Your Welcome Guide
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YOUR WELCOME GUIDE 1 Welcome! 2 - 3 Supporting you – who are we? 4 Settling in – the first things to do! 5 Settling in – your questions answered! 6 Where you live – Birmingham! 7 Maps – Birmingham & the Chinese Quarter 8 Travelling around Birmingham – transport 9 - 10 Getting to know Birmingham – things to see & do! 11 Personal safety 12 Where you live – Your accommodation – Pritchatts Park 13 Your accommodation – The Vale Village 14 Your accommodation – Jarratt Hall (Selly Oak Village) 15 - 16 Shared living – learning to live together 17 Managing your money 17 Registering with a local doctor 18 Recycling & rubbish made easy 19 Contacts – ISAS & BIA 20 Contacts – Living (Accommodation), Student Support & The Guild of Students 21 Other useful contacts 21 A final message from us WELCOME TO BIRMINGHAM HELLO & WELCOME FROM YOUR STUDENT MENTORS (INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT) & YOUR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT TEAM! We’re really excited to welcome you to the University of Birmingham and to our lovely city! You should be very proud of yourself for achieving the qualifications required to study here and being brave enough to leave friends and family to live in a different country! All of the student accommodation team, including the Student Mentors and Student Engagement Team are here to help you settle in to your accommodation and make sure you have the best first year possible at the University of Birmingham! Over the next few days, you will receive lots of information about living and studying here – this booklet can act as your reference guide if you forget anything. The following pages include information about your accommodation, campus and local area, covering everything you need to know about getting around and using local transport, to locating your nearest supermarket to stock up on those cupboard essentials! We’ve also provided some information about the types of facilities on offer at your accommodation site, such as the launderette and social space, as well as tips on handling rubbish and recycling and how to handle any shared living issues that may arise. In addition to this booklet you will also receive a handy wall planner. Not only is this a fantastic study tool, but it will also provide you with a list of events and activities, including social events and weekly drop-in sessions, taking place throughout the summer. Don’t forget, that as well as having lots of fun and socialising, it’s important to register with your local Doctor as soon as possible – in case you feel unwell during your stay. More information on how to register with a Doctor is provided in this booklet. It’s also important to know about who you should contact if you feel you need some support, sometimes just having someone to talk to can help to ease any worries you may have and this is why we are here to help. All that is left to say is that we hope you have a great time at the University of Birmingham. This day marks the start of a life-changing experience for you – we hope you are as excited about it as we are! We look forward to meeting you all! 1 SUPPORTING YOU – SETTLING IN WHO ARE WE? IT’S OK TO ASK FOR A HELPING STUDENT MENTORS HAND WHEN YOU GET HERE! (INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT) The first few weeks at University are Student Mentors are trained to provide undoubtedly an exciting time, but it’s free advice and guidance to students living also inevitable that some challenges will in university accommodation. They specialise appear along the way. You are absolutely in supporting international students just not alone and we are here to help. like you and can help you with a range of issues including: • Shared living and accommodation issues • Your academic course • Financial matters • Your general wellbeing whilst living and studying at the University Student Mentors can meet with you on a one-to-one basis, for however long you need. They can support you with settling into university life and adjusting and familiarising Customer Service Manager and yourself with your new surroundings. For LILY the Student Engagement Team example, finding where your lectures will be taking place, getting to know the library, Lily, a Customer Service Manager within understanding your timetable, as well as accommodation who specialises in supporting finding out what events are taking place international students, is here to help you across campus and in the local area, plus settle into university life and to ensure you much more! get the best experience living in university accommodation. Lily can help you with any Student Mentors can also offer a mediation questions or concerns you may have. Lily is service to help you work through any flat assisted by The Student Engagement Team issues, guidance on keeping yourself safe who are a student group of volunteers who (including free personal attack alarms) and can also provide extra support and guidance general advice if you’re worried about a to you during your stay in accommodation. friend or flat mate. Many of the volunteers are international students themselves who will understand There is no problem too big or too small, so some of the challenges you may face. whatever you need help with, and whenever you need it, your Student Mentors can help. CONTACTING US Your Student Mentors and the Student Other Customer Service Managers Engagement Team will be visiting you regularly and will be your main source In addition to Lily (who is located mainly at of support throughout your time here. Pritchatts Park), there are other Customer Service Managers within accommodation To contact your Student Mentors, including who can support you during your time here. booking a meeting with them then please Please find their details below: email: [email protected] or call: 0121 251 2395. AMY CHURCH If you wish to contact the Located mainly at Jarratt Hall Student Engagement Team Email: [email protected] or Lily (Customer Service Manager), Call: 0121 415 1011 (Jarratt Hall reception) please email: [email protected] or call: 0121 414 9022 (Pritchatts Park reception). CHARLOTTE BROUGHTON Don’t forget to follow the Student Mentors Located at The Vale, on Twitter and ‘like’ their Facebook page too! responsible for Tennis Courts Email: [email protected] Call: 0121 415 8520 (Vale reception) @StudentMentors1 LOUISE TWIGG studentmentorscheme Located at The Vale, responsible for Maple Bank, Elgar Court & Shackleton Email: [email protected] Call: 0121 415 8520 (Vale reception) ANDY LEE Located at The Vale, responsible for Chamberlain & Aitken Email: [email protected] Call: 0121 415 8520 (Vale reception) JULIA COVERDALE Located at The Vale, responsible for Mason Email: [email protected] Call: 0121 415 8520 (Vale reception) 3 FIRST THINGS SETTLING IN TO DO! BEAT YOUR JETLAG One of the hardest things to cope with initially will be adjusting to the time difference in the UK. Firstly, make sure your watch is set to local time. We recommend you stay awake until it is night time in the UK. It may be very tempting to have a nap, but it is important to establish a new sleeping pattern straight away. SET UP YOUR INTERNET MAKE SURE YOUR You can connect to the internet in MOBILE PHONE WORKS your bedroom for free. Most of our You may have to swap your SIM card when accommodation has Wi-Fi - please see you arrive in the UK. Alternately, you may the ASK4 leaflet in your welcome pack have to buy a new phone all together. It is for more details. easiest to buy a Pay As You Go phone, which means you top up credit as and when you need it. GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR FAMILY OR FRIENDS The easiest, and cheapest, way to do this is by downloading Skype and getting in contact with your loved ones via the internet. However, you could also sign up to Rebtel, who offer cheap rates for international calls from any mobile or landline. Find out more here: www.rebtel.com YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED! Q How do I collect my post? Q What can reception do for me? A Post will be delivered to your A You can ask reception about: accommodation. If you are unavailable • Your accommodation (including reporting to accept your parcels, you will have to faults or anything that is broken) contact your courier to arrange to pick it • The local area up yourself from another location, or to • Collecting post arrange an alternative delivery date. • Finding someone to help you if you are worried about something/have There is also a service called Doddle, a problem where you can arrange to collect your post/parcels from the University Centre. Pritchatts Park - Reception is open from 8am Handy when you’re in classes all day. until 7.00pm on weekdays, during term time Take a look at www.doddle.com for (8am-4pm out of term). However, other site more information. staff are on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The reception staff will be able to help Q How do I do my laundry? you with a variety of different queries. A There is a launderette on site, you will be given a laundry card for you to The Vale Village - Reception is open 24 apply credit to and use as and when hours a day, 365 days a year. The reception you like. You are required to bring staff will be able to help you with a variety your own detergent. of different queries. The on-site launderettes are open Jarratt Hall - Reception is open from 8am 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.