Buying a car..?

You have recently settled down as a university student, and you realise its getting harder to move around. Late buses and crowded trains is really pissing you off, and daddy is not going to buy you a brand new shiny car for your birthday. So you wake up one day and decide that's it, you are getting a decent secondhand car, but you have no idea where to start...

#1 Research

Work out your budget, choose your favourite car brands, list out a few car models you are interested in and let the search begin! You can use websites like CarSales to search for cars, in there you can customise your search to price, transmission, colour, mileage, and so on.

Source: http://www.businessworld-australia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/carsales.jpg

#2 Make appointments

Start calling/texting car owners to set up a meet to get a feel of the car. Test drive the car, play with all the toggles, and do not make up your mind after just one appointment, test drive a few and so you get to compare.

#3 Evaluate the car

You have your eyes on a car, and now it is time to make sure the car is in decent mechanical condition. If you have a mechanic friend, great! Bring him along for a second inspection and let him evaluate the car. If not, there are insurance companies that provides vehicle inspection services (e.g., NRMA), usually a detailed report would be provided at the end, stating almost every mechanical aspect of your car to number of previous owners. This is a potential money-saver, where you can address any problems with your car before you actually purchase it.

Source: http://www.mynrma.com.au/media/products_services_motorserve_vehicle_inspection.jpg

#4 Buying and insurance

So all is good, time to actually buy the car! You don't want to be lugging around huge amount of cash, so a cashiers cheque would be a good idea. After buying the car, remember to get your optional third party insurance right away! You can buy it online from various companies, namely NRMA, Just Car Insurance, Allianz, just do a little research to see which one best suits you! You certainly do not want to risk paying for a light pole that costs thousands if you accidentally knock one over (no offence to your driving skills).

Source: http://trackbattle.com.au/adgp/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/just_car_logo_white-300x150.jpg

Surviving First Year of Uni

Your first year at a university will be fun, exciting, challenging and at times, very unfamiliar as you walk into a situation you've never experienced. There is a multitude of activities, programs and support for you to choose from in most university, and we have given you the below tips to help you to navigate during your time at the uni.
1. Don’t be shy. A lot of other students won’t know anyone either. Say ‘hello’ and you might just make a new friend.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you are struggling. uni provides a large range of service

3. Make the most of every opportunity. uni life is not just about academic study. Check out all the society and clubs available at your university, it’s a great way to make friends and gain skills outside class


image via http://www.mq.edu.au/on_campus/get_involved/student_groups/student_group_directory/
4. Know the important dates that relate to you, and set reminders for them! This will be extremely important as once you miss it, you will not likely to get another chance

5. Explore the area of your university, find all the locations, not only will this help you when you go to class, but you may also find your favorite park to study, or a path you would like to run on

image via http://www.mq.edu.au/pubstatic/custom/files/media/sustainability_planningdevelopment_lake_image.jpg
6. Plan your time and be organised. University study is a lot more independent and self-directed than high school. Always keep a unit planner at hand, they should be free from most university library, if not, buy a diary with unit planner.

7. Interact online! Join the uni’s Facebook page, follow the university on Twitter . Most university society will also have their own Social Media account, so join them and explore

8. Check out the cultural and artistic life of the University. Most University has regular art shows, theater performances and museum exhibitions, join in if you wish, if you don’t like performing, just go and watch will also allow you to meet new people


image via http://mq.edu.au/
9. Understand Uni terminology. Most university websites have a glossary page somewhere, go have a look, it might save you a lot of time when doing uni work

Living By You Self: Safety

Living alone is not all that glamorous it is made out to be. Despite what Hollywood chick flicks and sitcoms will tell you. For many students in university, living alone is not a choice as much as a compulsion. When faced with the grim reality of washing dishes, doing laundry and being lonely, then living alone doesn't seem all that glamorous it is made out to be. Here are some very basic tips from personal experience that may help you during your period of living alone.

No city in the world is free from criminal; therefore, safety is the biggest threat when it comes to living alone. Make a duplicate copy of your house key and hide it somewhere close by, just in case you come home late and locked yourself out, you don’t want to walk the streets alone at night.

It’s important to befriend some neighbors you feel you can trust. Steer clear of the ones who are suspicious. If strangers knock on your door at any time of the day, no matter day or night, open your door slightly while they detail the nature of their visit. When you are home, keep the key hanging from the lock in case you want to quickly lock the door due to emergency. Keep a list of important numbers like ambulance and police at an easy to see location. Also keep the numbers of people you might need in an emergency on speed dial in your home.

                                                         Image via Microsoft Word Clip Art

Another thing to be cautious of are gas leaks and fire hazards. Living by you can often cause negligence due to laziness, but your life is worth the extra effort to make sure your safety, after cooking, remember to check you turned off the gas, and when you leave for long trips, turn off all the power points in the house, keep in mind to turn off switches when you are done using them.

    Image via Microsoft Word Clip Art

While these points are very basic, many people fail to neglect them, while most get away with it, some are unfortunate enough to suffer as a result. So be careful, your life is worth it!

Laundry? Ain't nobody got time for that!

Laundry. I don't know about you, but just the word elicits a groan from me even on the best days. But alas, it's something that all university students (and adults. I'm sorry to break it to you) have to deal with no matter how much we put it off. Eventually, that laundry basket in the corner starts accumulating into a mountain of clothes that you can't ignore any longer.

So now, the job begins. But it doesn't necessarily have to be a boring task or one that makes you annoyed. Believe it or not, there are actually some ways to make it more enjoyable and tips to help you out. Yes, I am being completely serious.


