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Tip #16: Make an effort to make friends

I know it seems scary, getting to a new place and starting university and moving in with strangers, but it's honestly a lot more fun when you relax and try and find common ground. Usually even the nerdiest, geekiest part of you will be in common with someone else, even if it's not necessarily your flatmates then try out for societies and sports groups and people on your course. Everyone's in the same boat and they'll be just as glad as you to have made a friend.

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Tip #15: Bring alcohol from home

If you want to drink at uni, and want to be around other people who drink the same, then the best thing is to bring alcohol from home. While you still have the wonderful Bank of Mum and Dad, why not ask for some alcohol to go along with your first food storage. It means you don't have to try and figure out where's best for alcohol prices on the first night, and it's free alcohol.

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Tip #14: Chocolates can basically guarantee friendship

Apart from people with certain dietary habits or needs, bringing along a box of chocolates or even packets of biscuits will almost certainly get you some new friendships when starting out as a fresher. Treats are definitely the way to people's (especially student's) hearts and free food is even more so, and they give you something to do/talk about on the first day. Arguing over your favourite chocolate bar is most definitely fun when you don't know what else to say.

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Tip #13: Card games are a cure for boredom

Yes, it seems as though the time for card games was well in the past, but definitely not at uni. Bringing along at least one pack of cards means that though they'll be trashed at the end of the term after having to deal with alcohol repeatedly spilling on them, there will be far less awkwardness when just sitting around. Great for alcoholic games and just for something to do in-between lectures or when you don't know what to say during fresher's week.

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Tip #12: Avoid embarrassment and turn up on time

When going to lectures, especially in the first few weeks, those who sleep in through their alarm or who couldn't be bothered to find the room beforehand are nearly always the ones amusing others by going to lectures late. Invest in an alarm that's so blaringly annoying that it makes you wake within seconds, or put one on your phone and stick it under your pillow. You'd rather be awake and day dreaming of when you can get back to bed than grabbing onto those last minutes of sleep, especially when the lecturer glares at you as you finally make it to the lecture theatre.

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Tip #11: Don't let your food go mouldy around other people's

Mouldy food will be found in most student kitchens. When you have a group of young students who know very little about food mould is unavoidable and you only have to look into the veg rack of a student fridge to find 10 different varieties of it. However, there is nothing more annoying than when fresh food is ruined because someone has left their year old carrots, so don't be the person that others quietly resent for such a simple issue.

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CARAMEL APPLE NACHOS

Really nice recipes. Every hour.

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yum

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Tip #10: Don't go overboard on utensils

When first moving to a university, unless you previously know who you will be living with, it's best to buy the bare essentials in terms of pots and pans. But if you buy too many thinking you'll be cooking all the time (you probably won't) then you'll end up with nowhere to store your food when trying to get past that baking dish you thought would be a good idea. A saucepan and frying pan are probably good starters, then just a couple of plates and bowls and cups and maybe some mugs for when you need a cup of tea at the end of a long day of lectures.

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Tip #9: Pre-drink before a night out

If you're planning a night out drinking, don't always get tempted by the student night offers of £1 per shot and think you can get away without pre-drinking. Buying alcohol in large quantities generally ends up being cheaper, if you're pre-drinking with flatmates then you can all chip in to buy a crate of your favourite drink, and you can get drunk in your own home if you don't feel like going out. It's practical, cheaper and gets you drunk a lot quicker than trying to stumble from pub to pub desperately buying cheap drinks before they all close for the night and you're left stranded.

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Tip #8: Sort out a rail card

If you're moving into a university, chances are it'll be near a train station for students to make their way back home. Regardless of whether you're sticking near to your hometown or moving as far away as possible, your family and friends back home will probably want you to come back at some point. Most likely it'll be to prove you're not withering away from living on a student diet. With rail fares only ever increasing, there are definitely benefits to using a railcard to cut down on the price of your travels home.

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Tip #7: Hoard all vouchers

When preparing for university, you're going to want to keep every voucher your family well-meaning give to you. What first seems like a boring easy escape of a birthday or christmas gift from your aunt will soon be a godsend when you realise you can't buy that new product you desperately want, and still have money to buy food the next week. Instead of compromising you can simply use one of those dust-collecting vouchers you got given and use that instead, without having to decide whether food or a new game is more important to you. 

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Tip #6: Always check the date

As a student there is nothing more heartbreaking than going to pour yourself a cup of tea and realising your milk has gone out of date. It happens to every student; but one sniff of your new chunky milk and you won't be making the same mistake again. If you just glimpse at the date when you buy fresh produce you'll never get caught out by short sell-by dates, and it will get you much better value for money on products.

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Tip #5: Always take a bag for life

It's amazing how many offers you get drawn to as a student, suddenly half price crisps are a thing you can no longer resist and your basket soon fills up with offers you now have to lug back home with you. It's amazing just how much you begin to worry over the strength of one plastic bag on your walk home as you fear it might give in and spill its guts everywhere. No matter how much the distance between you and the shop, always bring a sturdy bag so you never have to embarrassingly pick up youritems in front of everyone.

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Tip #4: Sort out a good student account

There is no such thing as a rich student, there is only those who are less poor than others. Having a good student account isn't essential but it is a good fail-safe should things get a little tight on your wallet. Having an overdraft is something not many pre-students think about as they're still optimistic on their money management, but no matter how good you are with figures its always best to have a back up should you be faced with multiple financial surprises. Its best to have a quick look at all the competitive student accounts before you commit to the same back you've had an account with for years as there are different benefits to every bank. If an overdraft isn't for you then there are still many bonus freebies on  offer from each bank.

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Shit Uni Students Say

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Tip #3: Don't expect fridge/freezer space, expect tetris.

Frozen food is a staple of every student's diet, cheep, easy and long lasting, its inevitable that it will accumulate overtime. However having rationed freezer space is also inevitable as you will be stuck with the same tiny drawer the university provides you with for the year and wasting food just isn't affordable when you're living off a student budget.

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Tip #2: The freshers fair is The Hunger Games.

It's your first week in a new life and people are giving you free stuff, it gets crowded and intense very quickly. If you go at a quieter time you will be able to talk to the staff more, and most of the time they keep some freebies back for the people who take an interest. If you go at a busy time you get stuck grabbing things quickly in order to leave and normally there are some pretty handy things there which you won't want to miss.