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► Hints and Tips for Freshers
Hints and Tips for Freshers
Food
Food in your freshers year can depend both on where you live and how well you can manage your money. If you are living in catered for halls then you will be treated to the delights of canteen food. However, if you are self catered or fancy some rather more elaborate food, you will have to either find a fast food place to your liking, or you will have to learn to cook.
The second option is probably the healthiest, least expensive and usually the least time consuming, however it does take some effort.
A good breakfast sets you up well for the day and is the easiest meal to prepare. Cereal and toast is a doddle, and even if you want to be more extravagant mushrooms, bacon, eggs and tomatoes isn’t rocket science. A good breakfast fills you with the energy you need to get through till lunch without snacking on chocolate or crisps.
You will find that your lunchtime may vary depending on lectures, so there are two easy options. The first is to head back to your halls and make yourself something or you could drop into the Union Bar or Student Shop to grab a sandwich or baguette which should keep you going until your evening meal. This is where you can have fun and experiment, the best part of cooking for yourself. Eat plenty of carbohydrates every day – bread, rice, potatoes or pasta. Fish is a great source of protein and a tin of tuna costs as little as 80p, so making a dish of pasta, tuna and sweetcorn will not be beyond your budget or ability!
5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day are recommended. Keep your eyes open for seasonal variations and go shopping late Sunday afternoons to grab those reductions.
Health
Time for some really important information, we know when you come away from home for the first time your health is not necessarily the first thing on your mind.
However it is important you realise that your health can dictate how you’re feeling throughout the days, weeks, months of your time at University.
You may have heard about the recent outbreak of mumps in colleges and universities due to the current generation (14-22 year olds) not being vaccinated. As a student you are at high risk. Mumps is a viral infection with symptoms including; fever; sore throat, headache, swelling of saliva glands and pain when opening your mouth. We would recommend you to check whether you have been immunised against mumps and it can lead to more serious illnesses such as meningitis.
As a fresher you may be very susceptible to freshers flu: essentially this is just flu and should be treated as such. Drink plenty of non-alcoholic drinks, take aspirin or paracetamol to bring down your temperature and relieve discomfort and simple medication to relieve sore throat or coughing. You should not try to carry on as normal, you will only prolong it and possibly pass it on to others.
Be aware however, if you also have a rash or stiff neck as these are symptoms of meningitis. An estimated one in ten people carry the bacteria at the back of the nose and throat at any one time but in this form the bacteria are harmless. It is not known why certain individuals develop the disease and others don’t, but it is passed on by prolonged close contact such as kissing. The peak time for infections is October-March and symptoms may include; severe headaches, stiff neck, dislike of bright lights, fever/vomiting, drowsiness/impaired consciousness, rash that will not fade if subjected to pressure (but not in all cases). The tumbler test is a means of assessing this – press a glass against the skin, if the rash remains seek medical advice. Early recognition and treatment of the meningococcal infection is the best route to a good recovery. As with any health problem you should seek medical help as soon as you begin to feel off colour. Better safe than sorry!
Safe Sex
Safe sex is good sex…and as this is one area of your life where you make the decisions then it’s best to know all the facts. However, this is not a lecture like the ones you got from your parents before you left, this is just some upfront advice from the Students’ Union.
As a young person it’s your choice whether to have sex or not and in making this decision there are a number of issues you will face. Sexual health is not just about using contraception or avoiding infections. It is about enjoying the experience and feeling safe without causing yourself or anyone else physical or mental harm.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a major cause of ill health. They can also cause ectopic pregnancy and may also lead to infertility in both men and women. Since 1995 there have been large increases in the number of people diagnosed with STIs, particularly women in their late teens and men in their early twenties.
More and more people feel comfortable in visiting GUM clinics as sexual health advice is made more user-friendly. Using a male or female condom every time you have sex will stop the transmission of most STIs. Condoms can be used in addition to other methods of contraception, such as the pill, which by itself does not protect against infection.
The list of contraceptives is rather long but if you are unsure of how they work or their advantages and disadvantages then check out the following websites and find out.
Family Planning – www.fpa.org.uk
Brook Advisory Service – www.brook.org.uk
National Aids Trust – www.nat.org.uk
NHS – www.playingsafely.co.uk
Last of all please remember that the Union gives out free condoms and advice. We understand that many people have sex – it’s fun – but remember there are potentially serious consequences for both yourself and your partner if you do not use protection.
Drugs
There’s tons of information available about individual drugs, so here we’re going to focus on the whole area of drugs and the implications of drug abuse.
First of all many drugs are illegal and usually there are good reasons behind this. Every drug from alcohol to cocaine has some sort of side effect, be it effects on health, well being, finances or relationships. Potentially you could ruin the rest of your life, especially if you are caught using an illegal substance.
Many professionals won’t recruit students with drug records and some professional courses must inform various regulators if a student is found to have used illegal substances. You can find out more information on drugs by talking to Frank at www.talktofrank.com or by calling the national drugs helpline on 0800 776600. Finally, act responsibly, find out about the implications of drug abuse in order to make informed decisions and be prepared to face up to any consequences that might cross your path.
Finance
So here you are, you’ve made it. You’ve arrived at University with your parcel of food from your mum, £50 from your gran and a photo of your dog for the wall. It’s freshers week, you’ve been to the bar a few times, bought a couple of posters for your room, invested in some necessary course texts and had your new friends round to share a bottle (or two) of wine. Next you’ll probably find that your money is disappearing very quickly.
Money worries are the greatest cause of angst for students and it’s vital that you don’t wait and let your debts get out of control. Sit down, look at what resources you have and budget realistically. Basic budgeting works like this: look at your income for the term, take off what essential costs you have each month (rent, food, bills, travel, etc) and then divide what’s left into weekly amounts. Here’s a top tip; try taking that amount out at the start of the week and sticking to it, rather than making numerous trips to the cash point.
Don’t think you’re loaded when your student loan comes through. It might look like a lot of money but it has to last you all term. And don’t spend money you don’t have. Going over your overdraft limit can be very expensive, and don’t be suckered by the rising trend that says ‘debt is ok’. Remember, you’re probably going to be graduating with well over £10,000 of student loan debt, willingly adding to that will have a serious long term negative effect on your financial health.
If you do have any worries about money or any of the issues on this page The Students' Union are always here to help. We have an independent Advice Service which is completely free and confidential. If you would like to talk to someone go to our Advice service page for more details.
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