Due to the Bank Holiday, we are fortunate enough to have a guest blog written for us today by Olivia Horncastle and Kerry Mann who are both second year students and Co-Social Secretaries for Mind Your Head. Olivia is a current Student Ambassador and Kerry is a Residence Life Team Mentor. The girls are discussing how to settle in to University life.
Fear not over moving into your new Accommodation: Exeter will help you through it!
It’s perfectly natural to have fears about moving into your accommodation during Freshers’ Week– I certainly did. But fear not: there’s a solution to any stress or worry that you may be feeling about living by yourself in new surroundings, and there are many resources on campus to support you in your new accommodation and lifestyle.
Many people worry about living by themselves for the first time but you won’t be alone. Many of your other flatmates (or block-mates if you are moving into a studio flat) will be in the same boat; feeling very similar to yourself. There are a lot of people on campus who are there to support us in settling into University life and throughout the first year. These include the mental health awareness society Mind Your Head and other societies you might join. Friends which were a part of these societies helped me get used to university and sort of became my second family. There is also the confidential overnight talking service Exeter Voice who are great to chat to about anything you want to get off your chest- or if you want some company during the night. These societies are run for students by students and can help you through any worries or stresses during your first few weeks in your new accommodation.
The Accommodation Office use the details from your accommodation application to pair you with other students who have similar interests. Of course not everyone gets the perfect flatmates but this doesn’t have to be the end of the world! There are so many opportunities to make friends outside of your flat at university and it is often possible to swap halls if needed. Many people don’t become best friends with all of their flatmates but being open and friendly with everyone will help you settle in and your closest friends will come naturally!
There are lots of people around to help you with any issues and keep you safe too. The Residence Reception team will make everything with post easy and will arrange to fix any problems with your flat quickly and efficiently; and Estate Patrol work to ensure that everyone living in student accommodation feels safe, respected and can live comfortably. They are there 24/7 and are a great resource so that your time in student accommodation is hassle and stress free and will soon feel like you’re at home. The Accommodation Office also have daily drop-in sessions based in The Forum which run daily during term time.
You will also meet your Residence Life Mentor during Freshers’ Week. They will see you regularly and will not only keep you informed about university wide events but will also be there if you have any problems or worries about anything during your time in halls. They are great people to ask questions and have a chat to about how you are feeling as they are students so have gone through it all before.
The Residence Team are working with the Mind Your Head Society on a Fresher Pressure campaign – to dispel the myth that Freshers’ is the perfect week for everyone and to let you all know that it is okay to take time adapting to university! Give the Mind Your Head Exeter Facebook page a like to read our tips and advice on getting started at University. The society will also be holding events and will be an accessible support network for anyone struggling at any point with the changes facing them.
Good luck and make the most of the start of your University journey!
Many thanks for this Kerry. If any of you have any questions then please send one to the ‘Mind Your Head Exeter – Facebook page’ and they will be happy to help.
Accommodation Catherine