Student Survival Guide by Lucy Clarke and Jenny Hawkins How To Books, 2001, £5.99 pp 166

Freshers

Freshers' week - the thing you've been excited about all summer, heard crazy tales of, and will probably never forget for the rest of your life. This chapter will help to guide you through the haze that is your first taste of independence, so good luck and enjoy!

Things to Bring to University

• Passport photos - crucial for various forms and new identification cards, e.g. NUS, or membership for sports clubs and societies.

• Fancy dress - there will be numerous themed parties and nights out, so it's time to dust off that gorilla costume you've been dying to show off.

• Umbrella - especially if moving to Wales.

• Mobile phone - not essential, some unis may have phones in each room.

• Map - try to get a map of the new area early so you can get your bearings. A local guide of 'What's On' is a handy way of finding out the places to go in your new town.

• Bike - depending on where you're living, a bike is a cost-effective way of getting around. Remember to bring a bike lock. If you are taking a car, check that there is parking at your halls of residence.

• Address book - crucial for staying in touch. Note down all your friends' birthdays too.

• Bottle opener - need we explain?

• Young Person's Railcard - gives you a third off all train journeys. Definitely a worthwhile investment.

• Camera - useful for reminding you of what the drink made you forget.

• Headache tablets - if there's one thing you'll regret leaving behind on a Sunday morning - it's these.

•ID - passport or birth certificate is an essential.

• National Insurance details - you'll need these if you're thinking about getting part-time work.

• Adaptor plug.

• Washing powder.

Kitchen equipment

If you are in self-catered accommodation then it's a good idea to wait and see what other people bring in case you end up with five toasters, seven kettles, and no one brings any chopping knives or oven trays. For catered accommodation, it's always useful and sociable to have a kettle in your room.

Bedroom

• Photos - so you don't forget what your Mum looks like.

• Posters - sometimes worth waiting as there are generally poster sales at the start of each semester (NB some halls of residence won't let you put them up).

• Lamp - for study or bedside.

• Bedding - unless specified, bring your own duvet and sheets.

• Sleeping bag - in case you have friends staying.

• Alarm clock - so you can get up for opening time.

Tips from the home-front.

• Get some tips from your folks about how to work a washing machine and how to change a light bulb. (Sounds daft, but you'd be surprised how much you don't know about living on your own.)

• If self-catered, jot down the recipes of your favourite home-cooked dishes, it's useful to wash the alcohol down with a little food now and then. (See recipe section).

What Freshers' Week Consists of

• Getting drunk.

• Enrolment - be prepared for some long queues, and you may need those passport photos at this stage.

• Joining sports clubs and societies.

• Sorting out your room and unpacking.

• Locating your whereabouts in relation to lecture halls and pubs etc.

• Registering with a doctor.

• And most importantly - meeting people.

Meeting People

You will meet hundreds of people in your first couple of weeks at university and make the same small talk over and over again, which usually consists of four questions:
1. your name
2. where you're from
3. what course you are studying
4. where your accommodation is.
These questions may become tedious, but stick with it.

If in the first week or so you don't meet anyone you can see yourself becoming friends with, don't despair, there are usually thousands of people at each university, and there will be someone you click with eventually.

It always feels as though everyone else has instantly settled in and has a secure circle of friends already. But this is rarely the case. The people you spend the first week with are not necessarily the people you'll spend the rest of your 3 years with.

Tips for meeting people

• Smile and be approachable.

• Make an effort to introduce yourself to the people in your hall/flat.

• Socialise - even if you just feel like curling up and going to bed, don't.

• If you are feeling homesick, don't stay in your room. There's always someone to introduce yourself to, or share a cup of tea with which will make you feel much better than being alone.

• Try and make friends with a couple of people from your course, it's good to have someone to walk to your first lectures with.

• When someone introduces themselves, make an effort to say their name in conversation, it comes across as friendly and will make them more receptive to you. It's also useful for helping you to remember their name amongst the hundreds you'll be grappling with. It can be slightly awkward asking someone's name after being best mates with them for three months!

• And remember, everyone is in the same boat.

Gap years

If you have been travelling in your gap year, try and curb the wealth of experiences you are dying to share. Perhaps save them for other 'gappies', or those 'truly interested' in your day-by-day briefing of 11 months in Thailand.

Joining Clubs

Joining clubs is one of the best ways of meeting new people. Most universities have a sports and societies' fair where you are encouraged to sign up for clubs that take your fancy. It gives you a chance to find out about what each club offers, such as meeting/training times, social opportunities and possible expenses involved.

Not only are sports clubs a great opportunity of meeting like-minded people, they are also a fun way of staying fit and healthy to keep that beer belly at bay.

WARNING!
Be careful not to join too many clubs, it may end up being expensive and you won't have time to do everything. There's no need to rush into signing up, you can always join later in the year after checking out your timetable and speaking to other club members.

Sport is good for you

Sport plays a major part in many students' lives, whether you are someone who does the odd fitness class, or a committed hockey player who trains twice a day. Sport not only helps you keep a healthy body and a healthy mind, it's also a great release from work pressures, especially around exam time. It makes you feel part of something and offers you the opportunity to take part in university life, building strong friendships as you go.

Don't be put off if you are a beginner at something; university clubs cater for all levels of ability, and university is a great time to indulge in a new passion. Make the most of what's on offer - it is unlikely that you will get such valuable opportunities in the future.

Team sports

If you are choosing a new sport it may be a good option to join a team. It can give you an overwhelming sense of camaraderie that you may not get doing a solo sport, and is the easiest way to instantly bond with fellow team mates. Many people join sports clubs just to make friends and have a good time.

The stomach-curdling rumours about the horrors of initiation may make you wary about joining a new team - but try not to worry. Initiation is gradually becoming an outdated practice, and even if your university is still keen on the ritual, the experience is never as bad as the stories.

