In our recent survey, students and graduates have revealed their tips for surviving university – including learning three simple recipes, avoiding snogging housemates and going digital with textbooks.
Kortext’s poll of 1,000 18 to 24-year-olds – including current and former students – found 61 per cent were not prepared for the rigors of university life, and 61 per cent struggled to adjust to the change of lifestyle at first – so new students are recommended to bring along small mementos to remind them of home.
Other tips for surviving university include joining at least one university society, putting a list of deadlines on your wall where you’re likely to see it, and buying your own printer.
Uni is expensive, but the experience is worth it
The research, carried out through OnePoll, found that 79 per cent were shocked at how expensive it was to purchase everything they needed for their studies. To underline this, it emerged that more than £1,100 could be spent on textbooks alone during a three-year degree. However, despite the significant expense, 67 per cent of existing or ex-students would encourage others to go to university.
Robin Gibson, Marketing Director at Kortext, said:
Many of those starting their degree this year will be leaving home for the first time. And while undeniably fun, university can be quite overwhelming at first.
We’re seeing some alarming stats with many students saying they don’t even know how they’re going to afford their course books, so we hope sharing the wisdom of those who’ve navigated university life will come in handy for new starters. They’ve been there and know just what it was like to be a new student – worrying about fitting in, money, getting to grips with their studies, and more.
Shop around and plan ahead!
Other pearls of wisdom from current and former students include saying yes to everything (to be used with caution!) and don’t be afraid to talk to your tutors about your studies as it’s what they’re there for.
They also recommend new students choose modules they’re genuinely interested in and avoid all-night study sessions – so try and chip away at coursework rather than leave it until the last minute.
Further tips include shopping around before committing to utilities providers, avoiding cheap laptops, and arguably the most important tip of them all: trust pizza – it’s the perfect hangover food.
Coping with the cost
The survey results do contain a warning, however, with 68 per cent of those who’ve been to university thinking it’s even more expensive than the general public perceives it to be. Similarly, the same percentage admitted they’d be worried about being able to afford their degree if they were to start it now amid the cost-of-living crisis, with 72 per cent of those yet to commence their degree admitting they’re concerned about having enough money to pay for all the textbooks needed for their course.
The study suggests students should budget carefully – but new starters are advised to be realistic when doing so, ensuring they set aside money to enjoy themselves.
Robin Gibson added:
One of the biggest themes of the research is how expensive university is. And while this isn’t new, it does highlight how much of a concern it continues to be for students – especially in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis.
Of course, they’re limited in what they can do when it comes to costs like tuition fees, but as shown in some of the tips, from the books they buy to their choice of internet provider, there are ways they can make their money go a little further.
Save money on your course books
Whilst students can access course books from their university library, it’s not unusual to find there’s competition for library books, especially around exam season. Some students are in a more equitable position where their university provides free, instant, digital access to their core course books through platforms like Kortext, so they’re available 24/7 – but many universities still do not operate in this way.
If you don’t receive your books as part of your tuition fees and a book isn’t available from the library at the point of need – or you simply want a copy of your own for peace of mind – you can head to the Kortext store to browse over 500,000 eBooks at competitive prices. When read through the Kortext platform, our eBooks come complete with gold-standard accessibility features and online study tools to help you ace your degree. And what’s more, you can carry a whole library of books right in your pocket to study anytime, anywhere.
25 top tips for surviving university:
- Keep a list of deadlines and put it on your wall where you’re likely to see it
- Join at least one university society
- Don’t be afraid to talk to your tutors about your studies – it’s what they’re there for
- Master three simple cooking recipes
- Shop around before committing to utilities providers
- Budget carefully – but be realistic, making sure you enjoy yourselves
- Buy digital versions of course textbooks
- Avoid cheap laptops
- Don’t worry about making your best friends in the first week
- Choose modules you are genuinely interested in
- Don’t worry about impressing others
- Be open-minded – be willing to say yes
- All-night study sessions are not fun – try not to do them
- Get a diary or calendar
- Talk to course mates about your coursework
- Buy your own printer
- When meeting housemates for the first time try breaking the ice with food, drinks, snacks
- Move into shared accommodation
- Eat or cook in communal spaces
- Take some small mementos to remind you of home
- Show willing – be on hand to help others
- Avoid snogging housemates
- Knock on hall of residence cohabitees’ doors and say hello
- Pizza is the perfect hangover food
- Don’t be the one with a car
Do you have any tips to help other students during the start of university? Comment below!
