Top 5 Things that Made My Uni Life Better

Spoiler: I won’t be talking about creating budget spreadsheets and all that jazz because I didn’t meet a single person who actually stuck to them… including myself.  

Get Active! 

Joining a sports team worked wonders for me, and it can also do the same for you! It brought more structure to my day and made me more of a responsible university student because I knew that I  had less time to get things done before I would need to go to training.  

Now, it must be said that not all sports teams are equal – some don’t require you to train as much and are less competitive, so I would recommend checking the Instagram accounts of sports teams that you are interested in and asking what types of teams they have available so you can find one that best suits you! 

From these teams, you will also get to meet others that you may not meet on campus in a more informal setting, which is also a great bonus!  

Student tip: Check out the University of Manchester Sports page or visit the Welcome Fair to find a sports society that fits you. Competitive teams usually hold try-outs around October–November.

• Travel beyond Campus  

There is so much more to Manchester than just the campus, so be sure to explore it. The city has a great BeeNetwork bus system that can take you all around Manchester for reasonable prices. My top 3 recommendations would be 

• Manchester City Centre – for shopping, galleries, and people-watching.
  
  

• The Trafford Centre – for cinema, shopping, and late-night snacks.
  
  
• Didsbury Village – for weekend cafés and a calmer, leafier vibe.

Student tip: Use the Bee Network app or Google Maps to check real-time bus updates before heading out.

• Make the Most of Student Offers  

Who doesn’t love a discount? Download the UniDays and Student Beans apps to get offers from loads of brands, ranging from clothing to gym memberships! Additionally, for music lovers, Spotify offers a student deal to university students, where they give them Spotify premium for £5.99 for four years. All you need to do is verify your university email address. 

Student tip: For university students on a 3-year degree, this does mean that you can still get this deal for a year after you finish university! You are welcome!  

• Be Present During Freshers  

Freshers’ Week is not just for first-year students. If you are in your first year, definitely make the most of it and get as many freebies as you can. If you are not in your first year, you should still go! You would not believe how many pizzas, shampoo, stationery, and gym membership deals I  got each year!  

Student tip: Keep an eye on your Student Union’s event calendar to spot brand stalls, fairs, and pop-ups you actually want to check out.

• Make Use of University Support  

Did you know that the University of Manchester was one of the few universities that gave all students £170 in 2022 as part of cost-of-living support? This was after a successful campaign from the Student Union’s Executive Team. Alongside this, the University has many part-time job vacancies to support students, which really helped me in my penultimate year with my finances. 

Tools to try: Explore CareerConnect for part-time jobs and paid campus roles.

These were 5 key things that stuck out to me during my time at Manchester – definitely get that Spotify student deal if you haven’t already!