How to make the most of living in halls of residence

It can be daunting moving to a new city and living with strangers in an unknown building. I was nervous about getting along with my flatmates, cooking in a new kitchen and feeling comfortable in my room.

Here are some tips on how to enjoy your time living in university halls.

1. Arrive early if you can. This year, due to covid, we had to arrive over two weeks so as to not have a big rush of people arriving on the same day. I made sure to arrive as early as I could to get used to my accommodation and the area I was living in. Arriving early meant I was able to not feel homesick when my classes eventually did start, so my schoolwork was not affected.

2. Take every opportunity. Use your free time in Freshers week to explore the area you are living in and visit the city centre. Bute park is a good place to go! If your flatmates ask you to join them for a walk into town, or a games night, say yes as this will make you feel comfortable living with them. If you feel comfortable with your flatmates then you will feel comfortable about your living space. Try to also connect with other flats in your building to make more friends. Everyone is in the same boat as you, everyone is feeling nervous and vulnerable, if you make connections with your flatmates then you will feel much better.

3. Bring items from home to make you feel at ease in your accommodation room. Pictures of friends and family is a great way to make your new home feel like yours; they are also a good conversation starter with your flatmates.

4. Contact your flatmates before you arrive. Do this by joining Facebook groups and creating a group chat. So once you arrive, you are already familiar with the people you will be living with. This will make you feel so much more comfortable in your new living situation and can diffuse any awkward interactions!

Finally, try and enjoy the time you spend in halls of residences as it does not last very long. It can be nerve wracking but it is very exciting and can help you create friends that you will have a lasting bond with. Everyone really is in the same position as you, so don’t have high expectations and take one day at a time!

Stay tuned for more videos and blogs.

Miah x