Moving into your new home at uni can be a stressful experience. Whether it’s your first year in halls or renting a place together in your second year. It’s a testing time for everyone involved but also a time to make memories and have great fun. Here are a few tips on how to have a good time and stay on top of stressful tasks:
Bills and Household Essentials
Bills can cause a lot of frustration between roommates, especially on the already restricted budget students have. Making sure they are done equally can become quite a pain. Fortunately, services like The Student Energy Group can simplify this process. They combine all your bills (electricity, gas, broadband, water, and TV licences) into one monthly statement, which can then be shared equally among everyone.
For smaller costs such as washing up liquid, toilet roll or cleaning sprays you could consider adding a pot so you can all chip in and add a few pounds for these essentials. When the pot gets low, encourage people to add their change.
Be sure to register to UNiDAYS, it has an array of discounts for the restricted student budget.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Cleaning can be a stress point for many students sharing accommodation. Learning to live around multiple new people can be a challenge if you don’t set cleaning rules. If you all muck in to take out the bins and do the washing up, it will make a huge difference
Being considerate of the shared areas is vital. Putting your shoes neatly away and changing your jacket rather than throwing it over a sofa is a very small task. But, it is very noticeable if you’re not doing it. Don’t put off washing up because the longer you delay it, the more inconvenient it is for the next person using the kitchen.
You may find the cleaning gets a bit overwhelming, especially in exam season. But it’s important to not point fingers; this will make for a really uncomfortable environment. Instead, come up with a solution, such as a rota, or even checking in with your roommate as there may be a reason why they feel demotivated.
Agree and Respect Boundaries:
Everyone has different routines. Whether it’s what time they have classes or their work schedules. Some people are night owls and some prefer the earlier hours. Make sure everyone feels respected. Have an open conversation to get to know each other's boundaries. This doesn’t have to be super strict rules but rather ‘quiet hours’ during which everyone agrees to keep the noise level down.
Communicate openly about any upcoming events. For instance, if you have an important exam coming up, let your roommates know. This way you can get a good night's rest. While you can’t expect everyone to revolve around your schedule, mutual respect and consideration are key.
Socialise
One of the most fun and important things is building a relationship with your roommates. A way of building a relationship is by shopping for essentials together. For instance, a simple trip to the shop together can turn into an idea for a movie night or cocktail party. Not every shop needs to be a chore, it can be a chance to create memories.
Buying gifts for each other at Christmas is a great way to make people feel more comfortable and have a laugh. It’s common for people to feel homesick when they’re spending long amounts of time away from their family. Secret santa’s are a funny bonding experience throughout your household. These small gestures can go a long way to make people feel included.
Tip: bring a door stopper with you so you can let your roommates know you’re there to pop in and say hi!
Group Chat
A good way to keep everyone in the loop is by creating a Whatsapp or Messenger group. This allows you to quickly communicate any issues, plan social outings, or just check in with each other. Another option is GroupMe, you can create events, share polls or just chat. This could be an amusing way to decide a takeaway night or what film to watch.
Finishing up
Remember, everyone is in the same boat, adjusting to new living arrangements and trying to make the best of their student experience. As long as you pull your weight and encourage these routines you can live in harmony. You will most likely look back on this as a fun independent chapter in your life, so be sure to enjoy it!
As always, if you are still looking for your student accommodation head to the Studentpad search tools to find your universitiey's accommodation search site to help you find your new student accommodation, then get searching for your off campus shared house, room, or apartment.
