My University Family

   Looking at how settled I am to university life now, it's crazy to think that I was so scared at the original prospect of moving away from home and making new friends. The friends I made on the first night are still my friends now, and we've gotten so close over the past few weeks. They genuinely make me so so happy and I'm so grateful to have met them.
   We've become like a family, and I honestly would class them as my lil university family! We spend so much time together, and starting lectures has been a shock to us all as we can't be together 24/7 anymore! We're always up for chilling together on an evening, and some days we'll cook a massive meal for us all to share, or just cook our own food and sit round the table together. We've all become a bit obsessed with Come Dine With Me too, it's all we ever seem to watch! Predrinks are definitely the best thing we do together though. We all egg each other on and just have a laugh together as we're all so comfortable around each other. We're also all willing to look after one another and we always have each other's backs and are looking out for one another. I honestly can't imagine what university would be like if I was friends with different people, I've definitely got the best friends and the best flat block anyone could ask for! They've made university so much more enjoyable and for that I will always be eternally grateful.
   Whilst at university it is inevitable that you will lose a few of your friends from back home as they get swept away in university life and a city atmosphere. However, you may be lucky enough, like me, to have managed to avoid that so far. My main advice is to try not to force any friendships. You may really want to stay friends with them, but you're just going to get more and more upset the more you text and ring them, and the more they don't reply. Once the first few weeks or months have settled down it is more than likely they'll see the errors of their ways and come crawling back begging you to be friends with them again, at which point it's really up to you as to whether or not you're willing to give them another chance. The main thing to remember is that you are going to be making new friends at university, and you will probably become a lot closer to them than many of your home friends as you'll be seeing them nearly everyday for the next three years! University will prove to you who your true friends are, as those who want to stay in touch with you will, and you'll make some amazing new friendships along the way.

New Experiences

One of my favourite things about university is the new experiences I get to enjoy, some due to my friends likes and interests, whilst others are purely because I have to.

Public Transport
Public transport is definitely not a new experience I'm enjoying. I hate buses. Like seriously hate them. Although most of the buses tend to be on time, and we get them for free as students, it's always the day it's raining that they turn up late and leave me looking like a drowned rat. Plus, they're always packed as there are so many students trying to get around Manchester! Therefore, you never get a seat and always end up falling into one another whenever the bus stops and starts, no matter how hard you try to stay grounded. When seats eventually become available it's like a pack of dogs as everyone jumps over each other to get to it first.

Blue Mist
Having grown up in Manchester, Inzy knows his way around best out of all of us, and decided one evening to take us to to Blue Mist, his favourite shisha bar. Having never had shisha before I was a bit wary, but I ended up really enjoying myself! The atmosphere there was just so relaxed, we spent about 4 hours there the first time we went just having a laugh all together, and it proved that you don't need alcohol to have a good time, you just need the right people. We've gone quite a few times over freshers, and I know we'll continue to once we've all started our courses.

Food Shopping

   Today I finally decided that instead of running to the Spar every couple of days to get ready meals to put in the freezer, I should be sensible and go on a proper food shop so I can actually cook for myself. Therefore, I went on a trip to Aldi to do a large scale food shop, and I'm rather pleased with how it went!
   I rarely go to Aldi at home, as our family's nearest shop is Tesco, yet I know as a student Tesco will be too expensive to shop in all the time. It's safe to say I was surprised at how cheap the food in Aldi is! Now I just need to hope that the food is of decent quality... However, seeing as Aldi is a large chain I'm sure it won't disappoint me. My total shop came to £19.72, and I bought two whole bags full! I decided it's time to be healthy and cook decent meals for myself, so I bought plenty of meat and fish that can obviously be frozen and will enable me to expand my cooking skills and cook an array of different dishes. I also stocked up on non-perishable food such as Ryvita and pasta, so that when I decide I want some comfort food I have something to turn to.
   I'm proud of myself for realising that with the amount of things I have to do for university and everything that's going on around me, I can't run on rubbish food, and that I actually need vegetables and protein. My family and friends stocked me up on cookbooks before I left for uni, so I have plenty of recipes that I'm excited to try out and hopefully I'll be able to avoid giving anyone food poisoning!

