It is now October; the most magical time of the year is just around the corner. However, we should not forget that before then there is the scariest night of all – Halloween night. Here are some easy tips and tricks on how to get into the Halloween mood on a budget friendly way.

Scary Movie Marathon

Have you always been afraid of watching scary movies alone? That is the perfect time to get together with your flatmates and watch the scariest movies of all, for example series Annabelle or Conjuring. The shared kitchen spaces at our Winchester property’s Cathedral Point and Riverside Way are perfect for it. Don’t forget to make some popcorn and get some hot chocolate with marshmallows!

Bake Off – Student Edition

There is nothing better than starting breakfast with cookies. Especially if those cookies are pumpkin-cherry and have been baked with joint effort. Baking together will highly increase your festive mood and possibly decrease cleanliness of the kitchen, but that’s another story.

Click on the link for a delicious recipe: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/dessert/a35274/pumpkin-cherry-breakfast-cookies/

Halloween Tour of Winchester

Have you considered joining the spooky Halloween tour of Winchester!

A feast of ghosts and other ghastly goings-on for adults only.

Come dressed for the part if you like!

All tours last 1.5 hours and start at the Tourist Information Centre.

You can buy tickets online by visiting https://mpv.tickets.com/schedule/ or tickets are available to purchase at the Winchester Tourist Information Centre.

Make sure you get involved with some trick or treat events this Halloween!

You’ve arrived at University, you’ve unpacked into your new room so now what?

Arriving at University can be a daunting prospect but there are many ways to make new friends and joining a society is one of those! Joining a society is a great way to make new friends, whilst giving you a break from all the studying and partying too!

Don’t think that societies are just based around sports; as they definitely aren’t! They are a fabulous way of exploring and expanding your skill set.

Yes there are sport societies, which are great for exercising and releasing those all important endorphins, but they also range in the creative arts to political groups to hobbies and even some niche groups.

Sport societies are a huge part of both University of Southampton and University of Winchester life, so maybe you have a sport you played at home and don’t want to get out of touch or you just fancy something different then why not join up?

Whilst those who wish to delve into their passions or could be passionshave their pick also with both University of Winchester and University of Southampton having student led clubs such as Wine Tasting, Harry Potter Societies amongst many more.

Exploration is key but also is commitment you are at University here in Winchester to study, but the some societies will need commitment both in time and money so factor this into your weekly planner when you are deciding.

Most societies have Social Secretaries who are responsible for the “fun” including themed nights out to day trips or if you’re lucky a trip away!!

University of Winchester students follow this link for further information on the wide variety of societies available to join: https://www.winchesterstudents.co.uk/socs

University of Southampton including Winchester School of Art students follow this link for further information on the 209 societies available to join: https://www.susu.org/opportunities/societies

Going for the first time or returning back to university is well-exciting! Moving to your new home at Cathedral Point or Riverside Way,  meeting new students from around the UK and the rest of the World, attending parties is fun, however this could also mean catching that famous, but yet unpleasant ‘Freshers Flu’.

‘Freshers Flu’ is well known period at university, gain momentum around or right after the Freshers Week, mostly affecting first year students. This phenomenon is not exactly a flu, it’s mostly a cold, followed by the headaches, cough and general exhauster.

There is no surprise, that we are getting cold when our immune system is starting to fail. In order to avoid nasty bacteria to get to us, there are few simple, but yet vital steps to follow:

1. Beautiful Sleep = Healthy Sleep

Being your own boss and deciding whether today you are going out till the next morning is great, but healthy sleeping regime is necessarily for our bodies. Staying awake for a long time and receiving 3-4 hours of sleep will do immune system no favour. However, at least eight hours a day will make stronger not only your body, but mind too, including higher concentration level, which you will need on lectures.

2. Water is Everything

Staying hydrated especially throughout the Freshers Week is key to avoid the cold. If after going out you are experiencing headaches, dry mouth and being very tired – these are the signs of dehydration. Make sure that the next morning you are not following the myth how more alcohol can cure hangover, but instead drink 2L of water at least.

3. Get Clean Freak

Good hygiene could help you to avoid cold too. On average our hands carry over 3K bacteria and some of them are not the good ones. Don’t forget to wash your hands after you have come from the outside. Also, carrying a small sanitiser is not a bad idea too.

