How to – Xpression FM News

Written by Callum Dinnett

Moving away from home is one of those experiences that essentially everyone in the world experiences at some point or another. Personally, I got my first taste of this last month, moving from my parents’ house to university accommodation. Going from conversations that I have had with other people in my accommodation and other members of the year, there is a common thread of emotions: worry about leaving home, about being able or, rather, not able to care for yourself, and fear of what new neighbours and flatmates will think of you is commonplace. Regardless of how much parents or guardians or elder siblings or even friends who’ve moved away from home assure you that there’s no reason for these fears, most still feel them. So, instead of saying you have nothing to fear, I will advise you not to let the fears get the better of you, and stop you taking the leap.

I would also like to make sure that people know that you will make mistakes, and things will go wrong at some point. What is important when this happens is to keep calm and approach the problem logically. With all the stress of moving, the smallest problem can seem as if it’s the end of the world, but all that’s needed is usually step back, take a breath, and look at the situation logically. Most problems can be solved by just taking a calm look at the situation.

Regardless of where you are moving from, and whether you started to preparing months, weeks or (hopefully not) days before you move, if you are moving into University accommodation, everyone living with you will be going through the same thought process. You can and will support each other as you get used to new responsibilities, and when there are darker days. This goes for both this year’s and any future freshers. I know I am writing this as a fresher, but you certainly learn a lot in the first few weeks. My advice is that, if you are struggling with homesickness or a particular task, make sure to see if any of your new neighbours can help, and also remember that your family is simply a phone, or video, call away. It is a bit of an overused idiom, but the statement ‘treat others as you want to be treated’ is a good motto to go by. Make sure to support others if they are struggling, because there will be a point where you are struggling and they will need to support you.

My final piece of advice is to make sure to enjoy yourself. Moving away is a crucial step in life, so it shouldn’t be a pain or seen as some kind of burden. Meet new people, form friendships and just try to enjoy yourself, as it promises to be a big adventure.

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And you are the one who’ll decide where to go.”

— Dr Seuss, ‘Oh, The Places You’ll Go!’

Written by Mo Stevens

Being a student comes with many difficulties and one of those difficulties is how to do a grocery shop on a budget?

To successfully shop on a budget, I would recommend that you follow these simple steps:

Firstly, before you even head out to the shops, plan the meals that you are going to cook at the start of every week. Then write a shopping list of the ingredients you need – along with any other essentials (for example, breakfast cereal). This way you won’t have to go to the shops twice in a week and you also won’t waste money on buying any unnecessary ingredients because you will know what you need.

Secondly, don’t go to the shop that’s nearest to where you live for convenience because the shop may be a little expensive. For example, don’t walk to Sainsbury’s simply because it is a 10-minute walk from your accommodation. Instead, it is worth it to walk that little bit further to a discount supermarket, such as Lidl or Aldi, because you will save a lot more money than you might initially think.

Another useful tip is to bulk buy ingredients that you know you will use a lot. This is because buying in bulk is simply cheaper. So, don’t be afraid of splashing out on a 1kg bag of dried pasta, because you will save money in the long run.

Furthermore, don’t buy foods or products for convenience, such as ready meals, pre-cut vegetables, grated cheese etc. This is because these are far more expensive than you might think because you are paying for the cost of cutting vegetables, for example. Whereas it is free for you to cut the vegetables yourself and it only takes a minute or 2 to do. So, don’t be lazy, grab a knife and cut the vegetables yourself.

Also, don’t buy branded products just because you think that they are better than non-branded. Often, supermarket own brands are of as good quality or even better than branded products. Plus, non-branded products are usually far cheaper, so it’s a no-brainer really.

Finally, it’s handy to bring your shopping list and a pen with you when you are shopping, so that you can tick off the items on the list as you shop. This has nothing to do with saving money, but it does ensure that you have brought everything that you need and haven’t forgotten anything, which can really annoying.

So, there we have it: a few simple steps on how to do your grocery shop whilst living on a budget. I hope that this has helped in your venture to be a savvy student shopper!

A bargain ain’t a bargain unless it’s something you need!

Sidney Carroll

Tag: How to

How to: Move away from home

How to: Shop as a Student!