"I had heard tales of having to drink pig's blood mixed with urine in order to be initiated into the First's football team. I was so nervous the night before that I was considering skipping it altogether, but when I arrived, everyone was pretty friendly. All initiation involved was getting extremely drunk so that we'd all lose our inhibitions and get to know the other team members better."

Value for money

Clubs tend to be excellent value for money. For example, we joined the windsurfing society in our first year which only cost £15. This included weekly trips to a lake, transport, instruction, use of all equipment and a thoroughly good time! We initially joined because we were tempted by the sexily-wetsuit-clad boys at the society's stand and we are now keen windsurfers, at a good standard, and have positions on the committee. For some, the wild punch parties, three-legged pub-crawls and skinny-dipping led to some very "close-knit" friendships! Sex aside, we have met some of our best friends through joining the club.

Types of club that may be available:

Sports
Basketball
Canoeing
Cricket
Dance
Football
Hockey
Karate
Kick Boxing
Kung Fu
Mountaineering
Netball
Rugby
Sailing
Squash
Tennis
Ultimate Frisbee
Volleyball

Societies
Animal Rights
Animation
Bell Ringing
Business
Christian Union
Conservative
Debating
Film
Hispanic
Indie Music
Jazz Funk
Lesbian & Gay
Natural History
Philosophy
Photographic
Subjects e.g. Law
Theatre

Transition from Home to University

Registration with a doctor

Another thing you'll have to do during Freshers' week, or as near to the start of the semester as possible, is register with a doctor. The university will probably provide information on where and how to register. It is advisable to choose a surgery near to your place of residence, because when you are ill you may not be able (or bothered) to go far.

You will need your National Health Card and details about your previous GP to hand when registering. If, like most of us, you haven't got a clue where your National Health Card is, then the doctor's surgery will give you a registration form to fill in instead.

Getting used to halls

It may feel unsettling at first, moving into unfamiliar surroundings, but this is perfectly natural. The move from a cosy home to a characterless room is a little daunting, but you'd be surprised how a few photos and posters can quickly brighten up your room.

Homesickness

If you are feeling homesick, don't worry - YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE! The best way of handling this is to keep yourself busy: surround yourself with lots of people and go out as much as possible. Talk to people, it's reassuring to know that there are others who feel the same. It is a big transition, it's bound to feel weird.

"I remember sitting in my room feeling very homesick and listening to everyone laughing and chatting down the corridor. Even though it was the last thing I felt like doing, I made myself go out and later discovered that two of the girls that had been laughing were also putting on a brave face and were desperately missing home too. By talking together about how we were feeling, we soon felt much better."

The temptation may be to head home when the going gets tough, for a bit of home cooking, washing and general pampering, but try and resist - it may unsettle you even more. Soon you may be so settled at uni that it will take time to adjust to being back home again. We found the moving to and fro became easier every time.

Leaving others behind

Bear in mind that this is a big change for those you're leaving behind too - your family will have to adapt to life without you. The odd phone call or letter home are bound to be appreciated. With so much going on in your new life it's easy to get slack about staying in touch with friends back home - university isn't for everyone, so try not to belittle your friends that choose to remain there.

Leaving your girlfriend/boyfriend behind

Many students begin university in a relationship. It can be very daunting to hear the 'it'll never last' myths that surround Freshers. Inevitably some relationships do not work out, but this may be a natural consequence of leading an independent life with a chance of a new start. But remember it can and will work, if you both want it to. Even if you are now living at opposite ends of the country, staying in touch has never been easier. You have access to free e-mail at uni, and there is always phoning and writing. It could be an idea to purchase a Young Person's Railcard or a coach card which will give you discounted journeys. There are even benefits of being apart:

• You appreciate your partner more, and really look forward to the time you spend together
• You learn to be more independent and know who you are as an individual, not purely as one half of a couple
• You have the chance to fill other aspects of your life more fully, but without lessening your partner's importance.

University vacations are long, you normally have around 3-4 weeks at Christmas and Easter, and anything up to 4 months for summer. Don't be deceived by the rumours that you can only enjoy uni if you're single - you can enjoy it whatever.

Flatmates from Hell

Most people experience no problems with those they live with, and many choose to remain flatmates for the rest of their time at university. However, if you are unfortunate enough to find yourself sharing with a knife-wielding, body-building serial killer, or an anorak who's idea of a good Saturday night involves a blow up doll and a tub of Vaseline - DON'T PANIC! In reality, rather than a serial killer, the worst scenario you are likely to face is a cereal thief going through your cornflakes.

"When I first met my housemates I found them very dull and couldn't foresee an enjoyable year living together, so went straight to the Accommodation Office and asked to be moved. Three weeks later (the time it took to fill out the necessary forms and be attributed a new flat) I had got to know my 'dull flatmates and realised we actually had a lot in common, and then I didn't want to move!"

Give life with your flatmates a fair trial, many of your initial doubts are likely to pass. If you are really unhappy, you always have the opportunity of changing accommodation. You should weigh up the pros and cons of moving, as you won't necessarily be placed in the same halls of residence. Go and see your accommodation officer, who can help you sort out the problem.

Diary of a student

I was forced to set my alarm clock for the early hour of mid-day, to start the pre-ball drinking with my newly aquired friends. I threw on my Dad's reject 1970's tuxedo and I felt ready to charm. Arriving at our pre-arrangedcheap cocktail venue, I was ready to show off my macho prowess by out-drinking my 18-stone rugby playing housemate. This was a mistake.