On a larger scale, make sure you are washing your clothes regularity and changing your bedding sheets, which on a daily basis collect a large group of nasty microbes; as well as open the window to freshen up your room.

Coming to Winchester University Soon?

Wanting to know what’s on your fresher’s week and when?

Winchester University Fresher’s week is Saturday 14^th– Sunday 22^ndSeptember.

Here’s a little guide of what’s on offer for you!

Winchester University have made sure it’s a week jam-packed full of events and entertainment, something to suit everyone and to ensure you start off your first week enjoying university life.

Winchester Student Union Fresher’s Wristbands are available to all incoming students here at the University of Winchester see the Facebook page before for more details.

Your Fresher’s Wristband entitles you to the following events here at the Student Union:

• Full Moon Party (Sunday 15^th September)
• Silent Disco (Monday 16^th September)
• ROAR (Tuesday 17^th September)
• BOP (Wednesday 18^th September)
• Outdoor Movies Night (Thursday 19^th September)
• Freshers Ball (Friday 20^th September)

Fresher’s Fayre –

Saturday 21st September 2019: 11am-3pm
University Centre, The Stripe & Stripe Plaza, Dytche and St.Alphege

With local businesses and services ranging from sports facilities, to shops, restaurants, take away and leisure! University departments and Student Union Officers will also be there with information, advice and so much more! Plus you can grab yourself a load of freebies and giveaways! Also Dominos will be there giving away FREE PIZZA all day!!

Keep checking theOfficial Freshers 2019 Facebook Group for more information on the Winchester University’s events for Fresher’s!

Also keep your eyes peeled on Cathedral Point & Riverside Way’s Facebook and Instagram pages below for our own accommodation events that will be on offer to all our residents from the University of Winchester!

Lucky you choosing to live and study in Winchester!  

Once the ancient capital of England and former seat of King Alfred the Great, Winchester is the quintessential English city with a rich heritage and vibrant contemporary culture.

Crowned by The Sunday Timesas ‘The Best Place to Live 2016’ and topping the 2019 Royal Mail Happiness Index, this friendly and highly walkable city of about 50,000 people has an easy-going vibe, fabulous local food, a lively music scene and a wonderful street performance festival – The Hat Fair.

From classical architecture in the form of the Cathedral to the pockets of rolling hills; where else would you choose to live and study?!

From former Kings of England to famed novelists; you will more recently find some filming taking place in the city centre; with Winchester the backdrop for scenes in films such as The Da Vinci Code and Les Misérables.

For shopping:

Winchester offers an array of unique, independent shops and boutiques as well as traditional and well-known national stores.

The High Street is a bustling, traffic-free shopping environment with street performers and regular markets.

With West Quay in Southampton or Festival Place in Basingstoke being the choice for those who wish to shop til they drop!

For Riverside Way residents Tesco’s is your closest supermarket, it is just a quick 5 minute walk away and they are open 24 hours a day with a pharmacy and opticians available too*

For Cathedral Point residents there is a Tesco Express and a Co-Op right on your doorstep.

Don’t forget to have a look at all the local pubs, restaurants and coffee shops that are on our doorstep in Winchester.

For going out:

Winchester has an eclectic mix of independent cafes’, restaurants and bars mixed with high street favourites. In celebration of the setting and local produce and drink, make sure you try and sample these at one of the many festivals held during the year. Such as Winchester Cheese & Chilli Festival, or how about going a bit further afield and trying the Romsey Round Table Beer & Cider Festival.

Your universities (University of Winchester and University of Southampton) will each have their own student unions holding a variety of nights.

Proud to hold national Purple Flag status Winchester has been recognised as a city that is safe and enjoyable for a night out.

*times are different to store opening hours

We’ve all looked at student accommodation and wondered how we can turn a house into a home. Make your room Instagram-able with these handy tips!

1. Home Comforts
Everyone has one item that they can’t live without. Be it a dressing gown, a cushion or a teddy (yes even adults have these), bring these to your halls with you for a piece of familiarity.
Home décor to liven up your room will always help so think clever and purchase storage boxes with an arty pattern or reed diffuser to make the space truly yours.

TIP: Look at our Instagram for inspiration of a decorated room!

2. Photos!
Surround yourselves with photographs of your family and friends. This will be comforting when you are feeling a little home sick; especially in the first few weeks!
Add to these throughout the year with your new friends and memories made whilst staying in Winchester Student Accommodation.

