Moving into halls can be quite a stressful time for a lot of new university students, alternatively for some it can also be very exciting with the possibilities of a new level of independence. Hopefully this blog post calms any of your nerves by explaining the process of move in day, gets you ready and best of all excited, like I was, if you’re not already.

First off, realistically the journey for moving into halls starts way before the actual move in day as you pack up your belongings and buy the uni essentials.

Just to help here are a few of my packing tips:

• If you’re planning on going back home every now and then I’d recommend only bringing your winter clothes first semester and then your summer wardrobe up later in the year
• No need to bring a kettle or microwave as these are provided but good to note if you want a toaster to bring one up (or buy one with your flatmates when you get here)
• Bring that bedding for the first night otherwise you’ll be sleeping with just a blanket (learn from my mistakes haha)
• A clothes drying rack for your room can help you save money with drying your clothes
• If you’re short on space remember you can always buy necessities up here, the Eden shopping centre (just a 5-15 minute walk away from halls) will have anything you need.

I spent roughly an hour making my room feel like home and then ventured into the kitchen to meet the flat mates I’d be spending the next year with. Soon enough it was night time and so we all walked down to the venue (the university’s club) and had a great time getting to know a variety of people. 

Over the next few days I continued to get stuff for my room and after the first week I felt pretty settled. The first week whilst full of many great nights out, also had all the inductions to my classes before the real learning began. So don’t panic, you are probably feeling the same as every other new student. Now is the perfect time to experience all the newness together!