TRY SOMETHING NEW

USW is the perfect place to step outside of your comfort zone and try something new! 

• Have a go of a brand-new sport or join a Society, you never know what doors it could open. We have a huge range of Teams, Clubs and Societies to choose from – or you could even start your own! Have a chat with VP Activities, Jamal, or check out our website.

• Volunteer to be a Course Rep at the start of term and help gather feedback from your fellow students and work with staff to solve any problems! All training and support for the role will be provided virtually. Being a Course Rep will help you meet other students at USW and will look great on your CV. Have a chat with our VP Education, Kyle, or see our website for more information.

• Become a Student Voice Rep and work to solve student problems at a Faculty level. You’ll also get the chance to undertake research into student issues with training on research planning, data gathering and analysis provided by the SU. Not only will this look fantastic on your CV but there’s also a bursary of up to £500 for SVR positions. You can chat to our VP Education, David, about becoming an SVR or you can pop onto our website here.

• Represent students on our Student Council. We have a variety of Part-Time Officer positions still available, from Campus Officers to Welsh Language, LGBT+, Disabled Students, Women, and many more! You can chat to our SU President, David, about becoming a Student Council Officer or check out the vacancies here.

• Get chatting to people on your course on the official Facebook group.

• Attend Freshers’ Fair! Freshers’ Fair is for everyone at USW, it’s the biggest event during Freshers – you can expect to interact with all our Teams, Clubs and Societies, and grab some freebies and discount vouchers!

IF IT GETS A BIT OVERWHELMING

• Starting Uni brings a whole range of emotions and new experiences. Try to relax, and take time to chill out if you need to.  

• Don’t feel like you have to do everything everyone else is doing. Do Freshers' your own way, and do the things that you would like to do.  

• It’s normal (and totally okay!) to feel homesick or nervous. It might look like everyone is having an amazing time, but remember a lot of people are in the same boat, so talk to friends and family about how you’re feeling. Your mate would probably appreciate a chat too! 

• It’s fine to feel worried, but if things are getting a bit too much for you, please ask for help. You can chat to our full time officer team, or the Advice Zone Online to access the Wellbeing Services. 

BUDGETING

Now, this is the tricky bit. You’ve just had your student loan hit the bank for this term, or you’ve just had a payday – now what? Here’s a few tips and tricks if you’re struggling! 

• The best thing to do is to plan your spending every week and to keep a little bit aside as a contingency. Do your best to stick to your budget, otherwise, you'll end up living off noodles for the rest of the term (and nobody wants that). 

• If you have a savings account, try putting all of your income in there for the start of term, and only transfer over your weekly budget. You then can only use that weekly allowance. Try not to keep dipping into your bigger pot of money, because once it’s gone, it’s gone! 

• Shopping lists are great if you can stick to them! Top tip: Try and avoid going for the weekly shop when you’re hungry, as it’s even harder to stick to your list! 

• You don’t always have to stick with the bigger supermarkets! Aldi and Lidl are just as good, for a fraction of the price. You’ll usually find that the smaller supermarkets have some pretty good alternatives, so give them a try! 

• Check out sites like UNiDAYS and StudentBeans for your discounts – all that you need is your student email to sign up! Even check out TOTUM for their discount card! 

   

CHECKLIST

• Complete your online enrolment with USW. Don’t forget your pre-induction modules about how to use everything that you’ll need while you’re with us at USW. Find more information here. 

• Join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@uswsu). We’ll be posting our main updates here – so give us a follow! 

• Download your free copy of Microsoft Office. It's free for all USW students, and you can download yours as soon as you've completed your enrolment. 

• Don't wait until you're unwell - register with the University's Health Service when you arrive. Bring your past vaccine history, your GP information, and your NHS number.  

• Get your TOTUM card (powered by NUS Extra) to get over 200 discounts on everything from university supplies to fashion. All Students who purchase a card will also have the benefit of it also being an International Student Identity Card (ISIC), the only internationally accepted proof of student status. You can buy a card here. 

• Check your vaccination history. The NHS recommends that new students get the vaccine to protect against meningitis and septicaemia before leaving for Uni - they're free from your GP. Also, check out where you can get your COVID vaccine if you haven’t yet been double-jabbed.  

• Take advantage of everything the Students' Union has to offer. You can join Clubs or Societies and attend events! Don’t forget, you can also get support for academic studies and your welfare and wellbeing too!