New starters - tips for arriving in winter

Winter is coming? No, winter is here! * brrr *

As much as I love winter, experiencing it in the UK has been a different experience for me. 

So here are some tips for those of you who are starting in the January intake, so that your winter is made easy, cozy and fun.

Grab a cup of hot chocolate and let’s begin!

Tip 1 - Daylight hours

Winter in the UK starts around November/December and lasts till March, so apart from the noticeably chillier weather, the thing that you might struggle with is the daytime interval which keeps getting shorter and shorter. The sun rises around 08:00 and you would find your surroundings to be dark around 16:00 which technically is still daytime, but the dark makes you feel lazy and can start to take away your productivity so it is quite possible that you would just want to curl up in your bed, munch on some snacks and watch a movie! So, my first tip would be to keep a diary for your day to help you manage your studies and free time to make sure you keep productive through the darker months!

Tip 2 – What to pack

You can expect the temperature to be between -2 to 8 degrees Celsius with a mix of dry and rainy weather (sometimes snowy) but often with strong gusty winds which might make you feel colder. So, to make sure you pack accordingly, bear in mind the following points:

• You should have a warm waterproof jacket, and shoes that can keep you warm and dry and help you walk in damp or rainy weather.
• 
  Make sure to keep at least one scarf, pair of gloves, and a wooly hat with the rest of the essentials such as socks and warm clothes to layer yourself up.
• 
  Since the weather in winter is very cold, and all buildings have the heating on, you might end up having chapped skin and lips so it’s useful to keep a moisturizing lotion and lip balm.

The one thing that I learned upon arriving in the UK is that you might not get a lot of space to transport your things when travelling here, so it’s good to spend money on the essentials only and take one item each, apart from your everyday clothing, because you can always purchase the rest when you reach the UK. So, try not to go crazy with the shopping in your home country but at the same time ensure that you arrive with the necessary items.

In short, bring items that you would need right away after your arrival in the UK and the items that you wouldn’t, you can find in stores here. You can always shop the rest in a week after you get settled here, and you would love to know that you can always shop with student discount cards such as Totum, through the website Student Beans and Unidays, along with the annual Christmas and New Year sales in the high street shops.

Tip 3 - getting to your accommodation

As mentioned earlier, the evenings tend to get darker in winter in the UK, so you would want to be aware of the daylight hours when planning to move into your accommodation. Depending on which airport you would be arriving at, to commute to Huddersfield you can take a train, bus, or taxi to reach your accommodation. I arrived at Manchester Airport where there is a train station a 10-15 min walk from the airport and since you would be carrying luggage with you, you can take a shuttle bus to the train station. You can then take a direct train from Manchester Airport to Huddersfield and upon arrival at Huddersfield you can commute to your accommodation through taxis and/or buses that you would find right outside the train station.

Since Huddersfield is connected to big towns and cities like Manchester, Leeds, and Bradford you can also choose to live there and with your friends and family (check maximum distances from campus for your visa), so for that you can change your travel plans accordingly.

I would like you to know that bus and train tickets for off-peak and any time travel is different, so if it isn’t necessary to travel in the peak hours, it’s better to make plans in the off-peak time so the travel will cost you less. And if you’re planning to stay outside Huddersfield or plan to travel outside Huddersfield more often, I would recommend you buy a young person’s rail card which costs around £30 for a year or around £70 for three years, but it pays for itself after a few trips and gets you 1/3 off standard times and off peaks fares which helps you save on your frequent travel.

Tip 4 - Welcome Festival, get involved

Once you get settled at your accommodation, start your new adventure with the university’s Welcome Festival. Welcome Festival is an official introduction to your university, accommodation, and the social events so you don’t have to worry about how to make new friends or know everything about societies and clubs, the Welcome Festival has it all covered. This is when you can also explore Huddersfield, meet new people, make friends, join societies, and just simply forget all your worries and relax.
The University’s Students’ Union is an organisation that is for students and led by students. This is where you can get involved with student networks and boost your skills and personal growth. You have a variety of options to join anything from an academic society to a sports club or to volunteer in the local community or even put yourself forward for Officer positions and run in elections yourself! The Students’ Union is there to make sure you enjoy your time at the University.

Tip 5 – Staying productive and have fun

Since winter in the UK can get chilly and a little bit gloomy as well, here are a few ways to stay cheerful and feel productive during this time:

1. Go outside
No matter how early the dark appears, Christmas and New Year celebrations overpower the glum. So just don’t keep yourself inside your room, dress up with loads of layers (you don’t want to catch a cold midst of the fun), ride a bus or take a walk to visit different places, have food, enjoy the festive lights. Try and take pictures to send loved ones back home and keep the memories for life.

2. Keep active
Don’t let the cold get to your athletic side, go out for walks, and try out indoor exercises to unwind yourself and keep yourself active.

3. Make staying home fun
Make yourself a quick favorite snack, curl up in a blanket and read that favorite book of yours or watch your favorite movie on a Netflix party with your friends.

4. Keep a journal
Light up a candle, grab your journal and a pen, and just put it all down on a piece of paper. Write about your day, your experiences, and how you feel; it will encourage you to notice the little things you may overlook in your daily life and allow you to gain new perspectives to things.

5. Keep in touch with friends and family
Let friends and family at home know how you're getting on by connecting on a a video call and share your new experiences. 

Welcome to the University of Huddersfield! I wish you a safe travel, and success in your studies and prospects. See you soon!