Budget Counting : Approximating Cost of Living

One of the most daunting questions of all time : "How much money will it cost for me to stay in the UK as a student?"
And that is what this post will serve as, a rough guide on how much money you might need per week, including accommodation, groceries, light entertainment (drinking or eating out) and general transportation costs. (If you are going to study in Teesside University.)

1. Accommodation prices per week (in 2016)

If you're looking for a normal student accommodation, it varies for each section, but here's the link to the uni's accommodation website for more details :
http://www.tees.ac.uk/sections/accommodation/

If you decide to live outside, the cost per week is approximately £75/week. But the further you live from the uni, the cheaper. It may drop to £70/week but that means you'll have to walk for quite some distance to reach your lecture hall. There are also more expensive choices available, though I'm not quite clear on which are those, but they provide you with studio apartment living style for quite a hefty price.

*Note that these are not the prices for other areas like London or Manchester as their accommodation cost is far more expensive than Middlesbrough.*

So estimated :
£75/week

2. Groceries 
You can get away with around £15-20 per week with a big bag of groceries because quite some things over here can be bought at a fairly cheap price. Here are a few examples:

 Just some little groceries that I've bought from Aldi and Iceland. They are considered as the cheaper alternative for grocery shopping. Of course, more expensive supermarkets like Tesco and Sainsbury's will have a higher price, for example, almond milk costs £1.75 in Sainsbury's, in comparison with Aldi which is for £0.99.

So approximately:
£20/week

3. Entertainment and eating out

If you are not the type to cook and would rather venture out for food, the restaurants in town varies from £6 (a lunch value meal) to £12 (a 2-course meal) and more. Of course, there are also budget value meals that cost £3 (a sandwich, a drink and chips) which are found in major local marts. (The closest is Sainsbury's, Tesco and the Student Union shop.)

Movie tickets are approximately £9, while a night out to the clubs will cost you around £4-£8 if I'm not mistaken.

So approx. (you can skip this part if you're not interested) :
£10 

4. Transportation

If you fancy a trip around the outskirts of Middlesbrough, then it will cost you about <£5 for a single ticket by bus and <£10 by train. 
*Just a heads up if you're interested, a return ticket to Newcastle(the nearest city) on the X9, X10 bus costs £7.60.*

So, let's say, another £10.

So in approximation, with a bit of leeway for coffee and snacks, a week will cost you :
£75 + £20 + £10 + £10
= £115  

Do not that this is just in an approximate count and it varies for each person, based on their living style. This is to serve as a basic knowledge on the living cost of a student in Teesside University. Of course, the cost of living will change over the years, so I am speaking out of experience in the year 2016. :)

Hope this will help everyone in getting a rough idea!

Middlesbrough - Shopping Malls and the Supermarkets

The Iconic Transporter Bridge in Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough, you might have heard it from football, football or football. (I've only noticed that there's a Middlesbrough Football Club after a month!) Anyway, it is a small town which is close to River Tees, the seaside and Newcastle. There are buses and trains that will bring you to the outskirts and other cities, and this allows travel to many major cities like Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester, London and more.

The town centre is 10 minutes walk away from Teesside University, and it has 4 single storey shopping malls. (But as it is situated in a small town, don't expect Sunway Pyramid shopping mall's size.) There are a few supermarkets situated around the town centre, as well as local markets to get groceries.

Shopping Malls and its surroudings
1. Cleveland Centre


~ This will be the first mall you'll see when you step into town from Linthorpe Road, which is one of the long stretch main roads in Middlesbrough. In it you will find bookstores (WH Smith, which the post office is situated in, which, is where you need to get your BRP card), pharmacies (Boots), Poundland (where everything in it is £1, the same concept as Daiso), H&M, Topshop and Topman, New Look and more.

2. Hillstreet Shopping Centre

~ Just 2-3 minutes away from Cleveland Centre, this is the shopping mall that you will find yourself visit quite often for shopping sprees, because it holds the ultimate shopping haven for students: PRIMARK. It is the cheapest place to get tons of different clothing designs, and the first place to go to to buy pillows and *duvets that will keep you warm in winter. (If you did not purchase a bedding pack from the uni.) It also holds Burger King, Argos, Clanks, Marks & Spencer, Sports Direct, Superdrug and more.

