Hello everyone, Not long left until the end of term! We hope that you’re all enjoying the last couple of weeks in Exeter. Today we have a guest blog from Residence Life Helen who is here to reassure you if you haven’t quite sorted out your living arrangements for next year.
Next Year’s Accommodation – Don’t Panic!
Right now, does it seem like everyone except you has next year all sorted out, down to what colour toaster they’re going to have in their shiny new kitchen? If things haven’t worked out in quite the way you’d hoped, and you’re still trying to figure out who you’ll live with next year, this post is for you.
The first thing to know is that you’re not alone. It’s really common for students to find themselves uncertain about who their future housemates will be, for many different reasons – maybe you haven’t connected with a group yet, or things have fallen through with the people you’d originally anticipated living with.
If that’s the situation you find yourself in, don’t panic! I know it’s really stressful not to know what’s happening but remember, we’re talking about something nine months in the future. It’s a myth that all accommodation needs to be sorted out this early – actually, many students make arrangements later on, and there can be advantages to doing so.
One option to consider is the range of purpose-built private halls of residence around the city. These can offer a really social living experience, often with a range of great communal areas where you can spend time with friends and neighbours – but you don’t need to think about getting a group together yourself in order to have this lifestyle. If you’re still weighing up your options, why not take a look at what’s available, and maybe book a viewing or two?
Or does living in a house with a group appeal to you more? One approach is to ask: if you connect with people around you – like coursemates, Facebook groups, society members who share your interests, or friends of friends – you’re likely to find others in the same situation.
Another option is to use the StudentPad Message Board to search for a group. You can make your own posts, and you’ll also see that there are lots of groups out there looking for one last person to join them… maybe that’s you! As always, we’d definitely recommend that you talk things through with anyone you’re considering living with, to check that your lifestyles will mesh well – that’s ultimately going to make more of a difference to the experience than whether or not you’re friends right now.
I know uncertainty can be tough, but keep looking and you’ll find that there are some great options out there for you.
Residence Life Helen