Joining university can be a daunting and stressful time. You’re leaving the comfort of your home and moving to an alien place where you may know only a few people or even nobody. One of the best experiences of attending university is moving into halls of residence, where you’ll meet your soon to be, life-long friends. There are some things to remember to make this the smoothest and best experience, and we will share these in our top tips for moving into halls. Our best piece of advice? Be open minded, conquer your shyness and most importantly, have fun!

Before you leave home

Try and make connections with people you may be living with or meeting at university before you’ve moved in. Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) run several fresher Facebook groups, while some are aimed at halls of residence (e.g. joining the Windsor Fresher Group if you’re moving into Windsor Halls of Residence). Here not only will you be able to connect and chat with future flatmates, but also people living in other flats or rooms around you. It’s a great opportunity to get to know people beforehand, meaning you can jump straight on in and pick up where you left off when finally moving in.

Remember:

• everyone is in the same boat, at exactly the same time.
• don’t be afraid to reach out and connect.
• connecting with people before moving makes it all seem less daunting.

Bring company if you can

You’ll probably have a lot of stuff to bring in... after all, you are moving into a new home from home. If you’re being brought by your parents or anyone else, don’t be afraid to let them come in to help move things. It’ll also allow you to say your goodbyes properly.

After your support leaves

Whoever may have dropped you off is going to have to leave. We’d all love our parents or whoever helped us move to stay the night, but this is your opportunity to settle in and acclimatise to your new home.

Top tips for your first day:

• take it all in, this is a big change and you’re not going to adapt within a few seconds or minutes.
• take a break, tidy up, unpack, and make your room your own.
• your flatmates are likely moving in at the same time, so make sure to go say hello, make conversation, or even pick up from where you left off if you’ve already met virtually online.
• go to a communal area like your kitchen to sit down, chat and introduce yourself.

Before you know it, you’ll be enjoying your first day and perhaps even night with your new friends.

Do whatever you feel comfortable with

Stay in contact with those at home, this really helps. Afterall, you’ve experienced a lot of change in one day, so if you feel like a phone call or facetime will help, do it. Your new friends will understand. Make sure to keep everyone from home up to date with what you’re doing. Although moving away can be challenging, it can be nerve-wracking for those left at home.

Don’t forget those outside your flat

Whether you’re living in a studio flat or a shared flat, it’s beneficial to mix with people outside of your flat. So, get your friends together and visit other flats. Meeting new people is the best thing about moving into halls, doing this in the first day sets up your Freshers Week to be a blast. There’s even the chance you’ll meet those on your course, giving you people to walk and sit with. It’s all about building your circle and conquering your fears.

University is the opportunity to find yourself and meet some amazing people. If you have any concerns or questions, reach out to one of us via the website on the TAP function.