Meg's Top Tips for Starting Uni at Sunderland
Meg's Top Tips for Starting Uni at Sunderland
By Meg Campbell
As we move into October, we hope you're starting to feel settled in Sunderland after Your Freshers! In our continuing series, some of our students are offering their top tips to help you adjust to university life and make the most of your time here. Today, we're hearing from MA Visual Practice student Meg Campbell, who has some great advice on available opportunities, wellbeing and support services and renting...
Coming to university can be a turbulent change in a person’s life. University is an enriching experience that gives you the chance to gain essential life skills, participate in new activities, and gives a space for you to grow as a person, but it can also be overwhelming and lonely sometimes. It can be difficult to make new friends and to adjust to university life, and sometimes you’ll face personal challenges and need some support. It can be difficult and sometimes expensive to get help for these issues, but as a student at the University of Sunderland, you have so many free and low-cost options for remedying these issues and getting fantastic support.
Volunteering Opportunities
A good place to start may be signing up for our SU Buddies scheme! Those who sign up will be provided with a buddy who can show you around the city, help you familiarise yourself with our campuses, and support you with meeting new people. This can give an excellent boost to your confidence and allow you to get settled into university life. You can sign up for a buddy at www.sunderlandsu.co.uk/get-a-buddy.
If you like the idea of getting closer to nature and learning how to live a more sustainable lifestyle and grow your own fresh produce (excellent for saving money) you may like to join A Space 2 Grow. This is a community garden based just behind St Peter’s Campus and it is the perfect place for students to meet up and engage in various sessions including meditation, herb planting, and beekeeping with no experience necessary. It’s a wonderful opportunity that is definitely worth making the most of while you’re with us! If this sounds like something that you’d be interested in, you can contact vicki.okatch@sunderland.ac.uk.
Societies and Clubs
Your SU also offers opportunities to join societies. By joining a society, you get to gather with peers who have similar interests and take part in activities like days out, group learning, playing games, making arts and crafts, watching movies, campaigning, or even having speakers visit. These societies are student-run and are a great opportunity to learn something new and make friends. We have so many societies to choose from, and if you can’t find one that fits your interests, you can even form your own! You can check out the current societies at www.sunderlandsu.co.uk/groups.
If you like the idea of a society, you may also enjoy joining one of our many clubs or sports teams! Team Sunderland offers a large number of options including Futsal, Football, Rowing, E-Sports, Equestrian Club, Cheerleading and Dance! Joining a club or team can be really beneficial to your social life, your mental wellbeing, and your physical health. You do need to pay for entry to these clubs but they’re fantastic value for money, with membership starting at just £100 per year! You can see the full range of options at https://sj.sunderland.ac.uk/student-information/support-services/team-sunderland/clubs.
You can also get moving with our Just Play Programme, which gives students the opportunity to try out something new in a low-pressure, supported environment. The programme includes our Wellbeing Walks. These walks take you all over the North East; we meet in the Foyer of CitySpace and have a bus to take you to beautiful walking locations. They’re an incredible chance to get to know the area, learn about the history of different attractions, make friends, and get some exercise. You can book by emailing Andy at andy.turnbull@sunderland.ac.uk and find out more about Just Play at www.teamsunderland.com.
Ten Top Tips for Renting
Moving into your new university accommodation can be a little bit intimidating. For many people, this will be the first time they live independently from their parents and must deal with renting and landlords. I know I struggled with my initial move into my new home alone, but I learned a lot throughout my college and university journey as I lived in several accommodations, particularly around protecting myself and learning about my rights as a renter. I want to share my top ten tips with you for being a new renter, that can be helpful throughout your life!
- Read your contract closely and make sure you understand what is required of you and what every payment you make goes towards (example, booking fee or a deposit). Have a copy of it in case you need to refer to it again.
- Make sure every communication between you and your landlord is in writing wherever possible in case there is a dispute. If you have a paper trail, you have evidence of what was agreed between yourself and your landlord. If there is a communication over phone or face to face make sure to send an email to the person in question to confirm what was said. Something along the lines of “I just wanted to confirm what we spoke about over the phone today at 1pm – am I right in understanding that we’re agreed that you will do (insert action) by (insert date here)?” Be specific.
- When you move into your accommodation, take photographs of everything you can before you furnish or unpack if possible. Make sure to note anything damaged or out of order as soon as possible and report it. This way, you avoid having your deposit kept from you or being wrongly blamed for damage when you move out.
- Join a union if possible. Renter's unions offer excellent advice and provide a support network for you if you need help during your tenancy. They can help advise you on your rights and will help you if you ever need to act if your rights are being violated. One very affordable option is Acorn, a renter’s union with an office in Newcastle.
- Make sure you know the name and contact information of your landlord. This is something your provider is legally obligated to provide you with.
- If you’re paying your rent with your maintenance loan but your tenancy starts before the first payment date, make sure your landlord knows the date and can accommodate with a payment plan that aligns with the dates of your payments before you sign a contract. Usually, student accommodations are very understanding of this, but it’s far better to be safe than sorry.
- Put your money for rent aside right away when you get paid. It’s a good idea to have a separate account for payments such as rent and bills you can put it into, so you don’t confuse spending money for groceries etc with your rent and utilities budget. Personally, I pay my rent as soon as my loan is paid into my account, so I don’t have to worry about it anymore. Also, make sure you know where to get a copy of your bank statements so there are no disputes about whether you have paid rent. There should be evidence.
- Decorate your space as much as you are allowed to. The environment you live in is connected to your mental wellbeing and productivity. Many landlords will have restrictions over decorating but simple things such as adding a plant, framed photos to your desk, or having a nice rug or duvet that makes your place feel like home can make all the difference. Again, check your contract to see what you’re allowed to add to your space so there are no disputes!
- Try to educate yourself as much as possible on your rights as a renter. The more you know, the less you’ll be taken advantage of and the easier it will be to spot an untrustworthy landlord. For example, did you know your landlord needs to give you 24 hours’ notice before entering the property you rent? Resources such as the Citizen’s Advice website are excellent.
- If you have an issue with your roommates/flatmates, make sure you try to work it out with them with civility but gather evidence (legally) just in case you need to raise this issue with your landlord. Your wellbeing is important, and you deserve to live in a place you feel safe in.
Your journey living independently should be positive and exciting. There will be ups and down, but with the correct tools and knowledge the downs will be less prominent and much easier to handle!
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University of Sunderland Students' Union
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Sunderland, SR1 3SD
Company limited by guarantee.
Company registered in England no: 07702161
Registered Charity no: 1148212
VAT no: 178592316
