Feeding yourself at university is an adventure. I have experimented with new recipes and found that cooking can be really enjoyable after a long day on campus! For recipe inspiration, a student specific cookbook aimed at student budgets and timescales is great. I always fall back on mine when I want a quick, tasty meal. Having a few good favourite recipes are useful to have as well.
Every Saturday morning before I go shopping, I make a list. This enables me to stick to a budget and remember all the essentials. I plan out what I am having for packed lunches (sandwiches or pasta salads are my go-tos) and evening meals. My aim is to cook 2-3 meals from scratch each week and I have these on the days when I have plenty of time. The other days I improvise; either by eating leftovers from my weekly meals, eating out of the freezer or getting a meal from a flatmate. Eating together with my flat is one of my favourite ways to relax in the evening, and it means I get to try some new, tasty meals!
Not the most glamorous task, but a necessary one! From my experience, a decent quality washing up liquid is best and worth the extra expense. I use sponges to do my washing up, but they do go gross after repeated use so I tend to get a new one every week. Kitchen towel is invaluable, so make sure you never run out!
On campus, there are laundrettes situated around or inside accommodation blocks. Some require change to operate whilst others require Circuit laundry cards that you top up online. If your room is warm, I would recommend getting a clothes dryer to save money on tumble drying. On that note, some clothes don’t tumble dry so it’s worth checking labels before you throw everything in!
To end this little section, I wanted to make a comment on ironing. I did bring one to uni but have hardly ever used it. It’s something to consider if some of your clothes (like shirts) look better when ironed, but in my opinion, it isn’t a necessity. I’m sure my Mum would disagree however!
When living in Leamington, it’s hard to avoid using the bus to get to campus. I have a yearly Stagecoach bus pass, which lets me get the U1, U1 or U17 (on a Sunday). There are National Express buses that go between Leamington and campus too, but I have found they are more commonly used by people living in Coventry to get to campus. It is a convenient way to get around the area, as it takes less than an hour to get from Leamington to Coventry.
Meeting new people is exciting but can be nerve-wracking. I found that by trying to speak to everyone I could, the easier it got! I’ve met some lovely people just by striking up conversation in lectures.
Society events are the best for having fun and meeting people. They are especially fun when they are fancy dress themed! I like having a few go-to pieces in my wardrobe to use. A bed sheet can be turned into a toga, fairy wings are a classic, and cardboard boxes can be transformed into anything!
The main two SU events are Pop and Skool Dayz. These are great events to go to, but aren’t a necessity if clubbing isn’t your thing. I haven’t gone to Pop in a long time, but it doesn’t mean I don’t go circling or socialise with friends and societies who do! There are so many ways to socialise with friends that don’t involve drinking and dancing; for example, I love watching a film and ordering pizza with my friends.