top tips

With Halloween coming up this week, we've brought together some of the best ideas around to make the spooky holiday a little different this year. From making your own costume, to spending the night in dungeons, to carving a David Cameron pumpkin(?!), have a look at the brilliant ideas from around the web below.

1) Watch a Horror Movie

One of easiest ways to get in the mood is to scare yourself with a horror film. Whether you prefer monsters, the paranormal, zombies, vampires or plain old evil humans, there will be something to scare you silly.

Angelique is originally from the Seychelles and has recently finished as a Law student at the University of London. After just completing a move to Bristol, she goes through some top tips for all you other students moving in the next few weeks.

"From September, at the start of the new academic year, thousands of students will be moving either from their home country to another country, or from one part of the country to another to study. Either way moving is no easy task.

Not only is there the emotional distress over whether you will like your new house, get along with your housemates and figure your way around the area, but there is also the hassle of actually physically getting from one place and settling in another.

This year, I have moved from London to Bristol and now that I feel slightly more settled than I did two days ago, I will share with you some tips and advice about moving. 

Tip One: There is no need to pack unessential things. Three years have passed by and there are clothes that I took with me initially to university which I have still not worn. Although, I wouldn't say "pack light", only pack what you need. Remember Poundland is never too far away if you need a spatula.

EnglishLanguageClasses.wordpress.com is a blog for those studying English as a foreign language, providing useful resources, guidance and support. Here they give some top tips for students wanting to improve their English. 

"Over the years I've taught many, many students English. Some students, though, reach their goal of fluency much faster than others. How? Read on to learn some of the studying techniques that these students used and hopefully you'll find them useful!

1) Practice, Practice, Practice

 If someone you know reads a whole book about how to drive a car, does it mean they can then drive? Probably not! Clearly reading books is useful, but practice really is the key to language learning success. It's important to realise that while language can be studied from a theoretical approach, it is a practical skill. Practical = Practice!! 

2) Your Language vs English

With today being one of the best days of the year to save money, with shops slashing their prices for Black Friday, we thought we'd bring you some top tips to help with your student finances. Below you can find easy ways of making extra cash, the best ways to save money whilst shopping and some top tips to make your budget go further.

It has been just a little over a year since I arrived in London, and I can still vividly remember the excitement of my first few days in this wonderful city. Securing accommodation and attending orientation events took up most of my time. I especially recall being bombarded with loads and loads of information which I could not possibly digest during such a hectic period.

In retrospect, I wish I had found some space in the business of arrival week to do some things that should have not been delayed. For example:

1. Meeting the neighbours. When one is far away from home, a community of caring friends provides comfort, company and happiness. My neighbours are by far the biggest treasure I have found in London, and I wish I had not waited so long to knock on their door.