After several drinks, my inhibitions faded, as did my recollection of the events that followed. I was informed that I arrived at the ball and was escorted to my table, where I spent the rest of the evening - lying comatosed underneath it. I had a rude awakening at 3am by the cleaning staff, mopping up the pool of vomit that had been my bed for the evening. I was put in a taxi and made it back to my halls of residence, and realised I couldn't remember which house I lived in. Since they all look identical, I took a stab in the dark at which of the 5,000 rooms were mine, and felt strangely confident about my choice. Fortunately I had left my room unlocked for easy access. As I collapsed into bed, I was most distressed to find a hairy naked man sleeping in my bed. A black eye and a ripped tuxedo later, he convinced me that this was not in fact my room. As I was politely escorted out by my hairy naked friend, I noticed one of my flatmates slinking half-dressed out of another house. When he saw me he grinned from ear to ear and said: "You got lucky too!" I grinned back, pointed at my dishevelled tuxedo and said: "Yeah, she was a bit of an animal!" Ziad Mantoura Ë 2nd year Law student

The Social Scene

The availability of cheap alcohol combined with thousands of like-minded students newly released from home may provide a licence to party 24/7, as all hopes of getting a degree fade slowly into the distance. The social side of university will probably provide you with some of your most memorable experiences. While it's important to make the most of them, remember that you only have one shot at a degree, one liver and a limited supply of expendable brain cells.

Union Entertainment

No matter how diverse your socialising tastes are you're bound to find your niche somewhere. The combination of the student union and the opportunities available in your local town/city are likely to leave you with a busy social calendar.

Because the student union is specifically designed to cater for impoverished students, alcohol and entry prices are often cheaper than most venues in town.

Live music

Students have the opportunity to see a huge range of live music as student towns draw the best of national talent to their doorsteps. Big bands regularly tour student unions, but you will also get the chance to see up and coming bands Ë the stars of tomorrow at very cheap prices. It's a great opportunity to broaden your musical tastes without excessive cost.

Comedy and film nights

A lot of comedians gig at universities and colleges. If you go to a uni with a large student population there is a fair chance that big name comics will feature at some point - keep your eyes peeled for posters.

Unions often show films on a big screen, providing a cheap way to see things you missed first time round.

Themed nights

Find out the entertainment timetable for what's going on in your union - you can usually pick up free wall charts or leaflets for the month's events. It is likely that there will be a regular schedule of themes for the main bar. Different nights play different music and have various drinks' promotions and you'll probably start getting into a routine of knowing which nights to go out and which nights to stay in watching the box. There are always the calendar events such as Christmas and Halloween parties, and then of course the themed nights which may include anything from Porn Star parties, Cowboys and Indians, Saucy Uniforms, Bond nights, Hawaiian and Traffic Light parties (where you wear red, orange, or green depending on if you are single or available). Whatever the theme, the main objective is for everyone to dress as scantily as possible. You will inevitably need your union card to get in and take part in all of the above. Non-members will need signing in by a member, usually at a small cost.

Town/City Entertainment

The best ways to find out what's going on in your university town are asking other students, looking up events in the local paper and keeping an eye out for posters or flyers. Experiment and try out some new places you wouldn't normally venture into. Here are some ideas of things to do:

Big nights
• Clubbing. The music in clubs will be very diverse depending on the venue. As a general rule though commercial house and garage usually take centre stage on weekends, and funk and hip-hop nights tend to be found mid-week. Check the dress code in advance - trainers may not be allowed and men may have to wear shirts on Fridays or Saturdays

"We always avoid town on weekends as entry prices are really high and the queues are massive."

• Pub crawls. It can be difficult to move everyone from pub to pub so plan out the route and make sure people know where the next watering hole is

• Live music. At some point try and take advantage of the live music available - there's always something to suit everyone's taste.

Quiet nights
• Theatre. There is more to theatre than Shakespeare. There are hundreds of interesting productions going on locally so make the most of your student discount and go and see them

• Cinema. You can use your NUS Mondays to Thursdays for discount

• Coffee houses. Most are open in the evening, and it's a good way to catch up with people over a drink, but minus the hangover in the morning

• Karaoke. Gives the prima donnas of uni the chance to show off their favourite hits in front of cloth-eared drunks

• Bowling/Ice-skating/Quaser Laser. A bit old-skool, but still plenty of fun.

House parties

If none of the above floats your boat, you can always create your own alternative by throwing a house party.

Pros of throwing a house party:
• If it's a success you'll be remembered as 'the person that threw that legendary party'
• It's your chance to select the people you want to socialise with - especially those fit boys/girls you've had your eye on all year.

Cons of throwing a house party:
• The stress and hassle of being the organiser
• The expense - people will inevitably eat your food, drink your alcohol and generally damage everything worth anything
• You may not know everyone that comes through the door and things may get stolen
• The morning after the night before: the puke-plastered bathroom, the alcohol-stained carpet and the abyss of cans and bottles that will re-appear for the next 6 weeks.

TIPS
If you are still crazy enough to go ahead with it, here are some tips to help:
• Make sure everyone in your house agrees to it
• Lock expensive things away
• Record CDs onto tape as they could get scratched or stolen
• If you are going the whole hog, think about having themed rooms to suit individuals, for example, a chill out room, dance room and love shack
• Have drinks in the kitchen or on an easily wipeable surface
• Put bin bags in each room as it makes the clean up a little easier
• Have cloths etc. on stand-by
• If someone spills red wine, pour white wine straight over the top and leave it till the colour changes. It may sound bizarre, but trust us, it works
• Put out food you want to be eaten, otherwise people will delve into your cupboards in those hungry 2.00am fridge raids
• Have the toilet clearly signed so people don't pee on your sofa or in your flowerpots
• Don't announce your party in the union on a busy night or else there could be a lot of unwanted randomers arriving.

"Don't put your beer in the fridge if you want to see it again, because all's fair in love, war and parties."

Drinking Games

Nick Monaham, 3rd year Psychology student and expert in drinking games writes:

Drinking games often receive a bad press, being associated with the rugby club mentality, or simply no mentality at all. Much of this poor reputation can be attributed to misunderstanding - drinking games are very versatile and varied and can be easily adjusted to suit the needs of those involved. In this section I introduce a range of universal rules for drinking games, and explain how to play a number of my favourites. No doubt many of you, as you read it, will ridicule me for not knowing other rules or apparently getting them wrong. Please acknowledge that the beauty of drinking games is that they are infinitely varied.

