By Kelly Dayus-Cook – SLK Associates Ltd.

What would happen if you didn’t get into uni? Or changed your mind at the last minute and decided it wasn’t for you? Would the world grind to a halt and turn to dust? Absolutely not. Although university is an amazing experience and for many it shapes their lives, for others it either doesn’t appeal or it’s slightly out of their grasp, for whatever reason.

I suspect as you’re reading this you’re already thinking “Yeah, yeah, whatever missy, what do you know?” Quite a bit actually, I didn’t go to uni straight from college, I’ve ended up doing a journalism degree some years after but that was more for fun than a career changer (yes, I said fun).

Anyway, a little bit about what happened to me. All my friends decided uni was for them so I was pretty much the black sheep of the group but in my eyes I wanted to get out there into the big wide world and earn some money! I’ve always had a bit of an aversion to getting into debt so it was probably one of my main reasons but I honestly felt I was bright enough already to tackle the working world at 18 (aka misguided).

I went through a few boring office jobs, tortured myself that I’d made the wrong decision, mostly as I had no idea what I wanted to be and then started to focus on my loves, what I was good at and how I saw my future turning out.

Love – Music, writing about music.
Good at – Communicating / Selling / Networking (aka socialising)
Future Goal – Own my own business.

Fast-forward 10 years and I now own and run a PR / Marketing / Copywriting agency that specialises in clients from the music industry.  I have my own office and employ two people. I own my house, drive a nice car and go on several holidays a year, all without a university degree.

I owe a lot to the people I’ve worked with throughout my career but I’ve always been focused on learning new skills and bettering myself, just as you would in 3 years at university, I’ve just applied a lifelong learning hub to my career!
There’s always on the job learning options, distance and part time courses, vocational and apprenticeships, uni really isn’t the be all and end all.

One more thing; out of my class from college, I’m probably earning more than 90% of them (even the ones that went to medical school, for now anyway!).

It’s been a long hard slog to get where I am but I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Here’s some more facts for you.

1.    Up to 3 years after graduation, 60% of students are in jobs which do not require degrees.
2.    Chef, diplomatic service, marketing manager, paramedic, air traffic controller, army office, detective, firefighter, dental technical- all earning good money and in some cases 50k+!
3.    City and Guilds, which runs vocational qualifications, says interest this summer is up 20% on last year
4.    Apprentices are paid while they train, and are likely to earn between £17,000 and £21,000 when they take on a full-time role with the firm.
5.    Plenty of employers (such as Marks and Spencer) have management training schemes that are open to A Level students
6.    Leading universities in the Netherlands are treating the scramble for places as an opportunity to market courses delivered in English, urging students to “go Dutch” and take advantage of lower fees and living costs
7.    Every year 60,000 of the top academic performing school leavers don’t go on to University. It’s almost expected that ‘academic’ students should go to university; in reality many prefer a work-based learning opportunity, or alternative form of study.

With term fast approaching, I’m sure your thoughts are turning to “what to bring to uni??” You can’t bring the world with you (unfortunately) so be selective in your choices. Besides the necessities such as clothes and bed linen, bringing the right things with you can make for a great conversation starter and really help you ease in to uni life. To help you with your choices, we asked some of our DIGS staff and tenants “what one thing couldn’t you live without at uni???”

“When I went off to university for the first time, I took lots of photos of my family and friends from back home. I stuck these all over the notice board in my room which helped make it feel more like my place. When any of my new friends from uni came to visit me it would be a good talking point and helped people get to know me better. I gradually started sticking new pictures up from nights out at uni which soon made me realise what fun I was having and how much I had fitted in.”
Helen, the Pinnacles team

“I would recommend taking a deck of cards- brilliant for entertainment when your loan is running out and you can’t afford to go out and can be used for great drinking games too!”
Zak @ the Pinnacles

“Something unique to your hometown- like Henderson’s relish or a recipe for a local dish. This especially works if you are an International student as you can give your new flatmates a taste of your culture from back home.”
Tom @ the Pinnacles

“One of the things that is so great about uni life is that you can completely reinvent yourself- so I would definitely bring my gym stuff with me so I can get fit! The Hilton gym opposite the Pinnacles has loads of students in it so is also a good way to meet people too”
Scott @ the Pinnacles

What are your suggestions? Let us know below.

See you in September!
The Pinnacles Team

Do you rent student accommodation within the private sector?

We’re doing a survey about how much bills come to per week when you rent a private house. Factor in your internet connection, TV package,  gas, electric and water bills as well as any extra’s such as car parking and contents insurance.

How much does it come to?

Recent media coverage has detailed the rising cost of just about everything, including the cost of student accommodation. Here at DIGS you just pay a one of rental payment that includes pretty much everything, from the bed you sleep in to the free IPTV channels you can use through our internet packages.

All this recent press got us thinking… Would you prefer to pay in a different way? Are students and their parents more interested to know what their ‘all inclusive’ rent consists of so they can make a more informed comparison?

Leave us a comment to let us know which you prefer and why!

We love social media, and that got us thinking… What are your favourites and why?

There’s been a whole lot of news lately about the doom and gloom facing Fresher’s and their life beyond uni. How they will be racked by debt, unable to find employment and probably not going to get into the course they want in the first place. Don’t go reaching for the destruct button just yet though…

I’m 28, 10 whole years past those scary days as an 18 year old and I can remember these same stories being around then. If I remember rightly we were just coming out of a recession then, universities were (we were told) getting even harder to get into and we’d be billions of pounds in debt by the end of it (you exaggerated at 18).

Of course times have moved forward, things are different now and in some ways they are harder. On the other hand; there are so many courses that didn’t even exist 10 years ago, other options available to you all, studying abroad is much more accessible, gap years are cheaper, vocational courses and apprenticeships.

There are many more, cheaper and better accommodation solutions available. At DIGS we offer so much more than just a room and we can help you budget.

Budgeting; that’s the key term here. I remember being 18, the way I was with cash then makes my blood run cold!
Learning to live within your means is one of the greatest lessons to learn at university. Forget quantum physics, this one can be the hardest to grasp. First blush of freedom and so often the excitement of getting a loan or grant can just sometimes create a more frivolous person to what you might normally be!

Don’t shop in Waitrose, Marks & Spencer’s or the boutique deli near to your classes. Instead learn to pick up a bargain, scout the deals online before going food shopping and plan your week’s menu around what’s discounted that week. Don’t be lazy and get a bus for just two stops, take a stroll!

Remember to sign up to every single voucher code, discount alert blog and money saving advice site there is, and listen to them, read it, print the stuff off. If you don’t want to come away from uni in 3-4 years thinking “I wish I’d not been so thoughtless with my money” take action now.

Have you got an iPhone? If you have download “Voucher Cloud” http://www.vouchercloud.com/

Here’s another gem… http://www.myvouchercodes.co.uk/

Groupon is also brilliant, this link is for Sheffield but there’s plenty of others – http://www.groupon.co.uk/deals/sheffield

The Government has set up an advice site; http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/StudentFinance/index.htm

Here’s suggestions from Martin Lewis; http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/student-money-saving

And here’s one from “This is Money” ; http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/student-finance

Here’s 5 things that are great about being 18.

1.    You probably want to be older than you are. This is one of the few times you will ever think this, treasure it.
2.    You don’t have a mortgage or have to pay council tax. If I could go back to being 18 I’d spend more time gloating about this.
3.    You’re young enough to change your mind as much as you want to.
4.    People who are over 25 probably envy you.
5.    That first year of being an adult is probably one of the most exciting times in your lives, take every opportunity that comes your way.

The DIGS Team