Induction Week

   Despite the fact that we treated this as a second week of freshers and went out every night, this week we had a few lectures to go to to give us all an insight into our courses and a chance to meet the other students on our course and our tutors. Abi, Inzy and I are all doing Broadcast Journalism, and so we were able to get the bus to MediaCity together.
   Induction week wasn't actually as useful as I had been expecting. The lectures were only an hour long and I didn't actually learn much about what I should expect from my course. However, it was beneficial to see who else I would be in lectures with, making Monday a bit less daunting.
   The most useful induction lecture for me was meeting the tutors. Each tutor took 5-10 minutes telling us about their background in the media industry and why they had decided to become a tutor at the University of Salford, and it was interesting learning how diverse the backgrounds they all come from are. It also reminded me that they're normal people too, and they seem a lot more friendly than many of my teachers did at secondary school, which'll make it easier for me to be willing to ask questions. It's also great to know that they've been in the industry that I want to go into, as they'll be able to help me produce industry standard work and give me tips on what to say and do in interviews so that I'm not just another university graduate with a dream to get into an incredibly competitive industry, I'll actually stand a bit of a chance.
 If your university offers an induction week I definitely do think you should go along, just don't expect to find out loads of information about your course etc, as some universities will prefer to leave that to your tutors during your lectures, whereas others will prefer to tell you it all in advance so that you know what to expect over the next year. Especially go to any lectures that will enable you to meet your tutors, as first impressions are incredibly important, and it's really beneficial to know who will be teaching you for the next year and what experience they have that will enable you to do better throughout your time at university.

Freshers Fair

   Freshers fair is definitely something that I recommend you all go to as it's an opportunity to find out about all the university societies and what your university has to offer.

   Despite the fact I went with the intention of signing up for nothing and getting loads of free stuff, I actually left having signed up to three clubs - rowing, volleyball and archery - and no free stuff. I'm not actually too sure I'll go to volleyball or archery, but rowing does sound quite interesting, and I'm willing to go outside of my comfort zone and give something new a try! I'm also surprised I'm willing to give it a go seeing as I was bullied into signing up by the coach just because I'm "tall", and also that I'm petrified I'm going to fall out of the boat and make an absolute tit of myself in front of a lot of strangers. 

   I was really intrigued seeing just how diverse the societies are at university, everything was covered from musical theatre to veganism! It also reminded me just how many different cultures there are going to be at university, and how things that may not have appealed to me will appeal to different people. Even if, like me, you aren't necessarily planning on joining any societies during your first year at university, do go along, because it's amazing seeing exactly what your university has to offer and how many different cultures and interests there are.

Student Lock In

   This evening I went to Student Lock In at the Trafford Centre, and I definitely spent far too much, despite the fact everything was 20% off! But, my logic was that I won't get the opportunity very often, so I might as well make the most of it!
   I do like to think that I've become a lot more sensible when it comes to shopping, and I did carefully think through what I could pair everything I bought with and when I'd be able to wear it. Seeing as uni officially starts next week, I thought I should treat myself to a few new purchases to make sure my university wardrobe is as fabulous as it possibly can be! I'm also very relieved that after putting all my purchases away I definitely do not regret anything that I've bought, and none of them were impulse buys.
   Having never been to the Trafford Centre before I had no clue what to expect, and I was completely blown away by the vast size of the place and the array of shops inside! It seemed that all of my favourite shops were there, and close together, which made running between them a hell of a lot easier! The four hours absolutely flew by, it honestly didn't seem like we were there that long! Halfway through we were all so exhausted we had to stop and refuel ourselves on pizza before we could continue trying on clothes, now very bloated, and choosing our favourites to buy.
   I think that Student Lock In is a brilliant idea, as not all shops offer student discount 24/7, and so it was great being able to take of advantage of the four hours that they did. Although I'm aware that the next one is unlikely to be for a fair while, I know that I'll definitely be signing up for it as it was so enjoyable going shopping with friends and getting each other's opinions on outfits, we all picked out items for each other that looked amazing on but we never would have chosen ourselves! It was also another fab opportunity for us to bond as a group, and I honestly wouldn't change the friends I've made for the world, we're all so similar and get on so well, I'm incredibly lucky to have found them as early on as I have!

