what to know before you go
welc ome A massive welcome f rom everyone here at Cardiff Met Students’ Union (SU for short). As soon as you off icially enrol we are here to make your experience at Cardiff Met as happy as possible. Your SU are your voice and we represent you throughout your journey at Cardiff Met!
wh at to kn o w b ef o re yo u go What to Know Before You Go is a guide of what you need to know before you come to university. We at the SU believe it is important to help you adjust f rom school, college or work and into university life by making sure you are best prepared for the exciting times ahead. With the help of our wonderful students, we have put together this guide to tell you what you really need to know before you make this big step in your lives. This guide is design ed for in comin g, prospective and even current Cardiff Met students. We are offering Meet the SU sessions every Thursday, starting on the 1st August for anyone interested in joining Cardiff Met. If you want to see more of the campus, ask questions about student life or even see the city then contact SMHarrison@cardiff met.ac.uk and we will book you in.
ho w to use t h i s g u i d e A lot of the information in this guide includes tips and links to key stakeholders that were considered important by our students and ourselves. Just click on the links, just like this one, Students’ Union (Acc1) and it will take you to websites with further information.
contac t us We appreciate all feedback so if you have comments about anything included in this guide, or if you have more to add, then please email SMH arrison@cardiff m et . a c .uk . We look for ward to m eetin g you at Cardiff Met. Sam Harrison (Student Life Coordinator).
budgeting student finance Student Finance is usually your f irst point of call for tuition and maintenance support at university. Find out more at gov.uk (Bdg1) 68% of students apply for both tuition and maintenance loans so be sure to know exactly what you have applied for and the amount of money you will be receiving each term. Student Finance Wales Contact Numbers (Bdg2) Student Finance England Contact Numbers (Bdg3) Check out this ver y helpful tool f rom which.com (Bdg4) C a rd i f f i s t h e s e c o n d m o s t a f f o r d a b l e c i t y to l i ve i n according to Natwest Student Living Index. natwest.com (Bdg5)
student bank account
monzo card
Our students think it is important to have a bank account that makes your student life as cheap as possible. Santander (Bdg6) is based on Llandaff campus and offers some really good student savings including a rail card for 16-25-year-old students.
M o n z o.c o m ( B d g 7 ) i s re c o m m e n d e d by o u r students and staff for easy and clear budgeting. It allows you to clearly see your incomings and outgoings. Have a look at this and see if this is something that could benef it you.
student services
Overdraft and Interest
The helpful staff at Student Services offer f inancial advice for all students that attend Card iff Met . Th ey offer assistan ce on all things money and funding related so check out the website for more information cardiff met.ac.uk (Bdg8) Be sure to book an appointment and they will be more than happy to give expert support.
There are also very good overdraft and i n t e r e s t r a t e s w i t h N a t i o n w i d e (Bdg9) a n d H S B C (Bdg10) a s r e c o m m e n d e d b y moneysavingexpert.com (Bdg11) which assess all options so you can see what is best for you and your situation.
top tips Here are 10 excellent tips f rom moneysavingexpert.com (Bdg12) that will be of huge help during your time here at Cardiff Met. Not using credit card bills, controlling your mobile phone bill, home insurance, registering to vote etc are all included in this brilliant tool.
accommodation halls life We at the Students’ Union (Acc1) work closely with Met Res Life (Acc2) who provide the residential life programme for Halls students. We recommend looking at Res Life’s Twitter (Acc3) and Facebook (Acc4) to see what fantastic events they offer individually and what we collaborate on. Before moving to our halls, check out what you should bring with you to Cyncoed Campus (Acc5), or Plas Gwyn (Acc6).
private halls If you are living in Private Halls, then Cardiff Met offer some very important information in this CardiffMetHousing (Acc7) Facebook group which we recommend you join.
Council Tax Exemption Forms Wh en you are a Cardiff Met Student , you can use i-zon e for coun cil tax exemption forms or log into your Student Room page (Acc8) and f ind the link within.
#d o n t r u s htoren t Your Students’ Union holds a housing campaign called #DontRushtoRent (Acc9) and events for students looking for housing. Keep an eye on our website for events over the year.
advice and support Cardiff Digs (Acc10) give great information about moving in and keeping your house a happy one. If you are living off campus then here (Acc11) are some important tips to consider. We also provide helpful advice a n d s u p p o r t ( A c c1 2 ) a t yo u r S U O f f i c e a t Llandaff to signpost students to the right points of contact. Just pop in and ask a member of staff.
cooking on a budget Cooking on a Budget (Acc13) is a fantastic initiative created by Met Res Life and Student Services which teaches students how to cook for under £2 a meal. There are some excellent sites that give healthy cooking tips such as jamieoliver.com (Acc14), independent.co.uk (Acc15), and studentrecipes.com (Acc16) . Sourcing your food locally through stalls and sustainable food apps like Too Good To Go (Acc17) is also an excellent healthy and money saving method.
travel met rider We at the Students’ Union really recommend using The Met Rider (Trv1) . It is the largest student bus service in Wales that offers a service that is only available to Cardiff Met students. The pass allows you access to n ot just use th e Met Riders that link all the campuses, student housing areas, halls, supermarkets, and the city c e n t r e , b u t a l s o e v e r y C a r d i f f B u s ( T r v 2 ) service in Cardiff!