Universal drinking laws

Fines
There are certain rules to drinking games that ought to be observed. Firstly the question of fines must be explained. Principally, whenever a person makes a mistake, in accordance with the established rules of the game, a fine is taken. A two-finger measure, against the side of the drinking receptacle, is the standard fine. At certain significant points, a larger amount may be drunk, such as a full pint, or whatever remains in the guilty party's glass. Clearly these fines need to be predetermined, based upon factors such as the strength of drink, likelihood of mistakes, alcohol tolerance of players etc.

Names
Serious players, attempting to instil a degree of organisation to the proceedings, may desire to nominate a 'Chief', and possibly a Deputy. These two individuals are addressed by the appropriate titles at all times, and any failure to do so earns the culprit a fine. The Chief and Deputy are also those people who know all the games, enjoy enforcing them on others, and hide behind their self-imposed authority to avoid being stitched themselves. Don't become frustrated with their autocracy - their size normally indicates that they have a wealth of drinking experience, and could heavily out-drink you if they really had to.

Pointing
It is a universal law in drinking games that no pointing with a finger is allowed within the drinking circle. Instead, players must 'point' to others, or indicate the direction of play, with their elbow or limb/joint of their choice. Failure to do so results in the inevitable.

Swearing
Any swearing must be accompanied with that infuriating and clichéd 'inverted commas' finger gesture. This rule is virtually impossible to adhere to.

Drinking hands
A particular gem of a rule, that is well worth applying, is that all players must only drink using a particular hand. This could be the left hand all night, change with each game, or even be determined by the side of the clockface which the minute hand is on at that time. However vigilant or sober you are, or how many others you catch out, you are sure to slip up yourself at some point. Particular derision is given to those who are fined for failing to abide by this rule, and then proceed to consume the resulting fine with the same wrong hand.

False accusation
Wrongly accusing any player of breaking the rules, when they in fact have not, results in the false accuser undertaking a fine.

A further set of rules, separate from the specific game being played, can be adopted to add to the tactical intrigue and level of consumption within the drinking circle. Unfortunately for some, they also test perception and reaction times and a less than sharp player can find themselves caught in a vicious circle of error-induced drinking:

Thumbmaster
One player is nominated as thumbmaster. At any stage during the game this person may place (preferably subtly) one thumb onto the edge of the table. Other players need to spot this and do exactly as the thumbmaster has done. The last player to do so collects the necessary award, and becomes the new thumbmaster - and so it continues.

Mr Freeze
Essentially the same format as thumbmaster. The nominated player, as inconspicuously or as exuberantly as they desire, adopts a pose which they hold until one dozy b..... has still to notice that everyone else has one finger up their nose and the other in the crotch of the person next to them.

Golf ball/coin
Slightly different is the use of a golf ball, single coin, or other such item within the drinking circle. The person in possession of the all important item is allowed to drop it into the drink of any other person of their choice. Having allowed their defences to falter, the now unfortunate owner of the item has to retrieve it from their glass, when it has been emptied (referred to as "rescuing the Queen" in the case of a coin). The only comfort to this individual is that they are now in possession of the item, and can dispose of it as they see fit.

Games

Twenty-one
You may find this game a good initiation to drinking games, due to its simplicity, and is often played by experienced players as a mental and physical warm-up.

Players are seated in a circle (as with virtually all games).

One person starts the game by saying the number 1, and indicating the direction in which the game is to move around the circle (e.g. To my left, 1) Ë remember no pointing.

The adjacent player, in the indicated direction would then say 2. Essentially, the circle counts to 21.

Unless 2 years old, or totally comatosed, further rules are added to get the juices flowing.

Each player, on his turn, must say either 1 number, or 2 or 3 consecutive numbers (e.g. 14, 15, 16).

If the preceding player says
1 number - turn moves to adjacent player
2 numbers - game changes direction
3 numbers - same direction, but turn skips one person in circle.

No player may say the same amount of numbers as the previous player, with the exception of 1 number. Therefore, if the player before said 2 numbers (7, 8), you could not then say just 9, 10.

Beyond the number 15 or so, players need to correctly judge the right amount of numbers they should say in order to land the number 21 on a particular person, or at least not on their own turn. The person who 21 does land on is requested to draw the round to a conclusion and see off their drink.

A compensatory privilege is that they may then choose any number they wish to be replaced by a phrase/action of their choice. This so-called number replacement is to be strictly adhered to in all subsequent rounds. As the number of rounds increases, a growing amount of numbers have elaborate replacements, and hence the game grows in complexity.

"It was remarkable how long we were allowed to stay in one venue, considering someone was standing up and shouting '13, the barman's mother is a Bavarian swamp donkey, 15'!"

Verdict
'The archetypal drinking game.'
'Essential knowledge for any human being.'

Nick Farr Jones
This is without doubt my favourite drinking game. The best way to describe how to play it would be as follows:

Remind yourself of 21, and the basic concept of counting up as the game moves around the circle.

Add to that the replacement of the conventional numbers, with Roman numerals (i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4 would be I, II, III, IV etc.).

Add to that the replacement of I, V X with Nick, Farr and Jones respectively (former Australian Rugby Union captain).

Take away the skipping, and changing direction of 21 (unless you are exceptionally crazy!).

Therefore, each player says only 1 number, and the game continues in the same direction.

1 to 5 would be:
1 = "Nick"
2 = "Nick, Nick"
3 = "Nick, Nick, Nick"
4 = "Nick, Farr"
5 = "Farr"

Significant pauses/hesitation or blatant mistakes result in the mandatory fine.

After each mistake, the guilty party starts the counting again, from 1 (Nick).

