Make Christmas The Most Wonderful Time Of Year In Your Uni Accommodation

Combatting loneliness and looking after your mental health is most important for students staying at university over the Christmas period.

For many, Christmas is the most wonderful time of year. With the current cost-of-living crisis increasing financial pressures at home, however, some students may find themselves staying at university over the Christmas period, whilst housemates make their way home to family and friends.

The UK’s leading student accommodation platform, UniHomes, has found that nearly 20% of students* are looking to stay in university accommodation this Christmas, with train strikes, travel costs and work commitments cited as the main factors behind such a decision.

With staying at university, the loneliness during Christmas time can become overwhelming. For students who are planning on spending Christmas at university, it’s important to prioritise mental health as much as possible. Here are some tips from UniHomes on how to stay connected with loved ones and combat any loneliness this Christmas:

1. Keep in touch with your home network. Make sure to designate time to call or Facetime people who are important to you. They’re part of your support system even if you’re living away from home. Feeling homesick is temporary and lots of other people feel this way at Christmas time and will be in the same position as you. Feeling alone is also common and you’re not the only person going through it. Try to make yourself feel at ease in your new home by making your room a homely and stylish environment with decorations and photos!

2. Find and join online communities. Online communities have continued to thrive since the pandemic and there will be plenty of pub quizzes, digital book clubs and online beer tasting to take part in through the festive period. Popular social media apps like TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram also have huge communities where you can find other people in a similar situation to chat to. We recommend searching for an online community that is well suited to your core interests. Most importantly, remember to keep safe when communicating with people you don’t know online, and to never share personally identifiable information.

3. Be inclusive of your neighbours/other students. You could find if others are planning to stay home through the festive period through your university and stick together. If you know of others that may be feeling the same as you, you can spend time watching Christmas films, enjoy some festive drinks and food together and make new friends. 

4. Planning your time effectively. To ensure you get the crucial balance between working, spending time alone, and socialising virtually or with friends correct, why not organise your time every day, to make sure you can do a little bit of each thing.

5. Reach out to your university. Sometimes, you have to take the first step. Make sure to let your university know you’re staying over the Christmas period, and they may be able to help with ideas of how to spend your Christmas, and who else is in a similar situation as you. It will help you feel less alone, and help you get in touch with others you can spend time with instead.

To find out more about UniHomes and secure your perfect student home, please visit: https://www.unihomes.co.uk/