*When you buy a duvet, depending on how well you can take the winter cold, take note of the "tog" unit. The higher the number, the warmer it is. The university's bedding pack gives you a 10.5 tog duvet, which might not be warm enough for people who can't stand the cold. I bought a 15 tog duvet, that is very warm for the winter, but might be slightly warm for the summer. But no worries, the summer in UK is not scorching hot like Malaysia.*

3. Dundas Shopping Centre

~Possibly the least visited shopping mall for me, it is opposite Cleveland Centre and Hillstreet. The most notable shop is B&M, which is a place to buy cheap items, food, kitchenware and more.

4. Captain Cook Square

~A place that I often visit, it is near Cleveland Centre, when you see Boots, there will be a small turning street, and the first thing you'd see is Poundland. Yes, there are two Poundland shops in Middlesbrough. Notable shops include TJ Hughes, Wilko, TK Maxx, and a nice bakery called Thomas the Baker. It is connected to the Middlesbrough bus station, so you will frequently pass by if you are a frequent bus passenger. 

The simplified map :

Supermarkets and Local Markets (the ones you'd most probably go to)
1. Sainsbury's 

~ One of the big supermarkets that you will find in Middlesbrough, it has a wide range of groceries and clothing to choose from. Slightly pricey than usual, you pay a little extra to get fresh and good quality groceries, so it depends on your budget. It is near Hillstreet and the bus station.




2. Sainsbury's Local

~ One of the smaller marts closest to the Uni, it is located at a corner just beside Akbar's (restaurant) and TS:One. It sells basic necessities, although if you want a wider variety of brands, you should go to the big one as stated above. From the Curve building in the uni, walk towards Linthorpe Road, then turn right at the traffic light and you will see the mart.

3. Aldi

~Ahh, good ol' Aldi. It is by far the cheapest place to get groceries. If you're on a tight budget, do consider coming here to get your groceries. But do take note that it is slightly far away from the uni, and it's a 10 minutes walk back to the uni from here, so on a cold winter's day, it ain't the best option for the weak-hearted. (I'm joking! Partially.) It is near Sainsbury's and the bus station, but do take note that although it has low prices, certain food might not be the best quality that you will get. (Pssst, steer away from certain meat. But the veggies and fruits are fine.)

4. Tesco Express

~You might be veeerrryyy familiar with Tesco, as it is also seen in Malaysia. The word "express" means that it's a local mart with the same size as Sainsbury's Local. You can find basic groceries here, as well as a nice £3 quick meal deal if you're in a hurry. It is located on Linthorpe Road, from the Curve building, turn left and continue to walk down the road utill you see it on your right. It is also opposite Iceland, another mart.

5. Iceland

~Another supermarket that you will find yourself going often if you like frozen food a lot. As the name says it, it sells ice. And more. I'm kidding. It sells not only ice, but a lot of different types of frozen food too. It also sells normal groceries like fruits and veggie, and cheap eggs. It is the place I go to buy meat, because it has a fairly good quality for a reasonable price, and it is definitely cheaper than Sainsbury's meat. This is the place that sells £1 frozen pizzas, so if you're not a picky eater, you might as well buy some to try. (A few of them are quite good!)


Other Supermarkets:
6. Red Star Supermarket (Chinese/Asian Groceries)

~Situated on Linthorpe Road, this is the nearest place to go to for Chinese Groceries. You'll see familiar brands like Lee Kum Kee, or other brands from Korea, Japan and China. They also sell tofu, bean sprouts, drinks and serve dim sum on the first floor. They also have frozen food at the back, which includes dumplings, dim sum, paus, wraps and more.

7. Multi Culti (European Market)

 ~ Although we might not understand 90% of the groceries in there, it is still a cool place to check out if you feel adventurous with your groceries, your budget and your taste buds.

8. LiDL
~It's another big supermarket franchise that is not as near as the ones I've mentioned. It takes almost 20-30 minutes walk from the uni. It is also a cheaper alternative to buy groceries, but it depends if you think it's worth it to walk all the walk to and fro.

9. Tesco
~It's the big one I'm talking about, that is located on the outskirts of the town centre. It takes almost an hour's walk from the uni, so if you're really interested, I suggest you get a cab.

Next post coming up : Food in Middlesbrough
Stay Tuned!

Student Accommodation - what, which, where, and how

Have you applied to Teesside University? If yes, then welcome! Here we will talk about the different types of student accommodation and how far they are from the campus.