Verdict
'There's always someone totally incapable of converting numbers to numerals, let alone Nick, Farr and Jones.'
'Highest number known to have been reached was 39 (Jones Jones Jones Nick Jones), set by members of the University of Wales Air Squadron.'
'Not very common, but a joy to play.'

1 Up, 1 Down
One particular breed of drinking games could be described as "Thinking Man's Games". Involving a degree of lateral thinking, such games essentially require players to work out the rules themselves!

At least 1, but preferably several (particularly in large circles) of the players need to know the rules.

One of them explains to the other players that, on their turn, they are required to say one of only 3 things:
2 up
2 down or
1 up, 1 down
They will then explain that they will tell each person, on their turn, whether they have said the right thing. If they haven't then a fine is expected to be consumed. Those who know the rules must always answer correctly.

Based on this, naïve players are told that they need to figure out the rule which dictates which of the three statements they should say.

Before you become overwhelmingly confused, or to rescue you if you already are, I shall explain what each of the 3 statements refers to.

To correctly respond, according to the rule, players must say the statement which refers to the position of their hands.

Therefore, if both hands are high, in relation to their body - such as scratching their head with one, smoking with the other - then they would say "2 up". Similarly, if their hands were in their lap, they would say "2 down".

The game proceeds around the circle, each person issuing their latest guess as to the correct statement.

The total bemusement which is induced is wonderful to watch, as players may coincidentally say the correct statement, whilst not having a Scooby why they got it right. Alternatively, others are convinced they have worked out the rule, only to discover to their cost that they didn't in fact know it at all, when it comes to their turn. Those in the know can subtly mislead other players, disguising the significance of their hand positions, and fuelling players' theories about the statements following some sort of pattern, or being based on the statement before.

The only other type of this game which I can think of involves each player saying "I like, but I don't like". The word they describe as liking must contain a double letter (e.g. "tt"), whilst the item which they don't like must not. For example, "I like football, but I don't like rugby" would be a valid statement.

Verdict
'Another excellent warm-up game.'
'High comedy value.'
'Some people just never get it!'

Sports Games
A big sporting occasion is often eagerly awaited by sports fans and off-licences alike. The most effective way to remember key moments in a match, and significantly enhance your enjoyment of it, is to closely entwine mankind's 2 greatest inventions - sport and alcohol. Drinking games can be made to fit any match of whatever sport. Let us take England v Scotland in the 6 Nations Championship in 2000. Each spectator present around the television picks the name of a player from a hat. This player may become both their sporting hero, yet their drinking downfall! Whenever the sporting player touches the ball, the relevant drinking player sips their drink. If the player scores, the corresponding player has to finish their drink. The infuriating defeat of the English that day wasn't such a sombre occasion as it could have been, without the presence of a friend of mine called Mrs S Artois.

Verdict
'Another infinitely variable/flexible game.'
'Monitor drinking throughout - hooliganism is not condoned!'

Phew! Thank you Nick. To modify an age-old saying, experience is worth a thousand words. This section can provide little more than an insightful guide into the fundamentals of drinking games, and hopefully allay any apprehensions which you may have. However, the only way to learn the rules and glorious nature of drinking games is to play them, in your own way, and provide yourself with your own set of happy memories.

Cocktail Recipes

Here are some favourite student cocktail recipes for those of you with a hint of class.

Piña Colada
Serves 1
1 shot white rum
2 shots coconut milk
2 shots pineapple juice
Strawberry and pineapple slices to decorate

Margarita
Serves 1
1.5 shots tequila
1 shot Cointreau
1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
cracked ice

Tequila Sunrise
Serves 1
1 shot tequila
2 teaspoons grenadine
2.5 shots orange juice
fruit slices to decorate

Bloody Mary
Serves 1
1 shot vodka
2 shots tomato juice
squeeze of orange juice
splash of Worcester sauce

Screwdriver
Serves 1
1 shot vodka
juice of 1 orange
ice cubes

Sangria
Serves 5+
2 bottles red wine
0.5 pint soda water
0.5 pint brandy (optional)
ice cubes
slices of fruit to decorate

Hawaiian Punch
(This recipe originated from the infamous windsurfing punch parties we went to, where you pay £3 for as much punch as you can drink). Serves 4 +
1 bottle red wine
1 small bottle vodka
2 cartons orange juice
1 bottle lemonade
1 carton pineapple juice
4 shots Archers

Pulling Tips

A substantial proportion of your well-spent socialising time is likely to be pre-occupied by a phenomenon known as "pulling". University is a time of getting to know people Ë and some more intimately than others.

Tried and tested pulling tips and mistakes

"Check their age. Also make sure they're not male - an adams apple is sometimes the only real way of telling."
Tom Freemantle, 2nd year Computer science

"Find an excuse to touch their body in some way, perhaps an affectionate punch or complimenting their clothes by touching them."
Lisa Kirby, 3rd year Biology

"Go out in drag - I find it helps"
Neil Stewart, 2nd year Law

"Don't get too pissed - even if you manage to attract the lucky lady, your performance in the bedroom won't stand up to much - literally."
Steve Honeywell, 2nd year Journalism

"Wear easy access clothing - I recommend Velcro".
Rina Patel, 2nd year Medicine

"Check yourself out in the mirror before you approach them. Stray bogies and panda eyes might not go down well."
Maria Allen, 1st year History of Art

"Let's face it, the only true way of winning a girl is by getting her pissed."
Andrew Campbell, 4th year Medicine

Diary of a student

Alcohol can take its toll and humiliate you at any time or any place, as a school-friend of mine once experienced. Accompanied by his unruly mates they went to watch the Pilkington Cup Final at Twickenham, which was invariably played between Bath and Leicester (and invariably won by Bath Ë ah, those were the days). In spite of his heroic morning drinking, he did manage to get into the stadium, and took his seat in the front row of the second tier of the ground. However, before the match even kicked off he projectile vomited onto the unsuspecting journalists and their laptops, in the press box below. Strangely enough this didn't go unnoticed, and he was promptly escorted from the stadium, more to protect him from the decorated reporters than anything else.

