Fresher’s guide to getting home in one piece after a night out

This is a guest post from David at TheUniPod.com

All the mums and dads at home are going to worry about their children at university; what will they eat? Will they be happy? Will they meet nice, new people? Will they be motivated to study? Will they get home in one piece after a night out? Hmm. 

When making your choice of university these are things which don’t even come into your mind, but come Fresher’s Week, and students will tell you that some of these are easier than others; bunging a pizza in the oven is classed as cooking in the student world and scoffing it whilst in bed with a DVD is an acceptable and rather content way to dine.  There will be a bit of studying and there will be a bit of fun. All students can confirm this, but getting home in one piece is quite often a blur for many and they sometimes won’t be able to tell you how they managed it. 

It’s easy enough to drink yourself into a merry state, let’s admit that, and when you’re at home in a familiar town getting home is freakishly embedded into your brain, even when severely intoxicated. I’ve got some news for you. Getting drunk in a new town during Fresher’s week may be great fun… up until the moment when you literally haven’t a clue where you are and you can no longer hear the buzz of the club or bar in the distance. Here are a few tips for getting home in one piece:

It’s a good idea to jot down not only your address but a couple of “landmarks” or directions on your phone and save them in the notes section. Or, take a photo of the information so that it’s easy to find if you’re fingers aren’t cooperating with your brain (it’s happened to all of us!). Jotting down “landmarks” is pretty funny if you’re in a group as you’ll almost feel as if you’re hunting for your university, but still feel safe as you know it’s hiding nearby somewhere.

Most university towns offer an ingenious taxi service scheme that could save you if you’re one of those incredibly generous people always buying rounds and end up with no money at the end of every night out. This is problematic, unless you sign up for this pre-paid taxi service that basically uses your card details to pay for any journey home that you need. This is a great one for reassuring the parents and also means that you can relax knowing that you’ll get home safely not only during Fresher’s week but for the entire university year.

Some universities, like Leicester, for example, really do care that you come back from a night out in one piece - almost as much as your parents - and they offer bus services from the student union to halls. This is a God-send if you’re attending a city university and don’t fancy stumbling down roads that seem to look increasingly unfamiliar on your way home back to halls. It’s also a cheaper option than getting a cab, so despite all the moans about university fees you’ll be grateful they sorted you out on this one.

If you’re a cheeky student from Sunderland you will even be able to take advantage of Station Taxis “free” lift home if you’ve run out of money. All you simply have to do is show your Student Union Membership card and then sign an account at the end of your journey as confirmation. The Student Union pay for the lift and then when you reclaim your Membership Card you simply pay them back.

These kind of schemes are becoming ever more common at universities, so be sure it’s one of the first things you check in Fresher’s week. Getting back to university halls or accommodation in one piece despite wibble-wobble-walking may be easier than you thought- this is something I definitely learned as a Fresher in my first year at university. With that being said I am not encouraging that binge drinking reputation we all seem to have as students! Enjoy yourself but also be safe!

How to save money on costly utility bills

Today, we have a guest - Luke from The Student Blogger.

Hello ladies and gentlemen! I'm Luke, aged 22 and from sunny old Essex! As of June 2013 I’m a graduate of Birmingham City University from the Applied Performance course, from my experiences I decided to start blogging, of all my experiences from university life, from housing and money saving to day to day life. Hopefully this will help someone!


Here are Luke's tips for saving money on utility bills......



"Everybodys favourite word, BILLS, you take this for granted when living at home but you soon realise that everything costs money, from watching TV, eating, taking a shower and being able to see in a room which isn’t like a fridge freezer! Having to shell out so much money on them can seem a pain, however there are some things you can do to help minimise the amount you spend.

Use price comparison sites to ensure you're not paying more than you have to

(An average customer can save £100′s over one year just by switching to a cheaper company. Remember that new TV you’ve always wanted?)

