Today’s blog is a guest blog written by Helen Anderson of the Residence Life Team. She is passing on her pearls of wisdom for a smooth arrivals.
It’s not that long now until arrivals, so today we’re thinking ahead with some practical tips on what to expect:
- Wear comfy clothes. I get that you might want to make a good first impression – I recall, vividly, the student from several years ago who moved in wearing an actual cape (and who remains my style hero). Their actual moving in would probably have been a bit easier in a more casual ensemble, though, so I’d recommend arriving in flat shoes and clothes you can move about in – you can wow everyone later. (Pro tip – the Welcome Team will be wearing bright pink, so if you turn up in bright pink everyone will ask you questions. Everyone. All the questions.)
- Do remember we don’t supply bedding – that’s something you’ll need on your first night. Students moving into our residences can order starter packs via Click2Campus, which can be a great option especially if you’re travelling a long way. (If you’re travelling internationally, bear in mind that it may take time to get through the airport; also, be aware that most shops in the city centre close around 5-6pm, and earlier on Sundays.)
- You can get stuff in Exeter. Things like clothes, household supplies, pots and pans, rice cookers, bedding and cooking ingredients are all easy to find at reasonable prices. So, don’t panic about needing to bring absolutely everything – if packing space is a bit tight, focus on the personal things that can’t be bought in the shops. You can stock up on everything else later.
- Check your inventory! Depending on where you live, this may have different names, and it may be a paper form or an electronic document or process. Wherever you are it’s important you do it. At the end of the year, we’ll check over your room and if there’s any damage you could be charged for it – so this is how you tell us about any little snags like marks on the carpet, mattress or walls to make sure we know they weren’t down to you. It’s a good idea to take pictures, too, if you notice anything.
- Pick up your welcome pack. Depending on where you live you may get this at your residence, or you may need to collect it from the Guild Information Point in Devonshire House. It has lots of useful information in it and the pack itself is pretty cool. (That’s all I’m saying; wait and see.)
- It’s great to personalise your room, but remember not to use any Blu Tack or sellotape on the walls – it leaves marks. You also can’t bring things that could be a fire hazard (such as drapes, extra furniture, etc).
- Think about how you’d like to spend your first evening. Everyone is usually keen to meet their new neighbours so don’t be afraid to knock doors and say hello – if you find that not many people have moved in to your block yet, you’ll find plenty of company at our laid back Arrivals Weekend Events. It’s totally up to you, but my advice would be to take things fairly easy on the first night – moving in is pretty tiring and there’s no rush to head out for a big night out.
See you all soon.
Residence Life Helen