After two years of hard work, it's all ready to pay off – you’ve accepted your place at the University of Salford, and we’re delighted to have you!

But we totally get that starting uni can be both an exciting and daunting experience.

So to help out, here’s our TOP tips for your first week at uni!

Getting to know people!

Look, we TOTALLY get it – getting to know people can be really tough, especially in your first week at university!

But we’ve got some top tips that can help you connect with others, especially in those first few weeks…

Remember that everybody is in the same boat

You’re not the only one looking to make friends, and there’s gonna be plenty of opportunities to find your tribe!

Leave your door ajar when first moving in to your flat

That way, other students can see that you’ve moved in and say hi

Get talking to societies at the Welcome Fair

These are an amazing way to find people with similar interests, or to just get stuck in with a completely new hobby!

And as an extra bonus, here’s some easy conversation starters for freshers!

• Where are you from?
• What are you studying?
• Are you thinking of joining any societies?

Take advantage of every opportunity!

Whether it’s getting down to an event, volunteering, or joining a sports club or society, there are SO MANY exciting things for you to get stuck in with at your SU.

All of these will enrich your student life, so why not make the most of your time beyond studying here?!

Extra skills you develop will only enhance your degree and boost your CV – not to mention the networking potential!

Learn how to budget!

With the ongoing Cost of Living crisis, we know just how important this one is. We’ve actually written a whole article on it so definitely check that out!

But while you’re here, here’s our top tips:

• Establish your income

  • Because your Maintenance Loan will come in three big instalments throughout the academic year, it’s up to you to budget this out across that period!

• Estimate your outgoings

  • This is the tricky part… figuring out where all your money is going!
  • This could include rent, food shops, bills, transport, course materials, nights out, and plenty more, so just try to be as realistic as possible.

• Calculate your weekly budgets

  • Now that all your expenses are laid out in front of you, you should be able to break it down into a weekly budget using this formula!
  • (Total income per term – Essential expenses per term) / Number of weeks in a term = WEEKLY STUDENT BUDGET
  • This is how much money you’ve got to spend on non-essential things each week!

Beware of people trying to rip off students!

There’s nothing worse than getting hyped up and purchasing a wristband labelled “The OFFICIAL Freshers experience”… only to then realise it’s a fake!

That’s because every year, nightclubs and promotion companies around the country will sell wristbands for Freshers’ student nights, falsely claiming that they are official welcome events.

But whilst it can be easy to be misled by fake Freshers’ wristbands amidst all the excitement, just make sure these companies don’t take advantage of you!

You can find all of your SU’s events on our website, and we’ll be sure to share all key info over on our Instagram @SalfordSU

It’s okay to miss home!

Moving out can be tough, and it’s totally okay to feel a bit homesick!

Whether you’re an international or a home student, there’s probably gonna be times when you miss your old environment.

Make sure you keep in touch with family and friends and let them know how you’re feeling, but remember that uni is a place to enjoy and that your SU are here to support you!

If you are struggling, don’t hesitate to reach out for help!

P.S. if you’re missing a home-cooked meal, Atmosphere have you covered…

You excited yet? Because we sure are!

Make sure you keep up to date with all of that we have going on across our socials, @SalfordSU