How to make the most of your time at university

Friendships

The thing that will get you through 3 years at uni is the people around you.  Friendships are really important at uni, and I know a lot of people will probably say this to you but it's true, the friends you make will keep you sane (or in some cases insane, which is also good) during your time at uni, and maybe even beyond.  The friends you make at uni will help you through when you're feeling down and need to be cheered up.  Living away from home can be difficult, there's the excitement of living on your own for the first time but once that novelty wears off things can seem pretty bad.

Everyone is in the same position as you (except those who still live at home).  If you're the type of person who loves having the comforts of home, definitely make friends with someone who still lives with their parents.  You never know they might want to adopt you.  Even if you do like the comforts of home you also need friends who are in the same position as you.  These are the people who will know what you're going through, they will have the same budget as you, have the same workload as you and probably be missing home just as much as you.  

There are so many things you can do at university, check out special offers that pubs do.  My friends and I often go to Weatherspoon's on a Tuesday which is Steak Night.  The best thing for you to do is go to lots of different places during fresher's week so you can find out what's around and its also a good chance to meet new people and make friends.  Usually at the fresher's fair there are loads of flyers from various places that give students a certain amount of discount as well as special prices for certain meals.  

Extra Curricular

There are loads of clubs and societies that you can join throughout the year, but during fresher's week is the main time to join up.  All these societies are great things to put on your CV, which will help you to get a job once you've finished your degree.  They are even another way of making friends, plus it's something for you to do and you may even learn new skills which you can show off to your friends.

Part-time job

This may seem a little difficult to do with the uni work you have but if you can get something for during the holidays or when you have free days from uni then it really is worth it.  You'll have a little extra money to spend or save up for something you may really want.  Plus if you work in a retail shop you may even get huge discounts off that pair of shoes you've been eyeing since they went up on the shelves; or that shirt that you've been begging your mum to lend you the money for.  It's just a little bit more independence and you get some extra money, but it also looks great on your CV because it shows you can juggle university work with the responsibilities of a job. If you don't need the money, or feel that working in a voluntary placement is more for you then there are plenty of charity shops around which are always looking for volunteers.  I know that working for free doesn't sound like the ideal opportunity but employers look for things like this because they see that you were willing to give up your time without expecting anything in return.