BACK TO UNI
Saturday, 14th September 2019
Student life is many things, the common denominator being cheap. Here are some of our tips for how to live a sustainable student lifestyle (that won’t involve mummy and daddy’s credit card).
Freshers
Freshers is a perfect opportunity for companies to attract business, and how do they do this? By showering fresh in freebies. Ask yourself do you really need that pop-socket or will it be contributing to the giant garbage patch having sat around your room for the year? Don’t be the fresher who walks out of freshers fair with armfuls of plastic. That being said, some companies are upping their freebie-game and offering genuinely useful things- like water bottles or multi USB adaptors.
Image credit: Well Earth Goods
Green Energy
If you’re sorting out your own bills it’s a great opportunity to make sure you’re sourcing your fuel from companies that value the environment. We both use Bulb, they source all their electricity from renewable sources and off-set their gas by supporting carbon reduction projects around the world. Plus they have graphics and an interface that makes paying bills easy-peasy.
To get £50 free sign up here.
Image credit: Solar Power People
Societies and events
Students and universities are leading the way with sustainability so if you can, make sure you get involved! It’s likely there will be environmental events throughout the year, if you’re not able to contribute to them try to show support by attending- and take a few friends if you’re able to persuade them. One of the biggest impacts you can make is by visibly showing that sustainability matters to you.
Image credit: Exeter Fashion Society
For Good
NUS is running a ‘For Good’ campaign that aims to help students make impactful differences through their study. Currently they have four programs: dissertations for good, placements for good, projects for good and skills for good.
Bella has registered her dissertation on the ‘Dissertations for Good,’ it allows organisations to benefit from your research.
Image credit: NUS
Bedroom Decor
If you’re worried about starting uni, it's easy to over-compensate by gathering lots of room decor- Bella took multiple fluffy numbers when she started at Exeter. However, try not to buy too many things before you arrive, only take a few special items- that way you’ll know exactly what you need instead of guessing and buying useless items that create clutter. A student bedroom is a bombsite at the best of times so be wise about what additional decor you accumulate.
A great place to find room second-hand decor is charity shops. They usually have a collection of donations from previous outgoing students at very inexpensive prices. Try googling ‘local furniture charity shop’ and spend an afternoon scouting some deals once you know what you’re looking for.
Image credit: Minimalist Home
Share!!!
A lot of students end up having individual sets of household items. This is a senseless waste of space, money and resources. You don’t all need an individual pot of washing powder. Try to collaborate with others to reduce needless purchasing.
The same applies to clothing, instead of blowing your student loan on going-out clothes that you wear once, get a sharing system going with your friends to instantly multiply your wardrobe FOR FREE. Also check out sites such as Hurr Collective where you can rent clothes for balls and 21st's.