By Lizzie Akass
Moving in day is, without a doubt, the day that every student is the most nervous about before going to uni. What will my new flatmates be like? Will I forget something really important? How will I cope with this massive change? Sharing a bathroom with six strangers? Horrific. But! Rest assured from someone who was absolutely terrified en route to my first day at uni, it’s much easier than you think it will be, you’ll make friends much faster than you think, and, if you do end up forgetting something important, it can be replaced very quickly! So, from my own experiences, and from speaking to prospective freshers, here is a list of my top five tips for moving in day:
- Get talking straight away
Don’t be shy! Talk to as many people as possible when getting sorted on the first day, you’ll meet people living all over your hall, so try arranging to meet up on the first night with someone, bonus points if you both bring people from your flats. It makes the first night go so much smoother if you have a group all going home to the same place, and you might make some friends for the whole year! In terms of meeting your new flatmates, either go door knocking to introduce yourself, or if you’re a little more shy, leave your door open for your flatmates to come and say hi, they will!
- If you’re self-catered
Coming from someone who forgot a lot of this stuff, make sure you remember to bring all of your cooking utensils, plates, bowls, cups, cutlery etc. If you forget something, you can buy it when you get here (and you’ll almost definitely be living with at least one returner who can show you where to go!), but bringing it makes the first day much easier! Also, bring enough food to last you the first day or two, but once you arrive and know when you’ll have a free hour in the next few days, make sure you organise a food delivery to keep you going!
- Decorate your room
This is not essential to do on the first day, but it can help people settle in to uni faster once they have personalised their room and made it their own. You’ll be feeling at home in no time.
- Plan for themed nights
You don’t need to dress up to the max for every single themed night, but it’s a good idea to check which themed nights your hall is doing ahead of time to bring a few clothes or face paints with you to uni. Alternatively, in your first few days organise a primark shop with your new flatmates to go to sort some outfits, it’s quite a fun way to get to know each other a little more!
- Remember a laundry bag
Although you won’t need this for your first day, it’s surprising how many people forget one! Whatever hall you’re in, you’ll probably need to carry your laundry to another building to wash it!
