Living in university accommodation is one of the most exciting parts of student life. Beyond being just a place to sleep, it’s your space to relax, create memories, and connect with others. To help you make the most of this experience, here are five top tips to help you look after your student accommodation and love where you live.
1. Make your space your own
Your room is your sanctuary and personalising it will make a big difference in how you feel. A tidy space can also boost mental wellbeing, reduce stress and increase focus. If cleaning isn’t your thing, visit our cleaning page for some helpful tips.
2. Be considerate to your flatmates
When living with others it can help to be mindful of shared spaces and respect your flatmates’ needs. Small efforts like cleaning up after yourself, especially in communal areas, can go a long way to keeping a happy atmosphere. As well as cleaning up after cooking, regularly checking for out of date food in the fridge will keep the space smelling fresh! Being thoughtful about noise levels, especially at night, will help relationships with your flatmates – if you want to get together with friends you can always book a communal space away from your flat.
We hope that everyone has the best experience here at Exeter, but if you do have issues with your accommodation, visit our Concerns and Complaints web page to help direct your query to the right team.
3. Live sustainably
There are small eco-friendly choices you can make, such as turning off lights when not in use and saving water by taking shorter showers. When it comes to food, meal planning can help to avoid waste, and you can cook up a tasty treat with leftovers.
If you find that you have things that you no longer need, why not donate them through the university’s Gift It, Re-Use It scheme, which helps reduce waste and supports fellow students.
Take a look at our recycling information or the Sustainability website for more tips.
4. Keep communal spaces clean and safe
Communal spaces are where friendships are built, whether you’re sharing meals or enjoying a movie night. Looking after the furniture and fittings will keep these places welcoming for everyone.
Keeping yourself and your flatmates safe from fire risks is also really important. Did you know that some appliances, like air fryers, can damage work surfaces if not used correctly? Placing them on heat-proof surfaces and away from walls should prevent any damage. You can also avoid those annoying accidental fire alarms by taking some easy steps. For more information, take a look at our Fire Safety section.
5. Know how to report maintenance issues
Whether it’s a broken appliance or mould starting to form, doing something about maintenance issues will help to keep your living spaces inviting and comfortable.
Opening windows for 10 minutes each day is an easy way to prevent mould, as is drying clothes in a well-ventilated area and keeping rooms clean. Closing the bathroom door during and after taking a shower also helps.
If you find that your freezer door is not closing properly, using a free defrosting kit (available from your Residence Reception) will fix it.
If there are other maintenance problems, you can report them to your reception to be fixed. Further details of how to report a fault or maintenance issue can be found here.
We hope you’ve found these five tips helpful to turn your student accommodation into a comfortable, enjoyable and sustainable place. You can find more information on the love where you live web page. Here’s to a fantastic year ahead!