Before You Get Here

Freshers’ To-Do List

There are about a million things for you to do. But fear not, you can break things down into smaller tasks. We’ve put together two check lists – one listing things you should get sorted before you arrive on campus, and the other for things you should do in the first few weeks of term.

Before you get here

Things you must do: Enrol online If you haven’t enrolled yet, go to http://www.southwales.ac.uk/getting-started/ and click on “enrol online” Tuition Fees If you pay your own fees, decide which payment plan you want to use, and arrange payments Arrange your accommodation If you're planning to move into a rented flat, read through our House Shares pages. Academic Inductions and Induction Timetables Find and download induction information and timetables. There will be links on your UniLife homepage to take you to induction information for your campus. Arrival / Travel Plan how and when you’ll get here. If you’ll be living in halls, see the Moving In page International Students: If you’re an international student, make sure you read the pre-departure information (which includes several additional check lists) Emergency Money Make sure you have enough money in your bank account to last you at least two weeks, just in case there are any delays in receiving your student loan. Things you should do: Vaccinations Make sure all your vaccinations are in order. Please double check that you have had the correct Meningitis vaccination, especially if you were born between 1st September 1990 and 31st August 1996. Budgeting Get an overview of your finances for the first term and plan a budget. You won’t enjoy the run- up to Christmas if you’re out of cash! Pack Here’s a list of things to bring to uni with you. There’s also a list for international students Stay informed Check UniLife regularly – at least once a week! Banking If you are already living in the UK, apply for a student bank account well in advance, so it’s ready before you get here. Things you might want to do: Get an NUS Card Apply online for an NUS Extra Card to get discounts in shops, online and offline. Buy tickets Decide which social events, parties and club nights to buy tickets for. Some freshers’ events sell out in advance. Say Hello! Find fellow freshers on social networks (but take care not to reveal too much of your personal information online) Learn to cook Practice how to cook at least one or two meals (and if you want to make friends quickly, learn how to bake a simple cake, brownies or cookies). If you’re not au fait with laundering clothes, you might want to ask your parents for a few pointers, too! Plan some escapes Make a list of regional things and places to see: sometimes, a day trip or a weekend away can be a huge boost to morale. Fond farewells Give any pet you may have a big cuddle. Ditto for parents / family. Promise them you’ll call them regularly – and keep your promise! After you’ve arrived on campus

Things you must do: Inductions Attend your induction sessions in freshers’ week. At induction sessions, you’ll probably get allocated to a student group, which determines which Timetable you’ll be using all year. Timetable Get your timetable sorted and make sure you understand it. NHS Register with the Health Service and a local GP clinic. Don’t wait until you’re ill – that’s the worst time to have to sort out which clinic to go to! Things you should do: Reading Lists Find out which books you need to read for your modules. You might need to buy some of them – and get others from the library Electoral Roll Register to vote: having a continuous record will be good for your credit rating. NUS Card Collect your NUS Card (if you have ordered one) from the Students’ Union on your campus. TV Licence Get a TV Licence if you have a TV, or if you watch BBC iPlayer or live TV online. Council Tax Letter Get a Council Tax Exemption Certificate so you don’t have to pay Council Tax! You can only do this after teaching starts. Finances Keep track of your bank balance and check it against your budget on a weekly basis. Rubbish If you live in the private sector, find out what the rubbish & recycling collection schedule for your area is. Avoid upsetting your neighbours and incurring a hefty fine. Insurance Decide whether you need home contents insurance – burglars target student houses especially because of all the gadgets and students’ often lax attitude to security! Things you might want to do: Activities Taster Sessions Book yourself onto some Taster Sessions organised by the Sport Centre and clubs and societies – a chance to have a go at something new! Get a head start for your career Browse through UniLife Connect, USW’s careers portal. The vacancies database includes student jobs, summer jobs and graduate jobs. Introduce yourself to your neighbours It’ll reduce the chances of conflicts and make them more likely to approach you in person (rather than calling the authorities) if there’s a problem.