The ultimate guide to settling in at university

Moving to university can be a daunting task. There’s new surroundings, new people, new classes, new everything! And for people who aren’t good with change, it can feel a bit much. However, there are tips and tricks you can use to help you settle into uni life quicker and start to truly appreciate your new found independence! If you’re one who thinks they might struggle with moving from home and finding their place in university, keep reading to discover ways to get over that initial fear.

Remember: you aren’t alone!

First year especially can be a scary time for some. If you’re one of those people who, as excited as you are for uni, still have that feeling of fear in your stomach, the best thing to remember is that you’re not the only one! There’s hundreds of new students starting uni and a handful of those are on your course. The chances are that at least half of them feel the same way you do. If you’ve chosen to live away from home and moved into student accommodation, again, the chances are that there’s other freshers there too who feel the same way you do. Try and spark up a conversation with them and sooner or later you’ll find out that they’re just as nervous as you about the whole situation. You never know, you may end up bonding and make a lifelong friend. 

Get distracted

It can be so easy to start to dislike university because you’re missing home. It’s hard to sometimes differentiate if you’re not enjoying your course, or if you’re just homesick. A lot of first year students quit after the first term of uni, but we think that unless you’re worried about your mental health, that you should give it longer than the first term to try and settle in - these things take time. 

One of the best things you can do is to keep yourself busy! We aren’t suggesting that you run yourself into the ground, but we’re saying why not get yourself out there? Join a few societies (even if you don’t see yourself as a permanent member), go to social events planned by uni or different societies, try to mingle in your common areas if you’re in a shared accommodation, and most importantly, enjoy all of the events! You don’t have to go hard every night and go to every freshers or Halloween event - unless that’s your thing of course! But simply going to the events can keep your mind off missing home and open you up to new and fun experiences you might not have thought of. The best bit is, this is one of the easiest ways to meet new people, especially other first year students.

If you’re not into social events and nights out, that’s okay too! You can always keep yourself occupied with study groups, quiet nights in with your flatmates or other course mates who aren’t fussed about going out-out, or you can even get a part time job. A part time job can always open new opportunities and spark friendships you weren’t expecting. However, try not to burn yourself out by working too hard at uni and then at your part time job. As nice as it is to have an extra income and a distraction after uni, we recommend taking on no more than 16 hours per week. You don’t want your work to overtake your studies, and you also don’t want to tire yourself out. Being too exhausted to focus on your studies and/or work can have the opposite effect of making you feel better, and make you miss home life more.

Make your rooms yours

The worst bit about moving from home is leaving your beloved bedroom behind. This is the space you’ve become so familiar with and probably attached to. But that doesn’t mean your new room can’t be your new safe space! Take your bedding with you, grab pieces of furniture such as lamps and chairs that will be able to fit into your uni room, and remember decorations. Bringing bits from your old room can help make your new room feel homely. This is also the chance for you to express your bedroom how you want. Make the space truly yours, something you’ll feel comfortable in for the remainder of the year.

Take care of yourself

The obvious is to take care of your physical self - try and avoid freshers' flu (is it even avoidable!?) and stay hydrated if you enjoy drinking. But some of us forget to look after our mental health. It’s sometimes easy to neglect our mental health because it’s not easy for others to see. However, take some time out to focus on you. If you need a break from socialising, that’s okay! Curl up with a good book, or hide yourself away in your room with your favourite TV show. Do whatever it takes to recharge your batteries. Remember to get a good night's sleep - at least eight hours - and aim to eat a healthy balanced diet. If you find yourself struggling with your mental wellbeing, talk to people. Your family and friends are a good start but if you don’t want to open up to them, your university and/or students union will have a wellbeing section. Make an appointment, grab a cuppa, and talk it out. You may feel 10x better afterwards.

Sometimes the best thing to do for your mental health is to come off social media. This can give your mind a break from comparing your life to the ones you see on Instagram - we all do it once in a while. You don’t need to delete the apps, but maybe avoiding them for a day or two can clear your mind and help you start afresh. It’s easy to forget but even the people you see happy and smiling on social media may struggle with their mental health from time to time, they just don’t post that side of themselves. 

Manage your finances

A crucial part of going to uni is managing your finances and learning how to appropriately budget. If you’re one for going to a lot of social events, eating out, clubbing etc. you’re going to need money to do that. However, you’re also going to need money to pay your rent, eat, and buy any resources you need for your classes. The best thing to do is work out how much money you'll need to set aside for your rent, household essentials, and food for the month. The rest can then be the money you have for your social life and treating yourself. Just remember that even though you have spare money, it doesn’t mean you have to spend it all that month! To help you budget, you can even download apps like Wally.

A top tip we have is to take advantage of student discounts. Many shops, restaurants and bars have student discounts of at least 10%. This can be a huge money saver, especially if you’re one to splurge every now and then. Keep an eye on our blogs for the best student deals each month!

How long does it take to settle into university?

Unfortunately, this is not a one size fits all answer. The time it takes solely depends on the person. You could find that you slip straight into university life and love living away from home. Or you could find that you struggle with the change and miss home more than you thought you would. Our biggest recommendation is to give it time. Try not to make any rash decisions in the first term of your studies. The first term is always difficult - you’re in a new place with unfamiliar faces, and your classes are more than likely going to be harder than you’re used to. But once you’ve settled down, you might find that the second term is much easier. There’s also no harm in going back home to visit when you can. Just because you’ve moved out, doesn’t mean you can’t go see your friends and family. This can help with the transition period.

Having the perfect room and home from home really helps when it comes to settling into uni. That’s why we only offer the best properties around the UK. And if you’re worried about budgeting, then good news! All our properties come with bills included, making it easier for you to keep on top of your finances! Take a look at our amazing properties to start your journey to uni life.