Here is a link to the main Teesside website for accommodation, there is a 360 degree view of the rooms which will give you an overview of the rooms:

http://www.tees.ac.uk/sections/accommodation/

The website also provides a lot of information about how to pay, apply, and the process.
In general, there are 6 types of accommodation that is provided by the uni :

1. King Edward's Square
2. Woodlands Halls
3. Parkside Hall
4. East Parkside Village/West Parkside Village
5. Central Halls
6. University Managed Houses

The time taken to walk to the center of the campus

All accommodations are located in the campus, while university managed houses are terraced houses within walking distance from the university. Facilities that are provided include wi-fi, bathrooms, kitchen, laundry facilities, common room, heating and lighting. You can buy a bedding pack and kitchen pack before you arrive if you would like to skip the hassle of going to town to buy necessities.

Room Sizes 

All the accommodation room sizes vary, depending on which accommodation, single or shared room. I have not physically seen all of the types of rooms provided, but I can give my review based on my friends' comments about the place.

West Parkside Village (Where I live) :

West Parkside Village

There are 16 houses in total, and there are 6 students in each house. There are 3 floors and 6 rooms; 1 on the ground floor, 3 on the first floor and 2 at the top floor. There are 2 bathrooms and 3 toilets (the top floor only has a toilet and no shower cubicle). In the kitchen, there are 2 freezers, 2 refrigerators and 2 cooking hobs. The room size is fairly reasonable, with some walking space between the bed and the table. For laundry, you have to walk to parkside halls (3 mins walk) to the laundry room as there is no laundry facility/room here. Advantages :

Parkside Halls :

Parkside Hall

Shared rooms are quite big, it's 2.5 times the size of a west parkside room. Not entirely sure about the single rooms. There is a big common room, and the kitchen is split into 2 halfs, one opposite the other. The toilets and bathrooms are shared, although there is a basin in each room.

King Edward's Square :

King Edward's Square

The shared rooms are quite small, it's 1.5 the size of west parkside rooms and there is limited walking space. Once again, I'm not sure about the single rooms. The laundry room is at the far left end of the house. The pros of living here : it is the closest to all the uni buildings!

Woodlands Halls :

Woodlands Halls

There are 7 halls in total, and each flat has 3 floors. Each floor has 2 halls, and each hall has 6 rooms and a kitchen. The common room is on the ground floor. The rooms are en-suite, which makes the room seem smaller than other accommodation rooms. The kitchen is slightly small, with 1 big fridge, 1 cooking hob, and a sink. The laundry room is situated at the center of all the halls. As for advantage, it is the second closest to university buildings, and the closest to the library. Disadvantages? The room is not soundproof so you can hear all the noise from the outside. (Based on my friend's review)



Alright, that's all I have for accommodation. I will keep updating and provide accurate information about the accommodations if I get a chance to visit them. If you have any basic questions about student accommodation, feel free to ask me or e-mail the university. Until next time! :)

Teesside University

The Library

Teesside University is a local university situated at the north east of England, in a town called Middlesbrough (pronounced as middles-bruh). It has up to 17,921 students on campus, 9,750 are full time students. It has a clean campus, with well-equipped classrooms and lecture theatres, and 2 new buildings that were opened a few months ago.
There are 6 main schools :

1. School of Arts & Media
2. School of Computing
3. School of Health & Social Care
4. School of Science & Engineering
5. School of Social Sciences & Law 
6. Teesside University Business School

All the buildings are within walking distances (5-10 minutes from one end to another), and it is also close to student accommodation houses.

A wide space in the campus called "The Heart"

The Curve, one of the new buildings

Common Buildings

Student Union Building

This is the Student Union building, where most of the student-based activities are held. There is also a gathering three times a week for international students called the English Language Café so you can meet students from different nationalities.

• Ground floor : Student Union shop (sells food, drinks, stationary and Teesside Uni clothing)

• -First floor : Loveit Lounge (common area for students) and The Terrace (a restaurant in the    afternoon, a pub at night)

• -Second floor : Cafeteria (sells breakfast and lunch) and The Hub (clubbing area and for events)

The Library at night

The Library 
This 4-storey building is equipped with books, printers, computers and a cafe for all the students. It is a public library that is open to all. There is also a 24 hour security office located at the ground floor on the left.

