Talking Money

I'm Naz and I went to Keel University where I studied politics as my degree. My volunteering experience throughout university life really gave me the confidence to run for president of the student union. My happiest moment at university had to be my graduation ball. We'd gone through three year with a bunch of mates. Had a really good laugh. Studied hard. And came out with a degree. Everyone's in the same boat. Everyone's as scared as you are on the first day. Despite all the debt I got myself into, university is definitely worth it.

Living in halls

Naz: If you're thinking of going to university and living in halls of residence it's most important that you get to know who your neighbours are - so get into the kitchen, make yourself a cup of tea and get to know who you're going to live with for the rest of the year.

Rosie: Whenever you walk into the building you can hear music coming from behind all the doors, til about 10 o'clock at night people will be practicing scales and things so there's music all around.

Jana: Aaaahh, aaahhh, aaaahah (singing)...we've won lots of awards

Sarah: The thing with my halls is they're really secluded, you do just end up living with the people that you're set with. My flat mate gets particularly annoyed when I have people over so I always have to turn things down.

Naz: All the bills were included in the rent I paid. There was definitely a culture shock moving to university and living in halls of residence, erm I'd have to wake up and make my own breakfast for one.

Naz: Living on campus meant that I saved money on taxis and bus fares.

Raz: If you're living in a halls of residence which is 5 minutes away and your lecture finishes at 5 o'clock, that's a 5 minute walk back to your halls and then you can study and do whatever you like.

Naz: If you have a bad..uhh...if you..uh....if you've had a hard day at university you can come back to your halls of residence, knock on your mates door, chill out, listen to some music and rock out for the evening.

Accommodation top tips

Raz: Ok my top tips are decide if you want to live in hall of residence or live at home

Jemma: Accommodation will be your biggest cost at university, so what you really need to do is work out all the costs involved, not just your rent.

Aaron: Understand that you might be forced one day to pay a water bill that you thought you had paid all of.

Mike: You should think carefully about who you want to live with. There is a lot of shared responsibility, but when it works, it works well.

Naz: Put your Ribena in your room it's the champaign of cordials.

Alex: I think a lot of people found the advantage of being able to study together a great opportunity.

Claire: It is a free part of your life and you're growing up and you're learning things. Just enjoy it as much as you can because you probably can't go back on this moment.

The don'ts of budgeting

Sarah: 'Top tips to save money'...I think I am the wrong person to ask!

Naz: I made quite a few extravagant purchases. I used to just spend money as I wished. Clothes shopping was a very bad habit of mine.

Alex: There are some people who are going to be at university who are very rich and can do whatever they want so be very careful with say, if you're going into town with them, they'll take you along to the fancy restaurants. Be prepared to say 'no, I'm just wanna go and get a sandwich from a shop'.

Ursula: I have been known to spend like, I don't know, a hundred pounds on my card in a club. So it's not good for my bank balance the next morning.