Money Supermarket

uSwitch

Sites like these are your best buddy as a student, they will help you to find the cheapest tariff for your home, but remember to have those energy bills ready because you’ll need to input some figures to calculate the costs, or you can estimate your usage by home averages. You’ll often receive a discount for signing a longer contract however they may impose charges for leaving early, so always read the small print! Remember our guide on saving money whilst shopping? You can get cash back on your energy ‘shopping’ as well!

Turn down your thermostat

It costs more money to heat a home at a higher temperature and by turning your temperature dial down by just one degree, you could end up saving around 10% on your energy bill. That’s equivalent to about £55, which is a massive saving for something you probably won’t notice. It pays to be savvy!

Use your heating at night

It’s a well-known fact that energy is cheaper at night, so it makes sense to use the bulk of it then. Try to put off heating your house and your water until after 7pm, or if you need to have it on before, have it on a lower setting. If you find that heating is costing you too much, it may be worth investigating whether you can switch to another tariff, which suits your usage better.

Use energy saving light bulbs

Energy savers use less energy than traditional light bulbs to generate the same amount of light, however they can take a little while to warm up, so plan your light switch on time strategically! They can also save you a huge chunk your energy costs. Go out and buy some!

Don’t leave the light on

This is common sense. Though you might forget to flick the switch when you leave, there are no advantages to leaving the lights on; it’s bad for the environment and bad for your bank balance. Try leaving post-its by the switches and get into the habit of stopping and thinking before you walk out of the room.


Turn your electronics off

This applies to Xbox/PS3′s, TV’s, laptops, the whole lot! — if you are not using them, they are costing you money for no reason!




Save your washing up for one wash

A brilliantly popular money saving technique that seems too good to be true! However, rather than heating water in drips and drabs, it is far better to boil the kettle and fill a washing up bowl with water to do all those dirty dishes in one go. Go on, we’ll let you use us as an excuse to put it off for a little longer, just this once.

Shower, don’t use the bath!

Using the bath is far more expensive to showering, especially if you like filling yours to the top (like me!). Consider the bath a treat and hop in the shower to get clean, plus knock off those extra few minutes you spend in the shower each day and you’ll be saving yourself even more!


And if all else fails, stock up on lots of jumpers and blankets and be prepared to walk around in your duvet!"

Thank you to Luke for sharing those tips with us!

How An Old Book Can Land You A Dream Job

This is a guest post from Raw Egg Interns.

After university, people generally have a vague idea of the industry that they’d like to go into. It doesn’t have to be directly linked to their degree; it doesn’t have to be linked at all. However, unless you have looked at what the industry has to offer, it can be tricky to breakdown the job roles to aim for, and even to know what you might enjoy.

Inevitably if you get to interview stage you will be asked; what do you feel you can bring to this job and which aspects of the job are you most interested in? Unless you know how the job works and fits with the rest of the industry, these questions will be followed with a long and resounding uuuuuuuuhm.

Well, that is frankly awkward, so to avoid this we would suggest getting hold of some old textbooks, basic guides or industry magazines and having a good read, before doing anything else. Not all employers want a newbie with experience, but they do want someone who knows what they’re getting themselves into. 

Don’t splash out, second hand books do the job, but do remember that digital and technology industries move fairly quickly, so any books that are pre-millennium are only for an understanding of basic principles, not day to day workings. 

By reading up on the basics, recruiters will recognise that you have put in the time and effort to make the links between your skills and their industry. They will trust that this same level of interest, research and wisdom will be maintained once you’re in the work place.

Go forth bookworms and read yourself to a job. 

Written by.......

Raw Egg Interns is more than a recruitment solution; it is a business development initiative. We connect our paid interns with industry experts so together they can generate amazing business solution, direction and insights.

Raw Egg Interns Ltd.

info@rawegginterns.com

www.facebook.com/RawEggInterns

0843 289 2554

Going Global 2012: Where Would You Go?

Pass Me My Passport! 