Freshers Week

   Freshers week has been the best, yet messiest, week of my life to date. It has been absolutely insane yet incredible and has all passed by in a bit of a blur! It's been the perfect opportunity to meet new people and bond with the friends I made on the first night, as well as kill my liver.
   My main piece of advice to any first year, is to pay attention to what your flatmates, or in my case friends upstairs, want to do each evening, because not everyone will want to go out every night, in which case there'll definitely be a flat party! So don't worry, you'll still get to drink! My fresher's week was a mixture of both going out and flat parties, which I was really grateful for, as flat parties are a lot more intimate and allow you to create stronger bonds with friends you've already made. However, it is important to remember that all of the events you've been invited to for freshers have been specially created and tailored for freshers, and therefore you don't want to go missing too many of them.
   It's safe to say you will spend a hell of a lot of money during freshers week, so make sure you get yourself a job over summer to save up and allow you to splash out without having to worry too much about the consequences! Drinks do tend to be quite cheap at freshers events, but alongside paying the initial cost to get into the venue, as the night goes on the bill creeps up as you find yourself buying more drinks and grabbing a takeaway before you contribute towards the taxi back to your accommodation. I definitely recommend predrinking, as I found that the nights we had bigger prinks the less I spent when I was actually out. I tended to take out around £30-40, there was never one night where I spent all of it, but I was grateful to have the extra money just in case I needed it for whatever reason.
   Freshers is a great opportunity to pinpoint your favourite bars and nightclubs for the weekends when your course has started. Despite the fact drink prices will more than likely be higher once freshers is over, it's still great to know which bars and clubs you all prefer, as you'll be able to enjoy yourself more on a night out knowing that it's somewhere you're going to be comfortable. It's also a chance for you to find out the dress codes for the various clubs, as some will be a lot dressier than others, and the last thing you want is to go out in jeans and flats to see everyone else in dresses and heels! Definitely get the dress codes sussed out during freshers, and trust me, within about 5 minutes of being in there you'll know exactly what it is,
   Freshers is all about making new friends, so, similarly to what I said in my previous post, make the most of as many opportunities as you can, as although you can go to freshers in your second and third year, this freshers is your freshers! So you really need to make the most of it. Save your money, make yourself look hot, take a million photos and make memories you'll remember for the rest of your life.

Manchester Royal Infirmary
   One word of warning I do have for you is to monitor your drinking. I know it's boring because we all want to get drunk and have an amazing time, but after having ended up in Manchester Royal Infirmary two nights in a row because I drank far too much, I really do recommend that you keep an eye on how much you've had. Despite the fact that as a diabetic I already spend a lot of time in hospitals, I absolutely hate them, and having to go to one when you're unaware of what's actually happening to you is a petrifying feeling that I wish none of you ever have to go through.
   I am incredibly lucky that both nights I was in Abi was willing to stay with me and keep an eye on me, despite the fact that one night I had to stay in for 12 hours. Most people would have just left me on my own, so I am eternally grateful to her for being so supportive and caring.
   Trust me when I say it is absolutely humiliating, and I beg you, please do not end up in my position. Being vulnerable in a new city is not a sensible idea at all. I'm incredibly lucky that it didn't ruin mine or Abi's freshers, and despite the fact I still woke up every day with hangovers, I was a lot more sensible with my drinking after both incidents.

First Night

   Luckily enough last night definitely did make me feel a lot more comfortable and now I definitely feel ready to settle into university life. Despite the fact I woke up with a killer hangover I remember everything that happened and all the names and faces that I met. Thankfully my parents were taking me out for lunch today, so that cleared up my head in no time!
   Nearly everyone I met was a first year, although some were 19 as they had either taken a gap year or attended a different university last year before deciding on a change in course. Everyone is from all over the country as well, which makes it all a lot more interesting, and it gives us all an opportunity to laugh at each other's accents! Everyone seems really friendly and down to earth, which is a relief when you bear in mind how petrified I was at the initial thought of having to go upstairs and introduce myself to a group of strangers when I'm so used to having a very tight knit group of friends back home. Thankfully, I can see some of my home friends traits in quite a few of them, which I believe will make it easier for me to bond with them. Quite a few of us hit it off really well last night, so I think I'll already have a close group of around 8 over the next week or so.
   One of the first people I met was Abi, who'd actually added me on Facebook over the summer! She was too scared to come and introduce herself at first as she didn't want to admit to having added me on Facebook, but we both recognised each other straight away and when we eventually got round to talking to one another we realised we have a lot of similarities and we both know we're definitely going to be close friends!
   Last night proved to me that it's all well and good being scared of meeting new people, but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and take the opportunity of going to meet them. If Matt and Will hadn't come down to my flat last night to tell me about the party I don't think I would have gone, as I wouldn't have felt welcome. In hindsight, this would have prevented me from the initial bonding I had with everyone last night, and would have made the situation worse, as I'd be having to start fresh with a group that already knew one another. Therefore, my advice to any first years is to take all the opportunities you get to go and meet your new flatmates or the people in the surrounding flats to you. A few of us even ventured into other flats last night to meet the people living there! The last thing you want when you've already had so much thrown at you is to feel left out because everyone else is already bonding and beginning to make friends, purely because you were too scared to take the same opportunity that everyone else did. So bite the bullet and go for it, because trust me, I'm so grateful that I did.

