Packing For University!
I thankfully got accepted into my first university choice this year and I decided to live-in, mainly because of the distance between there and home. I also think it's part of the whole uni experience and you should definitely give it a try before you decide to stay at home.
Moving out was very stressful for me, mainly because I had my dad, who is a very OCD person about when and how things are done, bless him. It was stressful because I didn't realize how much I actually had to buy and bring to my new university accommodation halls. Seriously man, you've gotta bring plates, bowls, pots & pans, cleaning products, an iron, towels etc. Literally everything you'll need to live for the next year of your life there.
I've got some advice to give to anyone who's thinking about moving to university next year (or this year as a late enroller), so here we go.
1. Don't go ham with things like knives, forks & spoons.
In my case, I moved into a flat with 6 other people... Who all brought their own cutlery. Depending on your accommodation and how much you've paid for it, you'll probably have limited space in your kitchen for all your stuff. In my case, we have 2 pull-out drawers to keep your cutlery in, and when you've got easily about 100 + knives, forks & spoons you're not going to fit them all in.
My advice is to just hold off on buying them, and see what the situation with your flatmates is, mine are very nice and not at all stingy, so we pretty much share everything. My poor cutlery set is still in my storage boxes in my room, unused.
2. Food
This is tricky, because it depends on what kind of flatmates you have. Some will wanna do things their own way and keep to themselves, some will be like mine and share everything and you become like a big family of siblings, and then you might get some like the flat of my friend across from mine who has a guy who just doesn't share a thing and goes mental at you if you touch any of his crap.
Food is a tough one because you'll probably, once again, have limited fridge/freezer space. In my flat we have 2 fridges and 2 freezers, and they aren't big. At first, when we didn't know each other, we said we'd do the whole standard top shelf is yours, top shelf is mine kinda thing. Obviously with 7 of us it was a tight fit.
In the end when we all got closer and became like a family, we decided to chuck in on the essentials which we were all going to eat. So things like meat, eggs, milk, butter stuff like that. It made a huge difference to your individual food bill because it meant you only had to pay for the stuff you personally like, like snacks. This then meant more money for the sesh, which is what you live for as a first year university student.
My advice is just to not bring a crap ton of food and don't stress about the bill, because you probably won't fit it into the fridge, and you're more than likely gonna end up splitting the bill for essentials.
You will not get this... Sorry :(
3. Alcohol
Brings lots of it. If you think you're bringing too much, you aren't. The first week I was at my flat, I didn't remember most of it because every single night we bonded by getting drunk together. We went to our onsight pub and chilled together there, took part in loads of freshers and pre-freshers events together as a flat, and even threw a few flat parties where it started out as a chilled out drink together as a flat, but once you let me take control of the music and I start bringing out all of the bangers and the oldies, you attract attention and your door knocks all night.
Also, if you don't drink that's okay too. It means you can be known as the person who takes care of the drunk friends, which makes you Mother Teresa in their eyes because you're the one who stops them from doing something embarrassing when they're mortal.
Also, you'll find out what kind of drunk you are!
4. Freshers week
Be prepared. You're gonna need money for tickets and wrist-bands for the events, especially if you have a pub crawl, which you probably will. In my opinion, the pub crawl was the best event we had at my freshers week, but it was lethal. It was probably the most drunk I've ever been in my life, but I had a good time so it's sweet.
Prepare to get drunk, prepare to lose your money quickly, and prepare to encounter some absolute legends at your events, because almost every single one of them includes alcohol. Even if you say "I'm really not gonna get that drunk tonight" or you're just not that much of a drinker anyway, much like myself, forget about it because the vibe is too strong and you'll find yourself with a drink in your hand anyway out of nowhere.
As soon as your flatmates or anyone else hears someone say "I'm not gonna get drunk tonight" then they become a target. It means that they will make it their sole purpose in life to get you completely hammered that night. Enjoy.
5. Pre-Freshers
This is NOT the same as Freshers week. When I got there, I arrived a week before my course actually started, and there were soooo many drunk nights and events at the accommodation site. It was mental, and I loved it, it was the best fun I've had in my life and it made me closer to my flatmates.
I innocently finished my pre-freshers thinking "Freshers was so good, but I'm glad I can rest now" hahahahhaha no friend.
That was pre-freshers, and true freshers week was about to start. Get ready for the marathon.
6. Student Loan
I moved into my accommodation on the 10th of September, a week before my course started. This meant that I didn't get my student loan until about 1 1/2 weeks. Before going, my parents kindly gave me about £80 to get me through the week, and my brother had bought me my freshers week ticket, like a true gem.
This money only goes so far when pre-freshers starts, and then you've gotta have enough for freshers a week after, so really depending on how many events you go to (which I recommend should be them all), your poor dollar is gonna dwindle away fast. It's so worth it though, you really do have the best time.
7. When you actually get your loan
Parents: "Do NOT go on a silly spending spree when your money comes in"
My Parents: "Don't piss your money up against a wall when it comes through, we won't bail you out"
It's true guys. Don't go ham on Beauty Bay, eBay, Primark or any of these sacred places, ok. Cause you get paid in installments people, that means your money, once you've paid your rent, has to last you from September until January (if it's anything like mine).
All's I can say to you is budget your cash and work out how much a week you can spend on yourself, not including food.
8. Rent
When it comes to paying your rent you will have a pay in full option, where you can pay your rent for the whole term up until you get your next installment of your loan.
I recommend doing that because then what you have left over is yours, it goes towards anything you need. That way you don't have to worry about overspending into your rent money, and you can then budget more clearly.
9. Pets
Don't hide pets in your flat unless you go to this amazing university where you're allowed them.
I mean, it's possible. I know of a flat in my accommodation park where they're hiding a rabbit, which makes me hella jealous because I have 2 buns at home that I miss to death. Truthfully, I did beg my flatmates to let me bring them up and hide them, but obviously it's a bad idea.
If you get caught, depending on the strictness of your accommodation, you could get kicked out, charged, or you would lose your deposit money. Even though it's hard being away from your loved babies, it's not worth the risk people.
My advice, do what I'm doing. Get a house next year with a friend that allows animals, and go ham with the beautiful babies. As long as your timetable allows time for them ofc.
10. Going Home
There is a reccommendation that says not to go home for the first month of your stay at university, because going home too early can make your homesickness worse.
For me, this isn't true at all. I go home every single weekend without fail, and everytime I have a break from my course. I don't find that it makes me homesick at all, actually I believe that it helps me cope with my new life living away.
In my case, being at my new flat away from my family and hometown makes me miss it, of course it does, but that doesn't mean that I'm sitting in my room 24/7 crying and looking at pictures of my family. To be honest, the first two weeks you're there isn't that hard when it comes to being homesick, because quite honestly it feels like a holiday. It's when you get like 2 months in and you start to realize, whoa... I'm living here now. That's when the homesickness gets you because the novelty starts to wear off and the reality hits you in the face.
For me, when I'm at my flat, I miss home but then when I come home, even though I'm happy to be home and see my family and friends, it makes me miss being at my flat with my flat family. It creates this healthy longing for these two places, and it balances each other out.
So don't worry about being homesick, you're all in the same boat and you're all going to get homesick. That's a good thing because that means you can all relate and comfort each other through it.
That was my advice for anyone starting university, don't be afraid of it because as long as you try your best to immerse yourself into the life and events, you'll have the best time ever.
Have fun!
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