1 Be friendly

Talk to everyone so you can make as many new friends as possible. Ask people for their Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram account names, they are a great way of chatting to people to find out what their plans are for the beginning of college/fresher’s plans.

2 Join in

Get involved in as many new clubs and societies as possible as they are a great way of meeting up and socialising with people.

3 Supplies

A consistent supply of ready meals and Barry’s teabags are required for all college students. A good supply of mother’s dinners for all country lads moving up to the big city is essential as cooking doesn’t become a necessity until money begins to become scarce.

4 Shop around

Anything that is of convenience may seem like the best option, but that’s not entirely true. Always explore shopping options to see what works best for you. You don’t want to do all your weekly shopping for the next nine months in the convenience store that is on campus. When you see how much cheaper food is in the bigger supermarkets you’ll realise much money you can save on food.

5 Parties

These are a great way to get to know people, especially in the first week. But they can easily get out of hand. Who knew that inviting one person from the flat across the road meant the whole building would come to visit? As soon as things start getting noisy; order yourself a few taxis and head into town. At least that way your accommodation won’t be thrashed, so you will have less risk of losing your deposit. You also reduce the risk of someone making a noise complaint to the gardaí.

6 Orientation

Go for a walk, explore the place you will be studying in for the next few years. Get your bearings. Don’t be afraid to check out the different buildings and facilities. If it saves you arriving late to a lab or lecture, it’s worth it because walking into a lecture hall that could have almost 100 people in it can be intimidating. Most third-level institutes offer orientation for first years, it’s worth availing of the opportunity.

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Balancing part time work with study