Moving In

   So, today was the day! It's scary how quickly it came around, and it's bizarre to think that I am currently sat at my desk in my new room typing this, rather than my room at home!
Fortunately for me, moving in was a straight forward enough process as instead of having to cram my million and one bags and boxes into the back of my parents car, my boyfriend Jake was willing enough to drive me down, allowing me to distribute everything between the two. This also meant that, as we set off two hours ahead of my parents, we were able to get the majority of my things unloaded and set up in my room before my parents arrived with the rest of it. Consequently, this made the moving process flow a lot more easily and made it much less crammed and stressful than it probably would have been otherwise!
   It's safe to say that my room is pretty small, however, I personally find it really cute, and coming from a small room at home I'm not that bothered about the size of it. However, I definitely brought far too much stuff! Having unpacked the majority of my things we've already decided that it's necessary for my parents to bring up two extra storage units when they come up to visit next month in order to give me more floor space. I quite literally have things crammed into every nook and cranny I can find!
   Overall, I think my room looks rather homely so far, due to the simple additions of cushions and fairy lights. I am planning on getting some photos printed off via Photobox of me and my friends, which I feel will make it look even cuter. I'm lucky enough to have a corner desk in my room and I absolutely adore it as it takes up so little space, yet will be vital to my education and gives me a lot of surface space and drawers to store things!
   I'm the only one who's currently moved into my flat. I know that there's another first year girl and then 4 international students, all of whom are second years and therefore won't be moving in for at least another two weeks. My flat seems like a bit of a ghost town! Luckily, I posted on Facebook that I was on my own and two boys came down to find me and invite me up to a flat party upstairs later, so that should be a great opportunity for me to make friends with people in the surrounding flats in my block, Blake, meaning I don't mind being on my own down here if it's only going to be at night!
I'm petrified about being away from home, but hopefully it should be an enjoyable night, therefore making me feel a lot more comfortable. My room is nearly perfect, and hopefully soon enough it will be a home away from home!

Packing

   For someone who hates packing, packing for university was horrific. I can barely pack for two weeks to go on holiday, let alone for a whole year away from home?! Thankfully, I have some very wonderful friends who were willing to come and give me a hand and make the whole process a hell of a lot more enjoyable.
   I did leave my packing until the last minute, as I was on holiday the week prior to moving, so I only had 4 days when I got back to buy everything and get it all boxed up before I was off! This is something I definitely do not recommend to anyone! It's absolutely killer. However, everything is now boxed up ready to go tomorrow so I can breathe a massive sigh of relief as I look at the million boxes and bags in my hall. 
   Although I did have to buy a fair bit of new stuff to take with me, such as bathroom towels, bedding, cleaning products etc, it's really handy being able to take so much of the stuff I already have at home. I'm a massive stationery hoarder, so I didn't need to buy any new stationery apart from a FiloFax! 
   Packing was a really useful way to rediscover things I'd completely forgotten I had, I've found so many old clothes that are absolutely lush, so they're definitely coming up with me for the winter months! My friend Katie wants to work in fashion when she's older and she's always up to date with the current trends so she came round and we spent the afternoon choosing which clothes, bags, shoes,  jewellery, makeup, nail varnish, perfume, bags, shoes and other accessories I should take with me. I'm so grateful she was able to help because it would have taken me days on my own! 
   Now I'm packed I'm genuinely so so excited to get up to university, it's a completely new chapter in my life and I just can't wait to start it!

My advice to first years:

• Do not leave packing until the last minute - trust me, you will regret it!
• Get your friends to help you out, it makes it so much more fun!
• Have a thorough look through what you already have before you buy anything new - you never know what you might find
• However, do buy some new things, it'll make you feel a lot more grown up
• Pack underwear and stationery in bags you want to take to university - the less boxes the better!
• Hang any hung clothes up in the back of your car, then you can just transfer them straight into your wardrobe rather than having to faff about with hangers once you're there

Shops I recommend looking in:

• Dunelm Mill - everything in there is such good value for money! I got a lot of my bedding and bathroom accessories from here
• Argos - if you need and/or your university allows you to have one, Argos is the perfect place to get a good value, good quality mini fridge
• Tesco - all my food, cutlery and crockery is from Tesco and it's been incredible value for money! I also got my duvet and pillows from here. They have a lot of student offers on in August, so definitely go and have a look!
• Primark - this is the place to go for bedding, hangers and cheap and cheerful pyjamas!