If you’re planning to go to university, you may also be thinking about getting a job while studying. But it can be difficult to know where to look, especially if you’re moving to an unfamiliar city.

The most important thing is to find a job that’s flexible enough to fit alongside your studies. With the third term increasingly quiet or even empty you might consider filling it with temporary work – but remember your main goal is to get a degree that opens the door to the career you want. Many universities, including Edinburgh, Birmingham and Brunel, recommend working no more than an average of 15 hours a week during term time so that your studies aren’t compromised.

Aside from the usual job search platforms such as LinkedIn, Indeed and Reed, there are other sites worth a look if you want flexible work either during term time or the holidays. Jobtoday, Caterer, E4s, StudentJob and JobsBear all list jobs around the UK, including casual work.

As well as searching on job sites, you could contact local catering companies – they often let you pick up waitering shifts as and when they suit you. From October, Christmas temp roles are worth looking out for as many retail and hospitality companies will be offering flexible working contracts during this time.

Working for a chain that has branches around the country is great because it can give you the flexibility of transferring to another outlet when moving between home and university and vice-versa.

When you get to university, your campus will have an employability or careers team. They should be able to give you guidance on finding jobs in the area, as well as helping you with your CV and cover letter.

Even if the role does not match what you hope to do for a living post-university, having a job while studying will equip you with essential life skills. All jobs involve being organised and punctual, many will help you build resilience and your communication skills as you deal with different people and situations.

Roles such as restaurant work can have great transferable skills such as conflict resolution (dealing with awkward customers), building rapport (with colleagues and not-awkward customers) and being able to work well under pressure. These will all serve you well on your CV.

“Increasingly, major graduate employers are prioritising skills over academic qualifications when selecting candidates,” says Claire Tyler, head of insights at the Institute of Student Employers, the biggest UK student recruitment community.

“We recommend students research the skill requirements of the graduate employers they may wish to apply to after university and then seek part-time work which will help demonstrate these skills.

“Developing skills during part-time employment work is an accessible way students can ensure they stand out in a competitive graduate job market.”

For as long as anyone can remember, drinking has been a key part of the student experience – but this is changing. An increasing number of young people are turning away from drinking, with a 2024 poll by Student Beans finding that half of first-year students did not plan to drink during their freshers’ week.

If you’re considering a teetotal uni experience, or want to limit your drinking, here are four places to look for sober fun.

Societies

One of the easiest ways to find like-minded people and make friends without alcohol is to join any society that you’re interested in. There are more than 10,000 societies across all universities in the UK, with at least 50 to choose from at most universities, many of which do not involve alcohol.

Georgia Burdis, a vice-president of activities at Northumbria University, says that for “students who don’t drink, university can still be a very rewarding social experience when you find the right spaces” and advises teetotal students to “seek out communities that align with your intentions rather than the social norms of alcohol consumption. This way you will naturally build meaningful friendships”.

Parties

It is absolutely possible to go to parties where people are drinking and still have fun while sober. Although it might be outside your comfort zone, try at least one to find out if you enjoy it.

If you want to go to a party with other people like yourself, there is a surprising amount of choice. Sober parties have fast become normalised, with events spreading across the country. In Glasgow, for example, Good Clean Fun puts on monthly ticketed events that combine a variety of musical genres with activities such as meditation.

Enjoy the outdoors

A study by the Mental Health Foundation found that 39% of students did not do regular exercise, often citing tiredness and a preference for socialising. So how about combining looking after your health with making friends in the process?

Most universities will have great sportsfacilities and a plethora of teams you can join, with something to suit all ability levels. Ask at your fresher’s fair to find the perfect fit.

For something more intrepid, outdoor societies such as Dundee University’s Rucksack club, the University of Plymouth’s Adventure & expo group and the University of London Mountaineering club take advantage of the local countryside and are open to people of all backgrounds and experience levels.

Games

You might think only mature students would enjoy playing board games – but you’d be wrong. One study by Edge Hill University (pdf) found that 26.9% of board game players are between the ages of 18 and 25.

There are a surprising number of games clubs and campus societies dedicated to them. Edge Hill has several, including the Poker and card games society, which says new members should “feel free to bring along any card game you wanna play and I’m sure we’ll enjoy playing too!”.

In his new blog, State System of Higher Education Chancellor Christopher Fiorentino highlights an agreement signed with Google last week “to help students develop the AI competencies they will need in their future careers.”  Writing that the State System can’t fool itself into thinking artificial intelligence is a “trend” or a “passing fancy,” Fiorentino pledges to enter the future with “eyes wide open.”  He says perhaps the best contribution the state-owned universities can make is to ensure graduates know “what AI tools they should be prepared to use” as they start their careers.

The agreement to expand the State System’s partnership with Google includes IUP, Cheyney, East Stroudsburg, PennWest, and Millersville..

THE CHANCELLOR’S BLOG:

https://chancellorfiorentino.blogspot.com/2025/09/ai-is-not-fad.html