Next Bike We at the Students’ Union really recommend the use of NextBike (Trv6). It allows you to hire out bikes in lots of locations around Cardiff with the f irst half hour of cycling being f ree for students. A healthy way of getting to and f rom campus and around the city that is cheap and cheerful to use.
Dragon Taxis (Safe Taxi Scheme) Exclusive to your Students’ Union is D r a g o n T a x i ’ s S a f e T a x i S c h e m e (Trv7). Dragon Taxis have agreed with Cardiff Met SU that students can make em ergen cy bookin gs on a ccount if required. Learn m ore about protec tion for students (Tr v 8) with Dragon Taxi’s.
Train
walking
If you choose to have a Santander student bank account, you will have a f ree student rail card for 16-25 year old’s. If you travel to uni f rom h om e, th en a rail card is a great decision. The city’s largest station is Cardiff Central (Trv3) which is in the centre of the city. There are train stations located at Cathays (Trv3), Queen Street (Trv4), Llandaff (Trv5) that are within a bus journey distance of campuses.
Good old-fashioned walking. Both of our campuses are within 20 minutes of th e student communities / districts such as Roath, Cathays and Llandaff. There are som e beautiful walkin g routes (Tr v 10) to c a m p u s t h ro u g h t h e Ta f f Tr a i l , B u te Park, Roath Park, Pontprennau Fields and Llandaff Fields which are worth exploring during your time at Cardiff Met.
Health a nd wellbeing Register for a GP / Dentist / optician Whether you are living in halls or a house in Cardiff you need to register with a GP / Dentist and Optician (HAW1) as soon as you arrive. As GP’s have catchment areas, you will need to f ind a local GP surgery and contact them about registering with them.
sexual health The NHS provides clinics at Cardiff Royal Inf irmary (CRI) and in other locations across Cardiff. All clinics are conf idential. The CRI provides the most comprehensive Sexual Health Service (HAW2) and would be the recommended point of contact for most issues.
Student Services
nhs services
Yo u r S t u d e n t S e r v i c e s o f f e r a n a m a z i n g amount of support for you during your time at Cardiff Met. Things such as counselling, disability support, mental health support, health and wellbeing etc. Keep this in mind as it is there for you to use if you need it!
At the SU we encourage students to tackle their own Mental Heal th head on. We believe that self-help is useful to understanding and managing your own mental health. NHS Book Prescription (HAW5) & NHS Student Mental Health App (HAW
student minds Student Minds (HAW4) is a student mental health charity that helps students to look after their own mental health. On campus, we have a peer support group run through your SU, that aims to offer support for students experiencing low mood, anxiety or depression. These sessions are facilitated by fellow students.
#HowtobeHappier
faith / worship
We have adapted the 6 tips (HAW8) provided by the NHS into an SU campaign that helps students feel happier and take control of their mental and physical wellbeing. Initiatives such as Campus Canines (HAW9), Talk and Share, Stress Free Retreat, Wellbeing Walks, Interactive Padlets, Sports, Societies, Student Minds, Town Hall discussions etc. have been organised to make our students feel a part of the wider Cardiff Met community.
The multi-faith chaplaincy is run by Revd. Paul Fitzpatrick, a member of Chaplaincy w h o i s re s p o n s i b l e f o r a l l m a tte r s o f faith and defending/promoting f reedom of belief. There are prayer/quiet rooms available on both the Cyncoed and Llandaff campuses; Cyncoed – Chapel (in Block C) Llandaff – The prayer suite (in Block A)
kno w your students’ union meet the su As part of welcoming our students to the Cardiff Met community, your SU will be holding campus tours that are tailored to the needs and interests of the student. If there is a place that you are wanting to see on campus or a place in the community / district or city that you’d like to visit, then a member of your SU will be able to give you a student f riendly tour that is decided by you. No question is too silly so it is an opportunity for you to get to know the people who will represent you before you come. Contact SMHarrison@cardiff met.ac.uk
SU Buildings
Su offices
We h a v e t w o c a m p u s e s a t C a r d i f f M e t ,
Your SU buildings both have off ices. These are the hub for Student Life, so pop in and speak to our f riendly staff about Freshers info, SU Spor t , Societies, Jobsh op, Casework , Work a n d Vo l u n te e r i n g O p p o r t u n i t i e s , S t u d e n t Minds or anything really! We are a nice bunch so come in anytime between 9 and 5!
