Getting Ready for a New Academic Year
We hope that you were able to relax and reset over the summer, whatever it is that you got up to! 🌞
Now that you’re returning to Bristol, you might be thinking about how to prepare for the new year. Or you might be avoiding that thought altogether!
No matter how prepared you are, we’re here to help. You might be moving from first-year halls to a new house, a new house entirely, or just trying to sort things out for the new term.
Whatever your situation may be, take a look through some of these handy tips on getting ready for a new, exciting year:
1. Pack!👜
Chances are, if you're moving back to uni or moving into a new house you'll need to pack again. Make sure to check out our uni packing checklist article to remind yourself of all the essentials you could possibly need.
2. De-clutter and Organise🧹
If you're staying in the same house or accommodation, then you may not need to pack – but you might need to re-organise all of your stuff for the new year. It's definitely easier to do this before the busy new term begins. Now is the time to get rid of old work that's been sitting in your drawers for the past year!
If old items aren't broken, don't chuck them – you might be able to make some money by selling them on platforms like Depop, Vinted, Gumtree, and Facebook Marketplace. If you don't have the time to sell, remember to recycle items that are suitable!
3. Sign up for a New Hobby🎾
Just because you're no longer in your first year of uni, it doesn't mean that you can't try that student group, sports club, or society that you were meaning to. In fact, there couldn't be a better time for you to try something new! Our Give it a Go! (GIAG) Sessions are taking place in the first term AND our GIAG arena will have a prime spot at the Welcome Fair. GIAG are taster sessions and events that our student groups put on at the start of each term. This means that you can try out a student group or society before committing to a membership, even if you’ve never tried it before. You can find out all about it in our Intro to Give it a Go article!
4. Apply for Student Finance💳
You'll need to apply for Student Finance for each year of your uni studies, not just your first year! It only takes about 30 minutes to reapply, but it can take four to six weeks to hear a decision (and then a further few days for it to go into your bank account). So, you should apply sooner rather than later to make sure you have the financial support you need.
5. Download our Handy Apps 📱
There are certain apps that you may have missed in previous years that are super useful for Bristol student life! Take a look at our 'Six Apps You'll Need as a Bristol Student' article to find out what to download and why.
6. Familiarise Yourself with Course Content and Exam/Assessment Dates📚
It's a great idea to explore your course modules and see when you're exams and/or assessment dates are as soon as you get them. This is so that you can get a glimpse of what to expect throughout the term, organise your time, and ask your tutor or lecturers any questions that you have from the get-go! If you've received your reading list, why not take a look in a Bristol second-hand bookshop and see if you can check any off?
8. Explore Places You Missed Last Year 🔎
There's always time to find out more about Bristol life and explore new places that you may have missed before, so don't panic! Bristol is a busy, exciting city with so much to discover. If you're not sure where to start, take a look at our Bristol: Must Visit Places article.
Are you moving into a new house?
You might be staying in exactly the same accommodation as last year. But if you're not, and you're moving into a new house or flat, then you might need to sort a few things out! Here are some of our recommendations:
Check your Inventory and Take Photos 📸
Your landlord may have provided you with an inventory, which records the condition of your new property and the items that are in it. When you move out, your landlord will check the property to see if it's still in the same condition, and if those items listed in the inventory are still there. It's important to remember that this will affect whether or not you get your deposit back!
So, take a look at your inventory when you move in and make sure that you're happy with it. Is everything in the house working properly? Is anything already broken? Are there items on the inventory that are missing? If so, tell your landlord as soon as possible so you're not charged for it! It can help later on if you take photos of everything and send them to your landlord and/or agency, as proof of the condition of the property!
Take a Meter Reading ✅
When you first move in, along with checking your inventory, you should take a meter reading and get a photo of it. You should then send this to your supplier so that you're not charged an estimated amount. You'll also need this reading when you're setting up bills for your new house.
Set Up your Bills💡
If your landlord doesn't handle your bills for you, you'll need to set up new bills as soon as possible! Ideally, this should happen the day you move in – your meter reading will help you set them up. These bills will involve gas and electricity (likely to be your most expensive), broadband, and TV Insurance. Landlords usually cover water and sewerage bills, but you will need to check this with them.
It can take a couple of weeks after setting up broadband for your wifi to work, so definitely do this as soon as you move in!
Complete a Council Tax Exemption✍
Guess what, council tax won't need to be included in your list of bills if you're a full-time student! However, now that you're not in university accommodation you'll need to apply for your exemption. You can do this here.
Bristol Council has criteria for who counts as a full-time student, so check that out to double check you're exempt from paying Council Tax.
Recycling and Waste Collection♻
When moving to a new place, you'll need to wrap your head around the waste disposal and recycling schedule for your area. It's important to keep the streets clean and protect the environment, and this is the easy (and compulsory) way if doing so! In Bristol, recycling (in the X bin) is collected once a week, and general waste (in the black wheelie bin) is collected every two weeks.
It's good to get into the habit of putting the bins out after 7 pm on the evening before it's due to be collected. Then, once it's collected you'll need to bring the bins back in!
You should automatically have the following bins:
- Green Box: For cans, plastic bottles, and containers.
- Black Box: For glass and paper.
- Blue Bag: For cardboard, brown paper, and cartons.
- Brown Caddy: For food waste (wrapped in newspaper or compostable bags).
- Black Wheelie Bin: For non-recyclable waste.
Missing a bin? Get in contact with Bristol City Council right here! You can also get in contact with your landlord, as they may be able to help.
Be Mindful of New Neighbours 🏠
With a new home comes new neighbours! Remember to say hello to your neighbours, who could be students or non-students (remember, no area in Bristol is a student area)!
Feel free to give your neighbours your contact details, and let them know that they can contact you and your housemates if they ever have any concerns or problems. This means you'll be their first point of contact instead of the police, council, or uni.
Always remember to be mindful of your neighbours, noise impacts the well-being of your local community and you're responsible for the noise that you and your visitors create!