Moral of the story - while you may be able to get away with such misbehaviours as projectile vomiting over drunkard student mates whilst watching the game on the box, such actions will not be tolerated in the real world - try and restrict any serious drinking binges and their consequences to the confines of student life.
James Cox, 1st Year Computing and Mathematics

Getting a House

The majority of students choose to live in halls during their first year of university and then move into a house for their second and third years. There are various advantages and disadvantages of both.

Halls of Residence or a House?

The advantages and disadvantages of halls

Advantages
• Being so close to many other students makes it potentially easier to make friends
• Many facilities are often close at hand, such as sports amenities, shop, bar and laundry
• Accommodation fees usually cover bills which saves much hassle and may work out less expensive
• Repairs can normally be sorted out straightforwardly by reporting them to the campus office
• If in catered halls, you don't have to worry about cooking and might be more inclined to eat properly
• Campuses are usually much safer than city streets as there are lots of other people in close proximity. They are usually well-lit and many universities have wardens and camera security
• If you're really lucky you might get a cleaner to clean your kitchen - although in our case this came hand-in-hand with £5 fines for not changing bin-bags etc.

Disadvantages
• Rooms can be small and impersonal and might not feel homely. You may not be allowed to decorate them as you want to
• Constant noise and distractions can become annoying, especially if you're in need of a good night's sleep when the flat downstairs decides to hold a party
• Catered students may find that they don't like the food or don't want to eat at times meals are offered.

The advantages and disadvantages of houses

Advantages
• You can usually decorate your house as you wish and make it feel generally more home-like
• You can choose the location of your house
• You can choose who to live with
• If you find a good house in your second year, you save the effort of moving house again in the third year.

Disadvantages
• Finding a house that you all like in an ideal location is rarely easy and you may have to trail around for several weeks before you succeed
• You have to start being responsible for paying bills - a big hassle for even the most organised of people
• Houses close to the university are often old and because they are relatively cheap can be of poor quality. They are therefore not renowned for their cleanliness and class. Green mouldy walls, rats and decaying furniture are not uncommon in student houses
• You have to deal with landlords and housing agencies and co-operation is not always easy
• You may become lonely if your flatmates aren't around, since you won't be so close to other students

Don't rush into renting

If you do decide to rent a house the most important thing to remember is not to rush in. A lot of housing agencies and landlords advertise very early in the academic year which creates a snowballing panic amongst students who fear all the best houses will be snapped up. This is not the case as new houses are continually being advertised. You are unlikely to be left in the lurch. Also, you may have to pay full or half rent over the summer even though you won't be living there.

Choosing Your Housemates

Choosing who you are going to live with next year can be a stressful experience as people may already have a house arranged or there may be a group of you that's too big to all live together. Here are some points to bear in mind when choosing your housemates:

Do you want to live in a mixed or single sex house?
• Would you prefer to live in a very sociable house or a quieter one?
• Do you all want to live in a similar location and pay a similar amount of rent?
• Do you want to live in a smoking or non-smoking house?
• Consider not living with people who are all on your course. It may prove too much living and working together
• Try to live with someone with a car (cheeky but very useful)
• The most important thing is to live with people who you think are reliable and that you can trust.

Try not to worry too much if you don't manage to live with your first choice of friends. Just remember, in your first year you were probably chucked in with a lot of strangers and things generally work out. Also, having some of your friends elsewhere gives you another house to seek refuge in if you need a break from your own.

If you find yourself without a group of housemates, put aside those thoughts of living in a bed-sit on your own as there are always notices around university where already established houses are looking for one or two new people to share with.

Choosing a House and Location

Although laws exist to ensure that rented houses are safe, unfortunately there are many irresponsible landlords, and students are among the most vulnerable tenants. Consequently finding a good house in a nice location is not always a smooth process, but by being aware of your rights you can keep hassles to a minimum. There are plenty of services and professionals who can give you advice and support throughout the whole process and you should make the most of any help available.

Agent or Landlord?

Private Landlord
If possible, try to get a list of private landlords from your student union. These will either be properties which have been checked out by the university or have had to produce a Gas Safety Certificate in order to display property details. You could also try looking in your local paper. The advantage with using a private landlord is that you don't have to pay an agency fee.

Agency-owned Properties
These properties are owned by the agency who acts as the landlord. You therefore pay rent and bond money to the agency.

Agency-managed properties
In this case the landlord owns the house and the agency looks after it. You usually deal with the agency in reporting any problems and paying rent etc.

Private Landlords found through an agency
This occurs when you find a property through an agency. From then on you will deal with the landlord, and rent etc. is paid directly to the landlord.

"We thought all agency fees were standard, so had no qualms about paying £150 each. It was gutting to find out we could have saved ourselves £50 by shopping around a bit."

The Contract

You will need to sign a contract with the agency/landlord outlining the rights and obligations of the tenant and landlord. It will state the length of tenancy, rent payable and how often it has to be paid.

You should read the contract thoroughly and understand its content. Once it has been signed you will not be able to break it without the agreement of the landlord or agency.

The Bond

You normally have to pay a deposit known as your "bond" which the agency retains throughout the year and will use to cover the costs of any cleaning or damage which has occurred during your stay.

"After living in the same house for two years, we were all quite proud that we hadn't broken or damaged anything, so were expecting to receive our bond back in full. What we didn't realise was that the general scum we left in the kitchen for the new occupants to find was actually cleared up by a cleaner and the expense was deducted from our bond."

House Hunting Tips

Choose a suitable location
Plan ahead by choosing a house close to the university, corner shop, supermarket, pub or whatever is important to you. If you live far away from the shops, carrying eight shopping bags back miles every week in the rain is a big hassle. Likewise, being a long way from your university building may put you off getting up for that 9.00am lecture, and you really don't need any other excuses. If possible, choose a house in a safe location on a well-lit road in case there is an instance when you have to walk home alone at night.