Cyncoed and Llandaff. Al though you are studying at one campus, you can still use both facilities and we at the SU encourage you to make the most of being a Cardiff Met student.
centro
& zen
bar
Your SU has bars on both campuses with some fantastic drinks and food offers in a welcoming and f riendly environment. Be sure to check these out!
starbucks
su shops
In Zen and Centro, you can find our wonderful Starbucks staff ready to serve all hot and cold drinks f rom the menu. Look out for Josie in Llandaff who will remember your drink for the duration of your journey at least (seriously).
Both campuses have SU Sh ops. We’ ve got a wide selection of snacks, drinks, sandwiches and sweets so come in and stock up.
know your district Cyn coed students are close to the Roath and Cathays distric ts in Cardiff. They are populated predominately by students and there are some fantastic places to eat, drink and socialise within. There are loads of supermarket express stores, international chain coffee shops, national chain eateries on the central streets such as Albany Road, Whitchurch Road, Crwys Road and Wellf ield Road, so please have a walk through. Here are some gems that students say to visit;
roath • Roath Park
(KYD1)
• Terra Nova Café
• Roath Lake
(KYD2)
• The Globe
• Roath Recreational Park • Pear Tree
(KYD8)
• Deli Fuego
(KYD3)
(KYD7)
(KYD9)
• Wellf ield Bookshop
(KYD4)
(KYD10)
• Anna Loka Vegan Café and Bar (KYD5)
• Acute Barbers
• Juno Lounge
• Roath Community Centre
(KYD6)
(KYD11) (KYD12)
cathays • Stag Coffee • The Flora
• Gassy’s
(KYD13)
(KYD17)
• The Meeting Room Café (KYD18)
(KYD14)
• Sherman Theatre (KYD15)
• Cathays Library
• Elmers Café
• Community Centre
(KYD16)
(KYD19) (KYD20)
llandaff Llandaff students will be able to walk into the beautiful village of Llandaff, a historic district with must see landmarks. Check out these places which were recommended by students.
• Llandaff Cathedral
(KYD21)
• The Black Lion
• Pontcanna and Sofia Gardens (KYD22)
• Acute Barbers
• Cathedral Road (All of it)
• Porro
(KYD23)
(KYD26)
(KYD24)
(KYD25)
• Jaspers Tea Room • Cafe Castan
(KYD27)
(KYD28)
• Dusty Knuckle Pizza
(KYD29)
know your city C a rd i f f i s a c o o l c i ty t h a t a l way s h a s t h i n g s g o i n g o n . I t i s re n ow n e d f o r i t s f r i e n d l y, community feel that is welcoming and really easy to get about. Our f riends at Cardiff Met give a superb overview of the must do things in the city (KYC1) Whether it be in the centre of Cardiff, or in districts outside, the capital of Wales does not disappoint. Your SU has added what our students and staff think are places that you need to know about. From art galleries, cinema’s, sport, history, culture and music, Cardiff has so much to do with most things being reasonably priced.
cardiff city centre • Cardiff Castle
• DEPOT
(KYC2)
• Bute Park and Arboretum • SWALEC
• Cardiff Central Market
(KYC3)
(KYC10)
• Flamingo’s Vintage Clothing
(KYC4)
• National Museum Cardiff • Cardiff Story Museum • Pettigrew Tea Rooms • Cardiff Arms Park
(KYC9)
• Clwb Ifor Bach
(KYC5)
• Tramshed
(KYC6)
(KYC12)
(KYC13)
• Little Man Coffee
(KYC7)
• Breakout Cardiff
(KYC8)
(KYC11)
(KYC14) (KYC15)
cardiff and beyond • Techniquest
• Cardiff International Pool
(KYC16)
• St Fagan’s National Museum of History • Red Dragon Centre
(KYC19)
(KYC17)
• Cardiff Devils Ice Hockey • Chapter Arts
(KYC21)
• Castell Coch
(KYC22)
(KYC20) (KYC23)
get connected It is important to adapt to the world of life online at Cardiff Met. Your SU recommend using social media effectively to communicate and to keep up to date with what is happening in the university and beyond. We think a prior look (GC1) at your course and having an idea of what things you will need to do to get your degree is important. When you come to Cardiff Met, there will be words and/or programmes that you may not have heard of or used before;
The Student Room
Office 365
(S tudent Por ta l )
( O n e D r iv e a n d e -m a il )
Your student portal is called The Student Room and is available to Cardiff Met students only. It has a range of resources and information for current students studying at Cardiff Met. This is your hub that contains important things like e-mail, Moodle, Met Hub, Personalised Timetable MetSearch etc.