The New Gym

  
The Gym
This building was opened in January 2016, and is one of the new buildings in the campus. It has 2 storeys and is equipped with cardio machines, weight-lifting areas, fitness studios, showers and sauna etc. It also provides exercise classes on weekdays, and it is open to all students and staff. You need to join the health and fitness membership scheme at a price of £85/year, and this includes unlimited access to gym and fitness classes, climbing wall, personal exercise programme, gym and climbing wall inductions, squash and badminton courts.

Weight-lifting Area

Rock climbling Wall

The Olympia Building (Situated beside the Gym/entrance to the Gym)

Clarendon Building (on the left)

Clarendon Building

At the first floor of this building, you will find the student centre which provides services and solutions for matters like accommodation, careers advice, enquiries about the university, enrolment and more. This is where you'll get your accommodation keys once you reach the university on the first day.

Middlesbrough Tower (from King Edward's Square)

 Middlesbrough Tower

This is the tallest building in the campus, and it is connected to the Britian building and the Constantine building. The finance department is situated on the ground floor, and the post room is also on the left of the lift. 

There are a lot more buildings that I haven't mention which are for specific schools. If you are worried of getting lost, don't worry. There are maps provided during orientation/welcome week, and there is an app called TU Mobile that has a map of the campus. You can also find classrooms with the app and more. I recommend downloading it for newcomers.

Well, that's it! I will talk about accommodation in the next post. Until then, stay happy and healthy! :)

"So, I heard you're considering the UK"

UK is one of the top countries that Malaysians consider to pursue their studies in, mainly because it is more affordable compared to the U.S. or it's part of the commonwealth countries, so getting your documents ready and approved should be fairly more convenient too.

I hope you're not thinking that everything's easy. There's still the student UKVisa to apply for, a university to consider, living expenses and more. But I'll not talk about these yet, let me start with a light and easy topic.

Stereotypes. (And misconceptions)


1. Accents
Not everybody in the UK has a posh British accent that you hear in Sherlock or from Tom Hiddleston. Like Malaysia, every part of the UK has their own unique accents. For example, London or southerners have that normal British accent you hear, whereas in the north, (from where I am which is Teesside) they have different accents like Georde accent, Newcastle accent etc. It's still comprehensible for us, we just need some time to interpret. The locals will understand. (I hope)

2. The British love their tea.
Yes. And coffee but mostly, alcohol. The only nightlife you'll find is either going to the pub for a drink, or dancing in a club. Although they do have 24 hour eateries (MCD *wink wink), you may find it hard to look for a place to "yamcha" (hang out for a casual drink) at night. Yup, in Malaysia we can talk through the night at a mamak, but in the UK, you'd find more drinkers than chatter boxes.

3. British weather is gloomy, wet and miserable.
Not exactly. It depends on where you are as usual. In Middlesbrough (the town where Teesside University is in), you'd get days with sunshine and blue skies, but some days it'll drizzle for the entire day. So just like Malaysia, you'll get sunny days and rainy days too.

4. Fish and Chips
It's like the national food right? Yeah, though they don't eat it at a daily basis (of course they don't I'm just joking!). Truth be told, UK food can't be compared with Malaysian food. You'll find that the flavours are not as strong and savoury as Asian food. Nevertheless, in Middlesbrough, they still have wonderful Italian restaurants for Western food lovers, Mediterranean food and Chinese restaurants for people who miss a bit of home. Don't worry, you'll still get to eat some fish and chips.

5. Everything here is more expensive than Malaysia.
Nope. Certain food are definitely cheaper here. For example, cheese, berries, alcohol and frozen pizza. Yeap, frozen pizza. It's only £1 (around RM6) for a 6-8 inch pizza from Iceland, or throw in a few more pence for a nicer tasting frozen pizza.

So that's a few common perceptions we Asians have towards the UK, I will go through them in detail soon. Until then, I hope this helps in clearing up some basic thoughts about the UK. See you in the next post!

Hello and Welcome!

Hi and welcome to my new blog!

This blog is meant to record and keep track of my life in the United Kingdom as a Malaysian student studying in Teesside University. It is also to inform potential/future Teesside students from Asia (mostly towards South East Asia students :) ) about life here in the UK, what to expect, how to survive, where to go on holidays and compare the differences between UK and our home country.

SO! Whether you're a potential student coming to Teesside University, or a student from S.E.A. who is coming to any UK universities, please do follow this blog as I will constantly update it about news and tips and tricks to ensure you have an awesome experience in the UK!

Thanks for reading!