Renting Checklist - 4 basic questions

Renting your first property is a major life event, equally daunting and exciting. To help you on your journey to here are the 4 essential questions you should ask when inspecting a property.

1. How long will the lease be?
Most renters hold the assumption that landlords always prefer long leases, but there are times when a property is only available for a limited period. Ensure you and the landlord are on the same page when it comes to how long you can stay in the property.

2. How long is the notice period?
The apartment is cozy, the neighbourhood is friendly, you never want to leave.. but it's always worthwhile asking about the notice period ie. how much notice you need to give prior to moving out. Of course, you can always break a lease and move out instantly if you need to, but generally giving required notice is the most cost-effective way of leaving a property.

3. What happens if I break the lease?
In some cases you might need to leave a property before your lease is up, so make sure you're ready for your responsibilities pertaining to this. You might have to continue paying rent until the property is rented out to someone else, or until your lease expires - whichever comes first. You might also be liable for a percentage of the advertising costs and the agent's reletting fee.

If you're renting a room, you might lose your bond if you move out early.

There are special circumstances when you can break your lease without penalty, for example, when the landlord has put the property up for sale and did not inform you prior to signing the lease. (Question 1 should sidestep this potential minefield!)

4. Who looks after what?
If your rental comes with special frills like a tennis court, a garden or a swimming pool, it is a good idea to check whose responsibility it is to maintain the special facility. For more basic properties, you can also ask if the landlord will take care of repairs within the property.

It's always wise to have a grasp of your rights as a renter, and here's where you can educate yourself through the resources here.

Your university should also have an Accommodation Officer who can assist you.

Enjoy the search, there's no better feeling than when you finally find your ideal accommodation - a place to call home for the next few years.

Last but not least, make sure you're saving on your international student payments with NexPay, so you have extra money to spend on furnishing!

Sources - Domain

Australian beach safety

Australia is a beach-centric country, so much so that some of us even celebrate Australia Day by congregating at the world-famous Bondi beach and attempt to break world records by floating on giant inflatable Havaianas en masse.

Australia Day tradition

It can be all too easy to overlook beach safety, but here are some common things to look out for on Australian beaches.

1/ Always swim between the flags.

Swim between the flags

These are the horizontally striped red and yellow flags. Surf lifesavers keep a watchful eye on the waters, especially within this area.

2/ Look at the safety signs.

Yes, these actually mean something

Safety signs are there to pinpoint potential dangers and daily conditions of the beach / sea.

3/ Never swim at dusk or night.

Your swimming partner at dusk

Because sharks are most active at dusk and at night. And the fin you see might not be attached to something cute -

Stay safe and have a great break!

New Year Resolutions - make 'em stick!

Happy New Year!

It's that time of the year again, when everything seems brand new and hopeful, and everybody seems to be inspired to better their lives in some way.

While working towards your goal, it is important to maintain morale by giving yourself treats.

A treat is not a reward. A treat is something nice you give yourself for no reason other than to make yourself feel happy. A reward is something to be earned.

Because the mental willpower required to build or change a habit is exhaustible, it is essential that this power source is topped up, and what better way to do it than in the form of treats?

Little treats like scented candles, music and scheduling time to relax in bed work. But there are a few tricky areas - food, shopping and watching TV are treats which can easily extend beyond treat territory and end up causing guilt for people.

Telling yourself that you are enjoying a treat in the form of [insert your treat here] also serves to enhance the experience.

NexPay's New Year Resolution for 2015 remains the same - to make international student payments more affordable for students! We have exciting plans for this year so make sure you're following us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Weibo and LinkedIn!

Good luck with your new year resolutions!

A new take on 'no pain, no gain'

When students want to know how studying at an education feels like, who better to ask than current students, right?

With this in mind, students' ratings of their courses are a part of prospective students' considerations when selecting a school. But is this such a good idea? Recent studies have reached the conclusion that students report a more positive perception of their teachers when they learn less.

Strict teachers are good for you!

The studies build on the proven premise that students experience a time lapse in between intensive learning and academic performance, meaning that the better the teaching quality, the better students will do later during their course.

Students tend to evaluate teachers positively when they receive high grades for a unit of study, and less positively when teachers are stricter. ('This lecturer is not an easy marker, he really makes you work for your grades! He's the best!' said no one ever.)

In this scenario, it was found that students rated courses in which they received good grades highly, but did worse in later courses. Thus it appears that students' satisfaction with units of study are linked to two factors - good grades and limited learning.

So what does this mean for students - both in university and those looking to enter university?

1. You reap what you sow
Students have to shoulder responsibility for their own learning, and understand that effort plays a much crucial role in influencing results in comparison to ability.

2. No pain, no gain
Not all effort are created equal. Effort can be easy - attending lectures, reading materials - or challenging - for example, self testing. The more difficult a task is, the more students learn. So embrace the tough stuff.

3. Take student evaluation results with a pinch of salt
Happy students may not be learning effectively. Happiness is subjective enough as it is, and when funding and ranking relies on students' evaluations - and when students are aware of this - they may be incentivised to give glowing reviews.

In the end, it is your own hard work which matters the most.

Source: The Conversation

Free movie screenings in Sydney

Yes, such events exist. If you - or your wallet - is getting tired from all the delicious food, plays, exhibitions etc. which Sydney has to offer, here are a couple of places which offers a place to kick back, relax and unwind with some good movies -

1. Cinema on the Park
Address: 255 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Nearest train station: Museum

Watch Korean films in Sydney for free!

Run by the Korean Cultural Office, this event offers free movie screenings and Korean snacks most Thursday evenings throughout the year. The central city location makes it an ideal place to chill after a day at work. Snack bar opens from 6pm - 6.30pm and all movies have English subtitles. No entry after 7pm.

For the full 2014 program, go to Cinema on the Park.

2. Pop Cinema
Address: Art Gallery of New South Wales. Art Gallery Road, Sydney NSW 2000
Nearest train station: St James

A Beatles movie/documentary is included in the movie lineup.

In line with the current Pop to popism exhibition at the gallery, Sydneysiders get to relive the pop era with a film series of Hollywood movies, ground-breaking cartoons, documentaries and rare experimental films by pop artists.

This screening runs on various Wednesdays and Sundays from 29 October 2014 to 1 March 2015.

For the full program, go to Film Series: Pop Cinema.