Moving away from home and into student accommodation can be both exciting and nerve-wracking.
Moving away from home and into student accommodation can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. You might have your own expectations about what life in student halls will be like: making new friends, going to parties, sharing a communal kitchen, and living by yourself for the first time. Whilst these are all important and notable parts of living in halls, there is much more to living in university halls than meets the eye. So, here are the things that nobody tells you about living in halls…
Let’s start with flatmates.
Whilst lots of students make good friends with their flatmates, sometimes flatmates just don’t click – and that’s okay! Every flat is different, and it’s important to not compare your experience to others. You might find you make closer friends with your course mates or people that you meet at societies, so don’t be alarmed if you aren’t close friends with your flat! Similarly, whilst living in halls often involves fun and spontaneous plans with your friends, from nights out to movie nights in, not every evening will be exciting. Some nights will be chilled and relaxed, and it’s also perfectly okay to have a night alone!
Your kitchen will get messy!
It’s important to establish ground rules straight away, so that you and your flatmates immediately acknowledge it’s everyone’s responsibility to take care of the communal areas. But, be prepared that your standard of “clean” will be different to your flatmates’, and you’ll need to work together to establish the norm. I would also recommend wearing flipflops or slippers in your kitchen; university kitchens are not known for their immaculately maintained floors!
Storage in university halls can be limited!
Whilst you might want to want to bring all your belongings with you, I would argue that less is more, and having a packed room can feel overcrowded. I would recommend bringing ornaments and decorations that will make your room feel like home. Don’t worry about bringing kitchen appliances with you, like kettles or toasters – if your flatmates have the same idea, your kitchen easily becomes cluttered! Instead, I would wait until you arrive at university and decide to split the cost of these items together.
Adjusting to living with new people
The walls in university halls can be very thin! Be prepared that different people have different schedules and might like to listen to music or watch TV late at night or early in the morning. Be prepared to bring headphones with you or politely ask your flatmates to turn it down!
Lastly, your first night in halls might feel strange. It’s a big adjustment to live with new people, in a new place, and it may not feel like home yet. Be reassured that everyone feels the same way, and it will all feel normal soon. Chat to your flatmates – I guarantee they will be feeling the same way.
Written by a Guild of Students, Residence Life Assistant.