Enjoying the warm and sunny Autumn weather? Take note – just before October slips into November British Summer Time officially ends on the last Sunday in October at 2.00am, the clocks go back one hour to 1.00am, and the start of winter nights in the UK begin.
This might not register at first with students busy studying by day in the convected warmth of modern university library radiators and generating much party-time heat, say, at the weekends, but the noticeable touch of an early morning chill in the air and darker evenings may soon turn to bite with a vengeance.
Of course, not all students from abroad – especially those from hot climates – are lucky enough to have secured themselves homestay accommodation, where even a standard room still means the family home heating may make all the difference! For all those students in halls of residence or private rented accommodation, the struggle to keep warm and save money on electricity and gas bills starts in earnest.
Practical tips for keeping warm at home
Everyone should know what the first easy tips are for staying warm and keeping energy bills down:
- Reduce the room thermostat by one or more degrees at least
- Put on extra layer(s) of clothing, such as a thick jumper
- Avoid blocking radiators with furniture
- Turn off heating in unoccupied rooms
- Shut doors and windows to keep heat in and reduce draughts
- Use draught excluders to block the gap between the bottom edge of the door and the floor
Keeping that warm fuzzy glow inside
But if you’re looking to make the most of student life then you’ll be most definitely seeking adventure wherever you are staying. In a city like Brighton, for example, you’re spoilt for choice – there’s dozens of clubs, bars and venues with low entrance prices for mid week student club nights.
Studying in Bristol? Then October usually kicks off with the Bristol Brewery Open Night, promising “a night of free beer, cider, pizza and more!” For those seeking to keep that warm fuzzy glow inside against shivery autumn gusts whipped up by the Bristol Channel, a similar experience may be rekindled just the following day. The Oktablefest Real Ale Festival usually kicks off at the Anson Rooms, which will be transformed into a Bavarian Beerhouse for “an evening filled with music, beer, bratwurst and a lot of fun!”
Of course, mid week pleasure seeking can have its drawbacks. Many students might even suggest that keeping warm is better achieved by simply keeping busy and focused on the serious business of the day, their future career.
Final year students in London, are likely to be planning ahead for life after university or college. Even students with one year to go may be keen to check out the London Graduate Recruitment Fair normally held in October at Senate House, University of London.