The Sprout Editorial Group’s top tips for students moving to Cardiff.
Embrace minimalism
You have to make sure all your belongings fit into a small halls-of-residence room, and probably one cupboard and maybe a shelf in the fridge if you’re lucky. Time to minimise the amount of stuff you pack, unless you want your flatmates to hate you in the kitchen. Plus, a 50 inch plasma screen in a little student room looks ridiculous, so avoid that faux pas too.
“Don’t die. I think this is important.”
-Declan
Say Yes!
Become like Jim Carrey in 2008’s Yes Man- well, maybe not that extreme. You don’t have to say yes to everything, but joining more societies, being more spontaneous, trying out new things, sometimes just hanging out- uni is the best time to do all these things. Start saying “yes” more, and “no” less.
Visit Cardiff’s many shopping centres
When you need to go shopping- or especially when you want to go out for food- the city centre isn’t the only place to be. Head to City Road or Cowbridge Road for international cuisine and niche shops. These will be particularly exciting for international students, who should be able to find products from their home countries there.
Get on your bike
If you can’t cycle, now is the time to learn (Cardiff council even offer adult cycle training). Cardiff is flat and increasingly full of bike provision. Best of all if you are a Cardiff Uni student, you get free access to the NextBike scheme.
Make the most of the library
Never again will you have access to such vast quantities of high quality information. Stream TV broadcast 20 years ago with Box of Broadcasts, search the online library database for academic advice on just about anything, skim the papers every day at the library (no need to choose a favourite when you can read them all), go to every free event and read every free publication shoved into your hands. What’s that book you always meant to read? Who cares if it has nothing to do with your course, get it out and devour it.
Fall in love… or don’t
A huge number of students will be looking to couple up during their first year- often with someone off their course, in their house or in a favourite club. But don’t worry if you don’t find anyone. Make sure to try and develop a good bunch of friends who’ll stick around through thick and thin, single or not.