*Guest Post: Student Lifestyle

Having been through University and come out the other end successfully, I think back to my days as a student and often realise how I could have made my life easier during those times. Perspective is a strange thing; we often realise something when it’s way too late, yet these lessons and experiences can still help us later in life.

The next best thing we can do is pass along our knowledge, in an effort to make someone else’s student life easier. That’s almost the whole purpose of this guest blog post, sharing my life in an effort to help others, but as a graduate I’m in a very good position to assist others in achieving that awesome student lifestyle, as well as avoid the common mistakes myself and many others have made.

So what steps can you take to achieve your dream student situation?

Accommodation

One lesson I’ve learnt here is not to get down about your digs. Most student homes are built for purpose; housing a large number of supposedly rowdy youths with minimal effect. This is why they may feel a bit more clinical than you’d like, but it’s nothing that a bit of interior design can’t solve. Get together with your housemates and work to create a better environment, whether you pool money to invest in essential homewares or simply contribute from personal effects.

Either way, you’re all living together, so it’s up to you to ensure your accommodation is the best it can be. With proper coordination with your housemates, there’s also plenty of ways improve your living conditions whilst also saving money. The increasing popularity of rental furniture has resulted in tailor made student furniture packages being available from several outlets; not only is this more cost effective than buying new furniture outright, but the ownership is retained by the company itself, so you don’t have to worry about complicated moving sessions or contended ownership.

An awesome student house is a combination of everybody’s efforts, so get all your housemates on board moving forward. As a student, take pragmatic steps to keep everyone on the same page. Invest in a whiteboard for making notes, so you and your housemates can keep up to speed on what you’re running low on, or what needs to be done around the house.

Career

Another big mistake many students make is indifference to the opportunities which could further their careers in the future. As such, all opportunities should be considered in terms of what kind of experience you’ll get and whether it’ll help you achieve your career goals years from now. It may be hard to see in the moment, but anything within your desired industry, whether it’s part-time or weekend work, or even an internship are all highly viable ways to boost your professional credentials whilst studying.

In most student cities, there are a wealth of these opportunities available, but you need to make an effort and look for them. Contact outlets and businesses that are relevant to your studies and enquire about work experience opportunities. The fact that you’ve made an effort will register with them, putting you in a good position to further the exchange and turn it into an opportunity. Whilst taking advantage of these opportunities is key to success, make sure you aren’t committing to something that will distract from your studies, or with little or no value to your ongoing learning.

Social Life

A balance of work and play is a recipe for the perfect student lifestyle. Party too much, and it’ll most likely interfere with your studies. Party too little, and you could end up regretting not having a full University experience. Only an appropriate combination will ensure you can enjoy the student lifestyle fully without damaging your grades.

Hiding away if you’re not comfortable socially may seem appealing, but for the good of your studies, get involved with the social student scene and give yourself access to as many resources possible. Just be confident!

This guest post was created by Tara Dulake at ThoughtShift - this is not a sponsored post! Also here's a fun little fact, today marks three years for me since I graduated from university with a first class BSc Hons degree in psychology *crazy*.

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My University Experience: Managing Money

If you have been following my blog for a while then you may know that I graduated from university two years ago now and I have to say it was one of the best decisions I've made, even though it can be so difficult and very stressful sometimes (especially while blogging as consistently as I could and writing my dissertation!) but I would definitely recommend it! I went to a very small campus which was part of the University of Huddersfield which was close to home so I didn't need to move out; therefore I didn't have that added financial strain. Although being a student isn't a walk in the park for anyone in terms of studying, exams and finances. 

Todays post is a sponsored post in collaboration with TSB and my friend Yasmin, who is also a university graduate, all about our university experience with regards to managing money. Also you get to see some slightly embarrassing photos of my graduation...If you have any advice or tips for managing money while at college or university then feel free to leave a comment below! 

As mentioned in my previous post, the TSB student account is a great option for university students but did you know that they also have an app where you can easily manage your money? Yasmin uses the free TSB app all of the time as it is so useful for transferring money to friends/family even if they are with different banks as well as paying tax, bills or standing orders for example. The app shows your transaction history so you can see exactly how much you have spent, saved and transferred to others which makes managing your money so much easier especially as a student with student loans, grants and payments that need to be carefully managed. On the app your TSB student account will be displayed so you can monitor your finances and if you also have a TSB savings account them it too will be displayed so if you were very money savvy and forward thinking, you could transfer a certain amount of your student loan or grant into your savings account so quickly and easily - otherwise it will probably be spent on nights out! I think if you have numerous accounts (for example a student account and a savings account) then it might be useful and easier to have them with one bank, especially if you're using a banking app. 

As well as the app, you can get mobile text alerts from TSB so you receive a text reminder when you are nearing or if you have reached your limit; therefore you know if you need to cut back on the spending a little (feelin' spendy is ok sometimes but not all of the time!) or if you need to transfer money. Yasmin used the app and text alerts while at uni as it is perfect for students as it means you can avoid unplanned overdraft charges. I think both the app and text alerts will be invaluable to students as being a student can be difficult enough without adding in extra stress about managing your money and payments. 

Also, within most universities there should be student financial support where you can get general advice as the world of banking and managing money can be confusing (even if you aren't a student)! Lastly, one way of managing money that all of us could use is to shop around for the best deals and rates to make sure you are not spending more than you need to. 

If you're looking for money saving tips then check out my 'student money saving tips' post and if you want more information from TSB then check out their useful savvy student guide. 

Do you have any money managing advice or money saving tips?

*sponsored 

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