Everything the prospectus didn’t tell you about being at uni in Bournemouth

Freshers, we’ve got your back

2 years ago

That exciting Summer of fun you had is over. Moving into a new town can be daunting, I know. It’s a whole new experience when you are moving into your halls. You might be anxious about the next three years because your life is going to change. You will be spending the next three years or more of your life in Bournemouth. Sometimes, you might wonder, did I make the right decision?

You will be making new friends and joining new societies or sports clubs. It is all incredibly exciting but you might be wondering if there is any information you’re missing. This is everything that you need to know before coming to Bournemouth that the university prospectus didn’t tell you. One thing is for sure, you will get more than just a degree at Bournemouth University.

Free time in your timetable is intended for studying

When you look at your timetable, it will have gaps and “days off” usually these are put in place for self-study sessions and working independently before lectures or seminars. You can go and study between these times and you don’t have to stay at uni. But just amke sure you come back for your next seminar or lecture.

The best clubs are within walking distance of the halls

For the social scene, you are spoilt with choices as there are multiple different clubbing destinations that suit anyone’s needs when going out. From Cameo and Revolution to Halo, all these places are within walking distance from the main halls.Try them all out and you’ll soon be able to decide your favourite and whatever suits your scene of partying.

When you are joining societies, there are socials that you would be interested in going to so that you can make friends outside your class groups and flatmates. You can meet your new best friend at uni.

When living in halls, everything you will ever need is close by

There are many different student halls in the area and along those student halls, there are supermarkets Tesco, Asda, Co-op, and Lidl. You have a variety of different supermarkets that are cheap and only within walking distance. Make sure that you have opted in for your bus pass to be paid termly with your rent.

Make the most of town

Getting to town is easy, you will be able to access all the banks, retail shops, bars, restaurants, or clubs that you might want to go to later. Going to town is a 20 minute walk and it is an easy route into town or the beach. You can walk or you can take the bus to the beach.

The gym and sports societies have so much to offer

There is a gym on campus that you can go to, and there are daily classes that you are able to take but they need to be booked in advance, and they are so much fun.

When you are joining sports club, you will have to sign up at the Freshers’ Fair as they have certain dates for tryouts and trials. Whether you want to try cheerleading, football or even polo, it is all possible at SportsBU.

The UniBus pass is invaluable

As a first-year student, you can opt-in for a uni bus pass to be included in your rent. This is usually for a year and you can use it to go anywhere in the area for free, not just the uni. You would be able to explore your new surroundings and make new memories around town. This will be on your phone so don’t forget to charge it!

Get a Tesco club card and thank me later

This is a boring one but getting the reward cards for supermakrets you shop at a lot will be save you a lot of money and gain points on your weekly shop. As a student, you are always working towards the budget that you have set and what you can afford because uni can break the bank.

There are two different universities in Bournemouth

AUB and BU are different universities that happen to be next door to each other. You can easily get the two confused, but they are separate universities even though they are on the same site.

Set up a student bank account

Everyone will have different needs and banks have differnt student account options that then turn into graduate accounts when you graduate. You would need to develop an understanding of which one is a bank that you would be able to commit to for three years. Do research on which one would suit your needs as a student, don’t just do it based on the free incentives that are some offered when setting up an account.

Student discount is a lifesaver

Being a student has its perks. You can get discounts on brands and shopping and can sometimes be as much as 20 per cent. Companies such as Apple and ASOS all offer discounts to students to buy their products at discounted rates. Discounts can be a lifesaver becasue when you are at uni, every penny genuinely does count.