In this latest blog, current international student S. Cassim shares their tips on thinking about arriving at accommodation in the UK.
Research
I applied quite early on and received my offer letter around April. After receiving my offer letter, the first thing I did was scour the University website as there is a plethora of information on there with student guides, moving in checklists and other links that were very useful in starting off preparation as to what you need when you’re literally moving your entire life to a different country – a daunting thought as I had never lived away from home. If you’re an international student, you can also always check in with the relevant student society social media pages which can be very helpful with the information they provided.
Peer-to-peer advice
The most profound advice I could give, which is what was told to me as well, is ask for help. While there is so much research you can do yourself to get a good overall view on what you need to know, there are certain things you may only find out about if you speak to those who have gone through the same situation. I reached out to mutual connections on LinkedIn and additionally reached out to the student hub for any questions I had.
Deciding what to bring
In terms of clothes, I brought my warmest ones and decided to buy whatever else I might need when I arrive as coming from a tropical country, I did not have proper winter wear. After checking what items were included in the university accommodation, I looked at various websites for kitchen items and decided to bring a few essentials and purchase the rest from Amazon or in stores when I arrived.
Local shops I’d recommend
Depending on what you eat, this is quite subjective, but for me personally a combination of stores worked best. I got most groceries and dry food from Tesco and Iceland. Iceland in particular has great deals on frozen food that could be quite useful during exam season or when you are particularly busy. In terms of international products, I usually ventured to Heera International and The Best One, the latter being a Turkish store that also sells fresh halal meat.
It takes time to adjust to a new surrounding and deal with things on your own, but it is important to remember that you don’t have to have it all figured out at the get go. Take your time and find which works best and establish a routine that is comfortable for you.