Getting used to living at university and with other people can take time. Here, guest blogger and current student Megan Thomas shares her experiences and tips from when she arrived.
If you’re afraid of moving into university accommodation, I completely understand. As someone with anxiety, the idea of moving into an unfamiliar place was daunting. There were many things I was unsure of: My flatmates, my room, my flat. No matter how many pictures I looked at, I still felt unprepared.
It was very awkward when I first moved in, and it might be for you. At the end of the day, these are people you’ve never met, and that is a good thing! University residences are a great place to make friends with a range of people, learn about new cultures, and experience living independently.
In the end, settling into university accommodation was easier than I expected. Here are three of my top tips to make your experience easy too.
Be friendly. Be approachable.
Not making friends was my biggest fear at university. What helped me most when moving in was the friendliness of the first flatmate I met. He introduced himself and asked if I needed help. It made me feel comfortable in the accommodation right away and helped me out of my shell.
I tried to make myself as approachable as possible by offering help whenever I could. For example, I helped a flatmate learn cooking, asked if anyone needed anything at the store if I was going myself, and washed an occasional plate when cleaning. You don’t have to put yourself out, but everyday acts of kindness can go a long way.
Make a group chat.
When I moved in, the first thing I did was make a group chat. I put a piece of paper on the fridge with my number and asked the others to add their own. It gave us a space to raise concerns, ask questions without navigating confrontation, and allowed those more shy to speak up in their own time. (This is also good if you get locked out!)
Games night.
I cannot recommend organising a games night enough. It is a great way to break the ice and get to know your flatmates. It gives you a discussion topic and removes the awkward silence of small talk. As a non-drinker, I wasn’t interested in clubbing. Playing games allowed me to socialise without the pressure of drinking. We ran many game nights together over the year, becoming quite competitive.
In conclusion, moving into University accommodation isn’t nearly as scary as it looks on paper. There are resources to help you if things go wrong or you have issues with your flatmates, such as the Residence Life Team, Wellbeing Services, and Estate Patrol.
One important thing to remember is that you might not get on or like everyone in your flat, and that is okay. It doesn’t mean you can’t make your accommodation a comfortable place to live in, and it doesn’t mean you can’t make friends.
Be a good person, bring a deck of cards to uni, and you will be absolutely fine.