University Tips - Moving into Halls of Residence

This is the start of a University series on my blog. I will be posting about what to take, tips for moving into halls and tips for moving into a house. I will add in anything I feel is important to know!

I have been at Staffordshire University for three years now and in September I will be entering my fourth. The reason I’ve been there so long is because I had what is known as a ‘false start’. This is where you apply to study one course but find it isn’t for you and switch to another course. I completed one year of an Early Childhood Studies degree and then switched to Film Production Technology. I have lived in halls and in a house so I have experience with both

If you are starting university in September then my advice for you is as follows:

Join the Facebook groups for your chosen university/accomodation – post an introductory post to who you are, what you will be studying and where you will be living! This is a great way to find people from the same area/course/halls as you and an excellent way of making friends.

Talk to as many people as you can before you go! – This is something that really helped me before I moved in. I found all my flatmates and spoke to them loads before moving in so once we all got there it felt like we’d known each other ages and all slotted together to form a group. I also spoke to people from my course which meant I recognised some faces when I attended the welcome week activities for my course!

Bring some things to decorate your room. – I think this is essential. You need to make your bedroom into a place you want to be and somewhere you feel comfortable. I didn’t unpack my things for about a month when I first moved in and I hated being in my bedroom, it wasn’t comforting and it just meant I had a rough few weeks. Once I had unpacked I felt much more comfortable and more accepting of the fact that this is where I will be living for the next 9 months.

Don’t visit home before Christmas. – This one’s a little bit tricky I suppose but I would recommend not going home until Christmas. This is because the first three months are crucial for making bonds with people and finding your feet living away from home. If you go home every weekend you are likely to miss out on a lot of activities within the friendship group and you also won’t feel as independent.

Make sure attend lectures (and actually pay attention). – This one sounds so obvious but it’s something that a surprising amount of people don’t do. It’s all well and good to go out partying every night and hang out with your friends until the early hours but if that mean’s missing your 9am lecture, is it worth it in the long run? Make notes and re-read them a few days later to see if you still understand. This is your future and you need to work for it. First year doesn’t count towards your overall grade but it is still very important as it covers all the basics you need to know for the rest of your degree.

I do have a lot more to say on this subject but I will save it for now. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask! I am happy to help, it’s a very exciting time in your life so be prepared for a truly great 3 years!