Don't rush into anything
Your agency may try and rush you into choosing a house by suggesting that if you don't hurry the houses will be rented to someone else. In reality it is more likely that they are keen to get your agency fee into the bank and save manpower by not traipsing round any more houses with you. Admittedly, good houses in nice locations are unlikely to be on the market for long, but they come up all the time and by settling for a less than satisfactory house you might miss out on a better one that becomes available later.

Split up
You can save time if you each approach 1 or 2 housing agencies and ask to be shown the best properties within your price range. When one of you thinks that you have found a suitable house, then you can all go back and have another look at a later date.

Ask questions
Any decent agency should be happy to give you information on the property, so make sure you make the most of this and ensure you have explored all potential pitfalls before you sign anything.

Find out about hidden costs and agency fees
Some houses may have unforeseen expenses on top of rent and you may find yourself paying more than you bargained for. For example, some properties have water meters rather than a flat water rate, which could potentially work out more costly. Ensure you are aware of what is included in the rent - paying more for better facilities may work out cheaper. Also check if the agency charges high fees for lease signings and inventories.

Check that the property is safe
This should be your most important consideration in choosing a house. Ask to see a Gas Safety Certificate on every gas appliance. The best landlords will also provide fire extinguishers and smoke alarms. Furniture should preferably be British Standard-approved.

Speak to current tenants
Try to speak to the previous tenants about any problems they encountered with the house or landlord, as this will give you a good indication as to how co-operative the landlord is likely to be.

"Two of the students who lived in the house we were looking at were there when we visited. We asked them why they were moving and they told us the house is freezing in winter and the traffic noise keeps them awake at night. It was worth asking as we didn't want to experience the same problems."

Look for signs of damp
Condensation comes as standard in many student properties, but damp exists in varying degrees. Minor condensation is usually just the result of poor ventilation. If you are worried, get someone who knows what they are looking for to check out the extent of the problem. If you decide to go ahead and take the risk anyway ask the landlord to provide better ventilation. Rising damp is a much more serious issue. Avoid signing for any property that you suspect may have rising damp. Green spotty walls are not the ideal way of decorating your house.

Try and overlook furnishings that will be removed
A house that looks great when you initially look around it will more than likely be gutted of many of its contents when the existing tenants move out. The 1970s moth-eaten curtains will be hung back up and the rugs will be removed to reveal the stained fraying carpets ready for when you move in. Check how much of the decoration belongs to the tenants and how much comes with the house.

Choosing Rooms

In most houses you are looking at to rent there is generally one fantastic room and one death pit of a room and the others fall somewhere in between. Here are a selection of various tried and tested methods of how you can fairly go about choosing who gets which room.

The diplomatic sit round and 'discuss' it
This method usually fails abysmally as most people want to seem polite and flexible in front of their new housemates. They try and say, in the most roundabout way possible, that they want the biggest room. If there is one considerably smaller room than the others, you could all agree that whoever has it could pay slightly less rent.

Twister
Get an independent adjudicator to spin the arrow and oversee to make sure no cheating happens. Do it in rounds - whoever remains without falling onto the mat gets first choice of room. Then start round 2 for the second choice of rooms, again whoever remains without touching the mat has the next choice.

Dares
Whoever is prepared to go the furthest gets the best room. This one could get a bit messy as it is ideally played over a few drinks. The boys in our house had to order kebabs with their trousers round their ankles - (although we can't advise this one as it's indecent exposure and anyway, since then we've all been banned from eating there).

Names out of a hat
Tends to be the simplest way of choosing the rooms. The first person's name that comes out of the hat has first choice. The second name has second choice etc.

Dealing with Landlords
Student landlords or agencies generally receive a bad press, and whilst some may be sharks, try to be nice to your landlord or agent - it's in your best interest. Make an effort to tidy up before their visit as they are more likely to be co-operative if you are reasonable and show that you are prepared to look after the property as a responsible tenant.

What rights does the landlord have?
The landlord or their agent, has the legal right to enter the property at reasonable times of the day to carry out the repairs for which they are responsible and to inspect the condition and state of repair of the property. They must give 24 hours' notice in writing of an inspection.

What rights does the tenant have?
The landlord cannot evict you without a possession order from the court. Matters such as whether you can keep animals etc. should be negotiated and included in the terms of the tenancy agreement.

Repairs
The landlord is usually responsible for repairs to:
the structure and exterior of the property
baths, sinks, showers etc
heating and hot water installation.
The landlord is not responsible for repairing damage caused by you.

Inventory

When you first move into private rented accommodation you should be given a form to fill in called an inventory, which lists the contents of the property and the condition it's in. Be sure to fill this in properly as if you just tick all the boxes, such as one saying 'table provided' and one isn't, then at the end of your renting they will look back over the inventory and see it is missing and will be able to charge you for it.

Bills

This will probably be the first time in your life that you are confronted with the nightmare of bill-paying. You will receive regular water, gas, electricity and phone bills which you must pay by the deadline specified otherwise you may be cut off (in which case you must pay a reconnection fee), or threatened with legal action.

You may want to allocate the bills amongst housemates so that each person is responsible for paying one bill and collecting the divided amount of money from each of the other housemates.

Another idea is to open a joint account out of which bills are direct debited, and each housemate makes equal contributions to the account. The disadvantage with this is that you have to provide large sums of money upfront and people may not be able to afford it in one go.

For the phone bill, have a pad by the phone to write down all the numbers you have dialled, then make sure your phone bills are itemised so you can each add up your own calls. This is more difficult than it sounds though, as mysterious numbers are frequently denied.

"We had a portable phone which I wouldn't recommend. It would always go missing so there was no way of keeping a pad by the phone to jot down who we'd each called. Sorting out the phone bill became a real problem."

