Medha's insider tips on life at WBS

MSc student ambassador Medha shares her insider knowledge of life at WBS.

Stepping into a new country and starting a whole new life as a master’s student can sometimes be overwhelming. Here are a few insider tips that will help you feel at ease and will aid you to start your journey at the University of Warwick with confidence.

The University of Warwick caters to all - from the buzz of its student social life to the most peaceful of study spaces, this campus is bound to make you fall in love with it. One of the most popular hangout spots for a student to relax and unwind is Terrace Bar, with a view of the entire piazza and wonderful drinks at a reasonable price. Moreover, there is the Varsity Pub with a beautiful fireplace and lovely ambience, as well as Dirty Duck, serving mouth-watering burgers and more. On a match day, students tend to hop over to the sports bar to watch the match live, enjoy the sports day atmosphere and bond with similar minded people, from across the world. For caffeine lovers, there is Pret-A-Manger where you can get 5 free beverages every day for the first month of subscription. There is another cute café called Curiositea just opposite Pret-A-Manger. It has warm and cosy vibes alongside its delicious cakes, pastries and smoothies. Their indulgent hot chocolate is a must-try. If you are a fan of fine dining, then you should head to the newly opened Benugo Bar and Kitchen inside the Warwick Art Centre which is perfect for pre-or post-cinema dining; here you can also watch all the newly released movies in their state-of-the-art cinema.

Amazing, peaceful and comfortable study places at the University of Warwick would want to make you study more. Since I am from Warwick Business School (WBS), I will start by the best places to study inside WBS. For group work, the best place is the PG Student Lounge on the ground floor of the WBS building. It is equipped with big screens to which you can connect your laptop and has round tables which are ideal for group work. There is also a place to heat your food inside the PG Lounge when you want to grab a bite. The PG Learning Space on the first floor is tailored for individual study with two private rooms which you can book from reception to record your presentations or simply for group work. If these rooms are busy, for example during the crunch period around exams, a lecture theatre or seminar hall is usually free to study in or record presentations, with big screens available for use. Apart from WBS, there are several other study spaces. For example, the Rootes Learning Grid near the piazza and the beautiful Oculus Building. Opposite the Oculus Building is the newly built 8-storey Faculty of Arts building which offers collaboration spaces, cinema and screening rooms, theatre studios, rehearsal rooms, and a lot more. The Junction building (the venue for all MSBA exams) has a Postgrad Hub on the second floor specially made for postgraduate students. It also has informal spaces to chat and socialise to recharge from your study.

Apart from the best eateries and study spaces, here are a few tips that will help you manage your budget which I really wish I had known before coming to Warwick.

• For those of you who will live off-campus and for those who love to travel, you can avail the bus pass for the national express for only £3 for the first month using the Warwick student discount (with the original price costing £33 per month).
• For shopping, Cannon Park is the place to be. It has a Tesco, Iceland and a Wilko for all your grocery needs, a Boots pharmacy, as well as Greggs and Subway for quick bites. For Tesco, you can download the Clubcard app from the app store which gets you discounts and vouchers every time you shop from Tesco. UNiDAYS and Student Beans are also some good student-friendly apps that are a must-have with several student discounts ranging from food to technology.
• To manage your living expenses, you can look for part-time jobs at a portal called Unitemps, where jobs inside the university are posted every day.

Before signing off, let me share some useful tips that will help you find a job in the UK after you graduate. If you do not have any prior work experience, then you must start applying for graduate roles in Term 1 itself as soon as you get comfortable with your new life. Most graduate jobs close by January. If you have 2 years plus experience in the relevant field in which you are looking for a job, then April-May is the best time to apply since the experienced roles need the student to start as soon as possible. The careers team at Warwick will help you improve your CV and cover letter. Besides, you can book one to one appointment with the Careers team to seek the support you need.

I hope these tips help you succeed in your journey at the University of Warwick, and you make the best out of it.