Among the hundreds of holiday jobs, part time and graduate jobs StudentJob has to offer all year round, we also have some of the best international internships going. When we say an internship abroad can change your life, we really mean it.  Internships come in all shapes and sizes and now the view from your office or sofa can be a lot different to the standard doom and gloom the British weather likes to supply us with...Whether you have 3 months over summer or one year to travel or work in industry why not look into an international internship? 2012 can be one of your most memorable years yet!. StudentJob have a huge variety of part time jobs, paid placements and internships across the world... 

Putting it into perspective, for many during or finishing university means to simply seeking employment . But not for everybody. Many students have chosen to travel therefore discovering  the real world by going global alongside earning, learning and living life with new experiences when they venture out into the world. Whatever you fancy doing this year, StudentJob offer everything from working in Summer Camps in America to Hospitality Staff in some of the exotic holiday resorts going. 

Pushing your boundaries is all part of the excitement., not to forget that all of this will be enhance your career prospects through the whole experience and creating new contacts. Who knows who you might meet? Or where you might travel to next? 

Whichever stage you are at in your career  whether you are looking for a career experience, change or break, exploring the world can create new perspectives  a new plan for your future both professionally and personally. 

Yes internships abroad can seem daunting, riding solo with new responsibilities and living in a new place, however the bigger your stepping stones,  the better your experience can be. Remember - Nothing ventured, nothing gained. StudentJob has partnered with some of the best companies across the world, to ensure only the best and dependable opportunities are available for our candidates.  

Destination Unknown

Don’t know where to go? Begin looking into making 2012 unforgettable and begin to plan your adventure now by visiting www.studentjob.co.uk to see the variety of opportunities we have, covering everywhere from Amsterdam to Australia, Brazil to Beijing,  Germany to Greece, and many, many more!. Start to discover what is available by visiting  www.studentjob.co.uk

Exploring the world in 2012. Now that sounds like a good plan. 

5 Steps to Going Global with StudentJob   


1 - Register at www.studentjob.co.uk


2 - Look through our global vacancies  


3 - Apply to vacancy with 1 click  


4 - Wait for a response from the company 


5 -Find your passport! 


Twitter - @StudentJobUK
Facebook - StudentJob

For more information please contact Rebecca Twohey
 at r.twohey@studentjob.co.uk 
      www.studentjob.co.uk 
      

Getting established in the art industry

BuyStudentArt.co.uk is a website where art students can sell their work direct to the general public on a commission basis. Kerri shares with us some tips on how to get established in the art industries after university.

So you are an artist….now what?

Once you have set yourself on the road to becoming a full time artist, what do you do next?  You have created your next master pieces, you could have canvases stacking up or photographs filling up PC space, so how do you go about selling your artwork and becoming recognised? 

 See my 10 ways to becoming recognised as an artist.......

1.       Decide on a name and a brand - this doesn’t have to be expensive, will you be known as your name or by a brand name? 

2.       Add your website wherever you can, have it as the signature on your email, on your profile on Facebook and Twitter

3.       Buy your url, this is simple and a quick Google search will determine if this is available, they are usually less than £10 and well worth it

4.       Design a quick and easy website – you can do this for free if you use something like www.webs.com it certainly gives the impression that you are a serious and professional artist, it is simple then to direct people to your website for sales

5       Sell your artwork, try and find outlets for your work

6.       Try websites such as ours, www.BuyStudentArt.co.uk where you can upload your artwork and then a commission is taken if the artwork is sold

7.       Try local fairs, lots of universities have summer fairs with stands for as little as £5 and well worth trying to sell your artwork here

8.       Have posters and flyers made up – try Vistaprint for free promotional material

9.       Join online networking groups, such as LinkedIn and find groups where you can network online

10.   Contact your local library or adult education centre and see whether you can put an exhibition on in the foyer

11.   Contact the local paper, if you have a good local story, they will love to cover you

Wish you all of the best and if we can help at BuyStudentArt with selling your artwork or advice then please drop us an email on Info@BuyStudentArt.co.uk 

Thank you to Kerri of BuyStudentArt.co.uk for sharing her advice with us.