#1 Plan Ahead!
Don't just wait until you absolutely have to do your laundry. Because most of the cases, you end up wasting time waiting for the machine to finish its cycle so you can dry those clothes you've been wanting to wear for that party. Instead, plan to do your laundry at a time when your favourite TV show is on. That way, it doesn't seem like you're waiting ages for your laundry and you get up to something productive (well, sort of) while you wait!

Source: http://www.appliancesonlineblog.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/ironing-watching-tv.jpg

#2 No More Things Going Missing!

It's the mystery all of us have most likely dealt with: the case of missing items! In a laundry sense, of course. Ever had those times where you stuff your gym socks in the machine along with your clothes only to find at the end, one of them is missing? Say goodbye to those days! Invest in a laundry bag to put all socks and similarly sized articles so that they can stay accounted for. Feeling a little cheap? Use a binder clip to clip socks together, does the trick too!

Source: http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17gcn1gvw0lkojpg/ku-xlarge.jpg

#3 Folding Like A Boss!

Five seconds. That's the time that it takes for you to read this. It also could be the time it takes for you to fold a T-shirt. Just learn this quick technique and you could be on your way to folding shirts like a folding machine! It may sound like a pointless skill to have but think about it: the less time you spend folding (which come on, we all don't really enjoy), the more time you can spend doing... other things.

Source:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZRd5ulBna4

#4 Say Bye-Bye To Stains!

The worst thing is when you wear your favourite sweater out to dinner and it becomes a victim of a mustard attack because you just had to eat that hotdog. You don't have to let that ruin your sweater though! Here's a guide on how to remove stains before you pop them in the laundry machine (because you can't always just rely on the usual detergents):

Source: http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18ixfn9cqkcy9jpg/ku-xlarge.jpg

#5 Wrinkle-Free

Getting laundry done is one thing, but ironing?! Who has time for that? Well, as a uni student, there are times when you have to look presentable. If you have an iron, good for you. You should be well-aware on how to get rid of wrinkles. But what if you don't? Here's some thrifty alternatives using items you probably already have lying around in your room:

Source: http://img.wonderhowto.com/img/52/12/63498563670728/0/remove-wrinkles-from-clothing-without-ironing.w654.jpg

Guide to secondhand textbooks!

Why buy new textbooks when you can get secondhand ones and sell them off again after just one semester? Here's a quick guide on how to get your hands on secondhand textbooks..


#1 Social Networks

Use your social networks to get your secondhand textbooks! E.g., there are groups within Facebook where university students put their old textbooks up for sale. Locate the group for your university and search away!

#2 Public Websites

An example of a public website is Textbook Exchange. Textbook Exchange is the largest Australian secondhand textbook site! Simply key in your subject code within the search columns and list of textbooks will be provided!

 

 

#3 Notice boards (walls) around campus

You may sometimes find notices regarding textbooks sales posted on your campus's walls/board, especially the start of a new semester!

P.S. Always meet your seller in public places, stay safe and happy buying everyone!

Keeping up with the Uni Life!!

Having to handle all the social activities along with work in the uni lifestyle and can be seriously stressful!!

The amount of time and effort required for each section must nearly be "equal" to one another.

There are many ways we can fight these common problems by keeping ourselves organised at all times. 

3 Simple Steps to keep Organised: 

Get updated real time by using technology!!!

1. Use a digital diary planner or calender application - write down all the important assessment dates, social events and the days needed to work. Nowadays, our apple & android phones allow social networks such as Facebook to access and update our calender app at real time!
2. Use note applications like Evernote or reminder a to-do list app - like a shopping list, list all the important tasks that are to be completed. Once completed ticked them off!
3. Keep files saved and updated at real time - with use of clouding networking software such as dropbox, skydrive or google drive. It enables users to access and update from any computer, phone or tablet. 

source:http://awebsitedesigner.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/evernote-logo.jpg

source: https://www.etuvic.com.au/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/iphone-rdo.jpg?itok=TuRGeFRM

source:http://tabtimes.com/sites/default/files/dropbox.png

Follow the 3 easy steps above and it will help you keep up with the uni life!

Cheatsheets that come in handy!

Missing your favorite home cook food? Worry not, embrace that inner master chef in you as we are about to teach you how to cheat in the kitchen in the wittiest way! oh, and ladies, don't forget that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, so quick, grab a pen a paper and get ready to have a simpler uni life! 

Lets face it, converting measurements is not a very fun subject, and googling for the perfect answer to your question in between each cooking session where the cooking book usually makes a lil or perhaps no sense to you is beyond troublesome. So let's not be shy, print out these measurement conversion cheat sheets and paste it on your fridge because it will no doubt assist you in many ways.

 

Source :  http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18x14pkbmrazajpg/ku-xlarge.jpg

Source: http://thumbnails.visually.netdna-cdn.com/cooking-conversion-chart_5041344fc5765_w587.jpg

 Source: http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mc9mnrefw21qfmlgk.jpg

For more convenience, here are some more information on the shelf life of food! Most of the uni students fail to commit to freshness, consuming over night food or even keeping that piece of free meat pie you took from some club during your uni's open day in your refrigerator for months! Stay healthy , eat fresh and most of all don't let your mama worry. Trust me, you don't want that five hour lecture phone call! 

 Source: http://thumbnails.visually.netdna-cdn.com/TheShelfLifeofFood_512f96cbed064.jpg

Source: http://thumbnails.visually.netdna-cdn.com/TheShelfLifeofFood_512f96cbed064.jpg