Students Offer Freshers 5 Key Tips on Budgeting, Friends and Homesickness
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 15
Students Offer Freshers 5 Key Tips on Budgeting, Friends and Homesickness
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 15
Summary
A record number of 18-year-olds are set to start university this year, and current students told BBC News the biggest pre-arrival worries were money, making friends, homesickness and choosing the right course.
19-year-old Kieran Miller said freshers should budget from their first maintenance-loan payment, compare student bank accounts and use discounts, because the pressure to socialise can quickly push spending beyond plan.
20-year-old Isaak Hewitt, 19-year-old Grace Morrell and 19-year-old Mustafa Dassu said friendships often came from lectures, societies and freshers' WhatsApp groups rather than halls alone.
20-year-old Izzy Garcez and 19-year-old Avery Hewitt said homesickness and workload fears eased once term began, though Avery warned against overcommitting in the first semester.
Universities say support is available before arrival, while students including Pia Subong, Fatima Qureshi and apprentices Aashi Soni and Meenu Hettigama said changing course, taking a gap year or skipping university can also be valid choices.