Need to know - ONE YEAR ON

For me, second year is just around the corner (only two weeks away!) and I couldn't be looking forward to it more.
First year was amazing and wouldn't change it for the world, but now having the option to live with my friends, decorate my own little place again and actually looking forward to Newcastle's winter you can't get me back soon enough!

Like I said in the first year post, it really will fly by and you won't believe how fast you'll be making plans for second year.

**Don't rush into the house
When you're sorting your accommodation for second year, it's likely you'll be leaving halls behind and moving in with your new friendship groups. From personal experience I implore that you take your time over choosing your house! With my experience I would advice looking at as many houses as you can before Christmas, then put the deposit down and secure your favourite by the end of January.
While I do love my little flat, we were already looking in November I think and we only looked at four or five houses before choosing this one. After the first month your friendship groups change, make sure you've settled with the right people to live with and look at all shapes and sizes of house with a strict budget in place.

**Gather little bits at a time

If you start putting aside bits and bobs for your new house early it means you can spread the cost of those homely touches. As well, go on a house shop with your new house mates and split the bill for kitchen accessories and the other little extras. While you might not all agree on what sort of décor you want, you're going to have to compromise, so get everyone together to agree to disagree.

**Get a parent on hand
Along with everyone I was living with, we're first timers at moving into a new house. Luckily one of my friends parents is a fireman and was on hand to look over the house and make sure it was safe enough. Try and get someone with a bit of house experience to ask all the grown up questions you didn't know where necessary. I hope that doesn't sound patronising but if you're anything like me you won't have a clue what to ask. My only question was, is there enough hot water for us all in the morning...

**Keep in touch
Over Christmas and Easter it's understandable just to have some time apart from everything uni and spend time with home friends, but especially in summer I made sure I made little visits to all my friends. A few nights out over the summer is all you need just to keep up with them! I've barely known them a year, but a lot of them I'm closer with than people I've known for years.

**Do it all over again!
Just because you're a second year in waiting, doesn't mean that you can't relive freshers. Get in on the deals and apply all my freshers advice once again. Another way to make more friends, get yourself out there and get some bargains!

This concludes my little 'need to know' for students. I hope someone out there found something useful! As always you can contact me on Twitter if you need any more advice that I could help with. Leave any of your own advice in the comments as well!

And, as inspired by Gwen, I'll be doing a little run down of Newcastle night life. Although it's pretty easy to navigate (especially if you're coming in as a fresher) I'll share my favourite places with you!
If you're off in the Manchester location for uni then go read Freshers in Manchester - A University Guide to Nightlife on This Fashion is Mine and keep an eye out for my Newcastle guide!