might want to do:
Book yourself onto some Taster Sessions organised by the Sport Centre and clubs and societies – a unique chance to have a go at something new!
Browse through UniLife Connect, USW's careers portal. The vacancies database includes student jobs, summer jobs and graduate jobs...
If your neighbours know you, this'll make them more likely to approach you in person (rather than calling the authorities) if there's ever a problem.
