Life Hacks For Student Living

Getting used to student life can be quite a struggle, especially if this is the first time you have lived away from home. Alongside your academic commitments, learning how to balance your finances, stay healthy and therefore make the most out of your time at university, can be easier said than done.

As we continue our commitment to providing students in the UK with all the information they need to succeed at university, we have put together this handy list of life hacks for the modern student. These tips should help you to make life as easy as possible whilst you are away from home studying for your degree, and maybe even beyond!

Find Student Freebies

If you can be bothered to look carefully, there is all sorts of free merchandise out there for students to take advantage of. You will no doubt be inundated with these at your Fresher’s Fayre, but they pop up all the time and its well worth checking online and on the high street periodically.

From gym subscriptions to keep you sharp all year round to libraries and even streaming sites, many companies like to lure students in with significant discounts. If you like music and entertainment, your student town or city is likely to offer free or reduced entry to gigs and concerts too, so there is loads to take advantage of. If you are on the hunt for some culture too, be sure to take a look at all of your local museums as these rarely charge students fort admission either. Be smart and don’t waste these gilt-edged opportunities to save some cash.

Ditch Your Motor

If you have been driving for a few years now, getting rid of or at least taking your car off the road can be a decision you won’t take lightly. However, we strongly recommend that you do so at university as this has a range of benefits. Aside from rising petrol costs and the fact you will need to keep it insured, taxed and keep an eye on your MOT, you just don’t need a car whilst you are at university.

There will be a great public transport infrastructure in any university town and city in the UK and you will of course be going green, which is fantastic for the environment. There are the aforementioned student discounts on rail and bus passes and by walking around town or campus as much as you can, you will be getting vital exercise which is key to staying on top of your game at university. If you love your car this may be a tough decision, but the cash you save and the positive impact this will have on your lifestyle outweigh all the cons, so we think this is a crucial life hack for your time away from home.

Set Yourself Manageable Goals

Moving away from lifestyle and towards your studies, there is a life hack which will keep you in control throughout your degree. Getting this balance right will help to keep morale high and ultimately mean you make the most out of your university experience. Set realistic goals.

Perhaps the biggest reason for failure at university is time and task management and this can be easily solved by focussing on things you can control and ignoring those you can’t. By ignoring what your peers are up to and setting yourself bitesize goals such as reading through your lecture notes, adding a chapter to your dissertation or perhaps getting through a tricky section of your textbook, you can maintain this control.

If you neglect this and look at the bigger picture rather than your short-term goals, you could end up adding unnecessary pressure to what is already and arduous schedule. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t adhere to every one of these either, just refocus and get back on track. There are lots of time management tools out there to help you too, just like this one.

Swot Up On Vital Ingredients

Finally, and back on the subject of life style, this hack will help you to make even the most thrifty of big shops, taste great. One of the biggest areas of expenditure at university is of course food and if you are used to home cooked meals, budget noodles or rice can be a bit of a shock to the system. However, there are some ingredients that will make even the simplest and cheapest of dishes, taste amazing.

  • Cumin

You will recognise this taste as it is in pretty much every Asian dish you will have eaten. But you can use it sparingly in rice, eggs and a range of other meals to give it that taste of Morocco or Africa. It is cheap as chips too and can be found in any store or supermarket.

  • Coconut Milk

If you get into the habit of making homemade soups at university, which we recommend you do as it is cheap and nutritious, then coconut milk is a godsend. Buy this in bulk and add to your dishes for a healthy taste sensation.

  • Oregano

If you prefer the taste of Italy rather than Asia in your dishes, then be sure to stock up on oregano. Again, this is very affordable and can be located in any spice aisle and just a pinch in a pasta or rice dish can really bring it too life. Don’t overdo it though as it can be rather overpowering.

More From Almero Student Mansions

We hope these life hacks have been of use, we used these during our time at university and think they will really help you to enjoy every second of your time away studying. If you found this useful, you may wish to peruse the rest of our great student guides here at Almero Student Mansions. Remember also that we offer luxury student accommodation in a range of UK towns and cities, just click here to find out more.