You’ll be able to access emails, contacts, calendar and other off ice apps like Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote over the internet. As a Cardiff Met student you can download this for f ree. If you need advice on how to use Off ice 365 then please use the helpful Flash Guides (GC2) or book in some IT Training.
moodle
mycardiffmet app
Moodle is the main hub for your course information and can be accessed through your Student Por tal. It is home to all your Lecture and Seminar Notes, Module Handbooks, Submission Points, your Prof ile of Marks, and Discussion.
Our colleagues in Cardiff Met have made a very useful MyCardiffMet App (GC3), that is packed full of useful services and features, enabling you round the clock access to Email, your Personalised Timetable, Moodle, Student Services, Personal Tutor Booking, Library info and PC Availability This is def initely worth downloading so no excuses about missing deadlines!
social media @ card i f f m et s u
@ c a r d i f f m e ts u
@cardiffmetsu
w w w . c a r d i f f m e t s u. c o . uk
@ca rd i f f m et
@cardiffmet
@cardiffmet
w w w . c a r d i f f m e t . a c . uk
Work and Volunteering Work and volunteering whilst at university can have a positive impact on your life. It can provide you with money, help you with budgeting (food and rent), support transferrable skills and be great for future employment. Here are some tips and links for f inding work, volunteering opportunities and enhancing your employability.
Jobshop
Volunteering
Looking to find a range of volunteering and paid opportunities? The SU networks with employers to find the best positions for you! Your SU has its own Jobshop (WAV1) that aims to provide students and graduates with fantastic job opportunities on and off campus.
Your SU has you covered with Volunteering (WAV2) opportunities, Other than helping you develop new skills and enhance your CV, volunteering can reduce stress, combat depression, provide a sense of purpose, and is a great way to meet new people and have fun!
Job Search
careers
Websites such as indeed.co.uk (WAV3) and cv-library.co.uk (WAV4) are excellent tools to help you search for jobs.
Th e Careers e -m odule ( WAV5 ) is an excellent online tool for developing career goals and this can be found within MetHub and Moodle.
MetHub
Workshops
On MetHub (WAV6), there is an opportunities section with loads of jobs, placements, internships, graduate vacancies etc . for students and graduates. Login to MetHub to register for events or book an appointment.
Your SU offer workshops (WAV7) that are run by industry and careers experts and are provided f ree of charge. The Workshops offer you the opportunity to develop yourself as a person and increase your employability at the same time.
Words to Know Before You Go When you start university in September, there will be some words being used that you might not have a clue about. We think it is important that these are introduced to you before you come to Cardiff Met so that you know exactly what everything means when you first walk through our doors.
fresher s’
induction
A term used for our new students starting at Cardiff Met.
This will be an opportunity for you to meet your personal tutor, your programme director and fellow students on your course/programme.
fresher s’ fortnight
welcome crew
2 weeks of planned activities for our new students to make f riends, get to know your campus,your course, your accommodation and the wider community and city. Wristband information for Freshers will be available on our website so keep an eye out as this will be updated on the regular!
A group of Cardiff Met SU student staff that are located around campus to help you settle in. They give you useful information about Cardiff Met, will show you around the campus and even take you into the city for a look around.
fresher s’fayre
This will show your student number and can be used to take out books, printing, ID for exams and entry into certain student only areas.
An event organised by your Students’ Union to f ind out about everything that you need to k n ow a b o u t C a r d i f f M e t S t u d e n t L i f e including Societies, Sports Clubs, Work and Volunteer Opportunities and loads more. Our popular guests include Domino’s, Boohoo, ASOS, Amazon and some cool independent businesses. This is held in the NIAC.
su toolkit An overview of what you can expect f rom your Students’ Union, that includes a checklist of what things you might want to try. You will receive this via email f rom Cardiff Met in August and you should bring this to Freshers Fortnight!
student id card
personal tutor Personal Tutors at Cardiff Met will act as an Academic Advisor, offering students the opportunity to reflect on development, and guide you through your academic journey and future employment needs. They will be your main point of contact for any issues, so make sure you know who they are early on.
enrolment The enrolment process is what conf irms you as an off icial student. To complete the enrolment process, you need to have met all academic and non-academic conditions.
acknowledgements
content Sam Harrison smharrison@cardiff met.ac.uk
editor Carwyn Thomas cthomas2@cardiff met.ac.uk
illustrator Jasmine Knowles jasmineknowles123@gmail.com Instagram @lovetheknowlesillustration jasmineknowles123.wixsite.com/website BA (Hons) Illustration Cardiff School of Art & Design
Thank you to all Cardiff Met students that helped us to make this guide. Your input has been invaluable.