TIP: Try using a piece of string or ribbon and print off polaroid to make it more creative.

3. Bring the Outdoors In
Believe it or not there will periods of time where you will be studying in your room; so bringing the outdoors in will allow you the best of both worlds.
Here in Winchester we are lucky enough to have vast amounts of greenery so bring a taste of this into your room; plans are said to have a calming effect and will also boost your oxygen levels so win win whilst studying.

TIP: Something easy to look after is key – go for a cactus.

As any student can tell you, uni is expensive. The cost of tuition, housing accommodations, food and entertainment can be very taxing on the uni student’s purse. Fortunately, one of the advantages of being a student is the number of discounts available to you to help you through these years — you just need to know where to look.

Here are three student discount websites to help you make the most of your university experience.

1. National Union of Students (NUS)
The National Union of Students offers a discount card to uni students that can be used both in stores and online. While the standard NUS discount card is offered free to all students enrolled in participating UK unis, they do offer additional savings through their NUS Extra savings card. It’s relatively cheap — card prices start at just £12 — and can be purchased on the NUS website. Also on the website: a wide range of discounts you can tick off your wants list, ranging from apparel to food to electronics. The savings provided by the NUS Extra card are nice, too. Recent offerings include 20 percent off Microsoft electronics and £25 tickets to Go Ape! adventure treks throughout the UK.

More info: https://www.nus.org.uk

2. UNiDAYS
UNiDAYS is one of the most well-respected student discount websites on the web, and for good reason. The website is packed full of savings for uni students. Discounts are organised by broad categories like lifestyle, health and fitness, beauty and fashion. Selecting one of these categories on the UNiDAYS site leads you to a number of current offers specific to students. To redeem the discounts, you’ll first need to join the website. Luckily, sign up is free, and the number of discounts at your disposal makes the occasional email you’ll receive from UNiDAYS well worth it.

More info: https://www.myunidays.com/GB/en-GB

3. StudentUniverse
If you’re a student traveller, then StudentUniverse, the website for travel discounts, is your best online destination. This site offers student discounts on flights, hotels, tours and activities, and is perfect for summer break or holiday travel planning. A recent website search reveals a Kingston College student could take a thirty-minute drive from their student accommodation in Kingston Upon Thames to Heathrow Airport and enjoy a trip to Dubai for as little as £271. Additionally, the website offers other rate-reduced packages to popular destinations including Edinburgh, London, Amsterdam and Paris.

More info: https://www.studentuniverse.co.uk/

Saving pounds on your expenses during your time at uni does not have to be hard. Give each of these sites a look to keep more of your hard-earned fivers and tenners.

It’s not easy being a student. You might be spending all your time studying and forget to eat healthy meals. Learn how Amro Vantage can help you eat healthier on a student budget.

Eat Healthy

Have you ever been doing an all-nighter and forgotten to eat? At the end of the night, you are tired and just want to sleep. You might have an early class the next day. What are you going to do? Ordering Chinese or pizza can be expensive. Plus, it will take time to deliver. You might be asleep by then. Why not plan ahead with some tips to making your student meals healthy and affordable? You have heard the maxim “You are what you eat,” right? If you eat garbage, you will feel like garbage. Why not toss some legumes, tomatoes and onions in your refrigerator? Cook up a couple of meals on the weekend. Then, during your study time, you will have a nice healthy snack. Soak the beans overnight with your favourite seasonings. Do you like spicy pepper or something milder? You can make a cheap chili with garlic, cayenne, chili and red peppers. Healthy food improves thinking.

Relax & Unwind

If you get the best grades at school, then you will optimise your income-producing potential. In order to get those good grades, you should eat well. Amro Vantage has a number of kitchen options, based on the facility. These allow you to cook up your frozen meals. You can get simple meals with a little of everything – meat, vegetables and dessert. Or, you could get vegetables. Mum told you to eat your veggies. Relax after a hard day at classes with a healthy meal.

Luxury Student Housing

Your all-inclusive Amro Vantage rent provides you with security, housing and kitchens. Enjoy excellent high-speed Wi-Fi access to watch your favourite cooking shows. Sub-par meal choices or inferior accommodation could lead to stress and anxiety. Trust in the friendly, helpful staff of Amro Vantage to make your time as a student, the best.