Final year student moving into student accom, what to expect?

I've been a commuting student throughout year 1 and 2 as my sister and I share a flat that is local to university and within half an hour commuting time. However, I've taken the leap of faith and booked affordable student accommodation as she doesn't respect boundaries and it's very hard to study at home and in the library as I get easily distracted.

I'm wondering what to expect from living in student accommodation? Bit nervous and would love to know experiences.

Reply 1

LJMUStudentReps

Official Rep

Original post

by withholding-cess

I've been a commuting student throughout year 1 and 2 as my sister and I share a flat that is local to university and within half an hour commuting time. However, I've taken the leap of faith and booked affordable student accommodation as she doesn't respect boundaries and it's very hard to study at home and in the library as I get easily distracted.
I'm wondering what to expect from living in student accommodation? Bit nervous and would love to know experiences.

Hi @withholding-cess

I hope you are well! Living in student accommodation is a very fun and unique experience. I am going into my second year at LJMU and spent my first year sharing a flat with 4 other people! My best advice for student accommodation would be to try and make as much effort as possible with the people you are living with, I found that the more I talked to them and was friendly towards them then the more you get back from it which makes it all much easier! I am even sharing a house with one of the lads in my flat from first year along with 5 other people that I met through him so by just being friendly it shows you can end up making very good mates!

I found that living independently has helped me so much to become more confident and learn new skills like cooking which has helped me when coming back home too! My experience with student accommodation was very positive and although sometimes people can be abit noisy and messy you learn that things like that just happen now and again and don't usually tend to impact your experience as a whole! If you are honest with the people in your flat if it gets too loud or the kitchen becomes a state then people understand and are happy to sort it!

I hope this response has helped slightly, good luck with your third year at uni and let me know if you have any more questions, I am more than happy to help!

Thanks, Matt 🙂
Official LJMU Student Rep

Reply 2

Kingston Eve

Official Rep

Original post

by withholding-cess

I've been a commuting student throughout year 1 and 2 as my sister and I share a flat that is local to university and within half an hour commuting time. However, I've taken the leap of faith and booked affordable student accommodation as she doesn't respect boundaries and it's very hard to study at home and in the library as I get easily distracted.
I'm wondering what to expect from living in student accommodation? Bit nervous and would love to know experiences.

Hey @withholding-cess!

Living in student accommodation can be great fun - and moving in for the first time as a final year student will give you the advantage of already being familiar with the university and the campus. 🙂

If you're used to sharing a flat, living in student accommodation hopefully won't seem like much of a leap. You'll likely be living with more people, so you may have to figure out a system for certain things depending on your flatmates - e.g. if you need a showering schedule in the morning or how you're going to divide up the space in the fridge. Understandably, some of your flatmates might have a different personality or way of living to you; the important thing is to communicate and agree on certain expectations as a group.

Flatmates are often some of the most natural friends you'll make at university. Take the opportunity to get to know each of your flatmates better, whether that's through going out with them on a night out or doing a joint grocery shop together.

Most importantly - have fun!
Eve (Kingston Rep).

Reply 3

Matt-WrexhamUni

Official Rep

Original post

by withholding-cess

I've been a commuting student throughout year 1 and 2 as my sister and I share a flat that is local to university and within half an hour commuting time. However, I've taken the leap of faith and booked affordable student accommodation as she doesn't respect boundaries and it's very hard to study at home and in the library as I get easily distracted.
I'm wondering what to expect from living in student accommodation? Bit nervous and would love to know experiences.

Hi

Living at University on Campus can be a really good experience!

You generally share your flat with generally 7-10 people. Some flats will have shared toilets and kitchens, some will
all be en-suite, so it really does depend on what you like.

From living with your flatmates you can make friends for life!

A few top tips:
1) Be friendly - this can help you to meet so many new people
2) Try to put effort into making meaningful connections with your flatmates this can make your experience so much better.

I hope this helps,

Matt
Wrexham Uni Reps

Reply 4

Chester Student

Original post

by withholding-cess

I've been a commuting student throughout year 1 and 2 as my sister and I share a flat that is local to university and within half an hour commuting time. However, I've taken the leap of faith and booked affordable student accommodation as she doesn't respect boundaries and it's very hard to study at home and in the library as I get easily distracted.
I'm wondering what to expect from living in student accommodation? Bit nervous and would love to know experiences.

Hi there,

Living in student accommodation can be fantastic!

I loved living in both on-campus and off-campus accommodation, but each experience was wildly different. If you're living within a flat, definitely make the time and effort to get to know everyone you are living with. Set expectations, let them know what you are like to live with (habits, routines, likes, dislikes, and so on), and be friendly. It's always great to be close with your housemates! If you're moving to an en-suite or individual room set up, it can be similar. Get to know your neighbours, prop your door open, and put yourself out there! The friends I made in my first year accommodation ended up being my housemates in my second year, and we are still close friends to this day.

I've had experiences with lovely neighbours and not-so-lovely ones. It really is hit or miss, but it can be a great experience nonetheless. The independence you gain from living alone is incredible, and I found that I grew much more as an individual when I was responsible for myself and my time. Hopefully this new experience gives you the space you need to be able to succeed and thrive.

I hope this helps,

Isabella
Geography (With a Year Abroad)

Reply 5

hallamstudents

Official Rep

Original post

by withholding-cess

I've been a commuting student throughout year 1 and 2 as my sister and I share a flat that is local to university and within half an hour commuting time. However, I've taken the leap of faith and booked affordable student accommodation as she doesn't respect boundaries and it's very hard to study at home and in the library as I get easily distracted.
I'm wondering what to expect from living in student accommodation? Bit nervous and would love to know experiences.

Hi @withholding-cess ,

I agree with what everyone has said on here - moving in with other students is really fun and I enjoyed my first year in halls and living with my friends since!

I thought I could just give you some of my tips for living in halls or just living with other students in general:

•

Be friendly and kind. People will naturally gravitate towards you more if you are friendly. They are probably feeling nervous too so just be yourself and talk to people! Ask people if they want to do something - go out, watch a film, go shopping, cook together etc. You will find that people will want to do things and will appreciate being asked.

•

Practice a few meals that you know you can do well so when you don't know what to cook you have a few options. I like having a few things I can do if I've had a long day and I know I can do quickly and easily.

•

Set a budget. Work out what you will be getting in (loan, wages etc) and then what needs to go out (rent,bills,food). From here you can create a budget so you can see what you can spend each week.