Ways of minimising electricity bills
• Boiling the kettle uses a lot of energy so don't fill it to the top every time you just want one cup of tea
• Use smaller hobs for smaller saucepans
• Have showers more regularly than baths
• Put on an extra jumper rather than turning up the heating
• Set your heating on a timer so that it is not on constantly when you are out • Fit your windows with decent curtains and ask for any poor-fitting windows causing drafts to be repaired
• Use the phone after peak time
• Don't under-fill the washing machine or use it to wash one pair of socks (as one of our less economically-friendly housemates once did)

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Insurance

It is a well-known fact that the vast majority of students leave their student houses empty during the holidays. They are generally not the securest of places, and consequently burglaries are quite common. The value of your possessions may add up to thousands of pounds so it is in your best interests to take out insurance.

Endsleigh Insurance is recommended by the National Union of Students as the best insurance company for students. From around £18 a year you can secure peace of mind that your possessions are covered. In the case of loss they will be replaced following a claim on a new for old basis, which means you receive new items at today's prices. The following cover options are available:

1. Contents of your room (between £2,000 and £5,000)
2. Items that you take outside your room (all risks) e.g. watches, jewellery, cameras etc
3. Computer equipment (all risks) - covers accidental loss or damage.

Automatically included in this cover is legal liability, liability for loss or damage, personal injury, personal money from your room and cover during vacations. You can take out additional insurance for mobile phones.

It really is worth taking out insurance - coming back after a nice Christmas holiday to a ransacked house is disturbing enough without the additional worry that you are not covered.

Carbon Monoxide Safety

Every year approximately 50 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide can escape from appliances which have not been properly installed or maintained.

The danger of carbon monoxide is that you can't smell, see or taste it. It can kill in a matter of hours. Common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are:
• Headaches
• Tiredness
• Dizziness
• Chest and stomach pains
• Sickness.

Safety checks

Look out for signs of staining, soot or discolouration around gas appliances such as boilers, fires and water heaters and yellow or red flames from pilot lights.

Never cover an appliance or block its ventilation.

If you have any worries you should turn off the appliance, open the windows and contact the gas board as soon as possible.

Handy House Tips

Keeping your house tidy

As petty as it sounds, the issue of cleaning is the main cause of arguments in student houses. Most houses have their own rules or rotas, but here's what worked for us:

Washing up. We came up with the idea of having separate washing up bowls. We bought 5 different coloured washing up bowls for 50p each from a discount store, and placed them along our windowsill. It works well as if you don't have time to wash up you can put the stuff straight into your individual bowls and it stops the kitchen from being cluttered up by 3-week old crusty pasta pans.

Another common method of keeping on top of the washing up is having one person in charge of it per day. The downside of this is if that person has gone home then no-one wants to offer their services.

Cleaning. To keep the house clean we split it up into areas that we were each in charge of. This works well as you feel responsible for keeping your designated area tidy, and if you aren't doing it properly people know who to pin the blame on. Between the 5 of us this worked out as:-
2 people - kitchen (wipe surfaces and clean hob)
1 person - bathroom and hall (clean toilet and sink and hoover)
1 person - bin (empty daily and put bins out)
1 person - lounge (hoover and keep tidy)

Household goods kitty

At the start of each semester you could each put £10 into a kitty for things like toilet roll, washing up liquid, oven cleaner, bin liners, hoover bags etc.

"Next year we've decided to have a house kitty. I think the turning point was when I started using my shampoo as washing up liquid for the third week running as everyone was refusing to buy any new liquid and surprisingly we all seemed to have bought the last bottle."

Food sharing

Some houses like to share food, which is a nice communal gesture, but it doesn't always work out fairly. One of the easiest methods is to have a food kitty for the essentials, such as tea, coffee, milk, bread and butter, and buy other things separately.

Cheap ways of decorating

Contrary to popular belief, not all students live in squalor. Here are a few cost effective ways of making your house that bit more homely:
• Paint - brighten up a dull room entirely with a quick coat of paint
• Posters - visit the poster sale and use them to cover up peeling wallpaper
• Throws - a new sofa is probably out your price range, but throws are a cheap way of spicing up the look of a room and are also washable
• Plants - give any student house a more homely look; try and find ones that need as little TLC as possible
• Lighting - if your room seems a bit dark try using a higher watt light bulb, or if you want an atmospheric look use a painted light bulb to give a coloured glow to the room
• Curtains - most houses come with pretty foul curtains but you can take then down and use bamboo blinds which are very cheap at £5 for a normal sized window
• Rugs - if the carpets look about 40 years old and your landlord is refusing to change them, you can always buy a big rug to throw over the top
• Photos - create a house photo board in a communal area. Photos add a personal touch to any room and embarrassing ones are a good talking point with visitors.

NB be careful how many changes you make to your house as you may lose your deposit. Check with your landlord before you do anything like painting.

Diary of a student

At the time I was supposed to be house hunting with my friends I saw a last minute holiday deal so zoomed off for a cheap bit of winter sun, leaving all the hassle of searching for a house in my friends' capable hands. My zero effort or concern for finding a place meant I didn't get a say in which room I had - and as a result got lumbered with the smallest one. There was just enough room for a bed, and my desk was the size of an A4 pad, which meant I had to keep all my stuff on the landing outside. That wasn't the worst part - within a week of living there we noticed droppings that looked suspiciously rat shaped (we are authorities on these issues), so spent the next few months in fear of finding a rat sharing our kitchen. My friends didn't notice the lack of double glazing when they visited the house on a warm day, but we spent most nights huddled round the TV each with 6 layers on. Other delights of living there included discovering mushrooms growing in our bathroom (honestly), and having a permanently blocked drain which meant you really wouldn't want to go into the garden.

Whether we liked it or not we were stuck there for a year, and whilst it wasn't quite the home I'd been used to it was certainly a learning experience. Next year I'll make sure I'm not on holiday on house hunting day. Fliss Campbell, 2nd Year Leisure and Tourism.