Here are five life hacks every international university student should know about when living in the UK.
Get a Nando’s card
Trust me, just get it.
When I first came, I was really confused as to why the legendary Portuguese restaurant chain (famous for its PERI-PERI chicken) is a bigger deal here than it is from where it originated (South Africa). I quickly joined the masses and stopped asking questions.
If you end up going there every now and then, you might as well get the card and benefit from a free meal ever so often. There’s nothing to lose.
Online grocery shopping
This depends on how much you shop at a go. I prefer shopping in bulk so that I make few visits to the store as possible. In the beginning, I remember struggling from the store burdened with very heavy bags and my walk home seeming much longer than it was. This can be felt less when done with friends, but still it takes a lot of manpower and people’s schedules often clash so at times you suffer alone.
Online grocery shopping is great if you’re doing it in bulk. You get to shop from the comfort of your home and have your heavy baggage delivered right to your door!
Pack early when moving out to a new accommodation
No, you do not have as much time as you think you do so just start early.
It’s easy to underestimate the number of things that have accumulated in just one year and waiting for the last minute is one of the worst things you can do to yourself. I moved out of my accommodation on the last day of my tenancy and I can’t forget the high stress levels that I experienced!
Travel around Europe (cheaply)
Coming from a continent where travelling to different countries is mad expensive, seeing the travel costs here is honestly surreal. If you save and plan early enough, you can actually ball on a budget and get to enjoy Europe on your holidays.
There are some very cheap airlines and cheap Airbnb homes as well, so there should be no reason to not plan such trips and live a full life, especially as an international student where such opportunities may not present themselves as easily as they do here. Make the most of your time here!
Travel back, on time
If you went back to your home country during the holiday, please just come back early enough. Especially if it was the summer break and you’re moving into a new accommodation. Speaking from experience, give yourself enough time to settle in and safeguard against inconveniences that may occur.
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