Tips for a Peaceful Student Accommodation Experience

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably chosen private accommodation for your housing. Whether it’s your first year or second year, it’s time to get excited.

Private accommodation is a very fun time, with a lot of people looking back at it as some of the most fun and formative years of their lives. You get to have a more personalised experience at University, by choosing where you live and possibly who you live with. This does mean there might be some challenges along the way when learning to live with new people. 

It’s completely normal to feel a bit nervous about this, which is why it pays off to be prepared for common potential issues. Don’t let these issues make you lose sight of why you’re there. There are plenty of ways to make it a more peaceful experience so you can focus on your study - and don't forget, having fun!

Let's look into some helpful tips and resources for student accommodation.

Socialising

This is one of the most daunting pressures for somebody moving to uni accommodation. Which is why it’s important to remember everyone is in the same boat. You will all be feeling the same nerves about making new friends, so don’t hold onto the interaction where you felt you were awkward, they’re most likely thinking about how awkward they were.

There are lots of ways to break the ice, one of the most simple being hanging out in the kitchen. This might seem like a silly idea, but it allows you to get to know everyone in a communal area, and lets people know you are up for a conversation. Ask people what they are studying, where they’re from. You could then ask if anyone wants to go see what the campus is like, or check out the food served in your student union.

Once you’re feeling more situated and everyone has moved in, maybe bring up the idea of a meal to get to know everyone. You might not have loads in common with your roommates, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get to know each other and build a relationship. Don't put pressure on yourself to meet your best friend right away, it’s just good to have people you can talk to, as isolating yourself will only make you homesick.

Bills

One of the biggest sources of tension between roommates is handling bills. If they aren’t

included in the rent, it can make it quite tricky to split the bills evenly. And given the fact that students are already on a restricted budget, it can be extremely stressful.

A really simple solution is to use a student bill splitting service. You can share all your bills such as gas, water, internet and energy bills which then get put into one monthly payment. They will then ensure the bills are divided equally - and if someone doesn’t pay their share, it doesn’t affect anyone else in the property. This will take a huge portion of stress away from your university experience.

Communications

Depending on which student accommodation you choose they might have an app for communications, this can be a group with just your flatmates or people on your floor. Some universities have a Facebook group that you can join and ask any questions and see if there are any upcoming events, it's great for staying in the loop.

However, if this isn’t an option for you, create a Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp group with your flatmates. This gives you the chance to drop a quick message with something you’re confused about, an update, or just to ask if people want to go to the pub together. For a more fun approach use GroupMe, this way you can share polls, create events or just have a little chat. Polls are a fun way to decide on a theme night or what film you want to watch.

 Household Essentials

One thing that is easily forgotten is whose turn it is to grab the essentials, and if you’re in a group of people, how do you allocate this chore and costs. There are a couple of ways to settle this.

First way of doing this is a kitty, not the cute kind. A kitty is a pot of money gathered by multiple people, which is used for shared items they all use and agree on. This is perfect for shared costs like toilet paper, washing up liquid and milk. Some people ask for everyone to add a certain amount each month, like if everyone pays £20 a month into the kitty, that should cover those expenses.

If people are forgetting to put money in, you can always ask them to set up a standing order from their bank. 

Shopping for household essentials together can be an enjoyable experience, surprisingly. A trip to the shop is a good way to get to know what everyone likes, what food and drinks they enjoy, and it could turn into an idea for a cocktail or film night!

Tip: buy large bin bags as there will be times when people don’t take the rubbish out; this will stop overflow.

 Handling any disputes

It is quite likely when you’re living around a bunch of people that you will run into some type of conflict. This could be someone not washing up after they cooked, or leaving their shoes and coats messily in the communal area. Little inconveniences like this can start to add up, especially during exam season.

Find out what is causing the tension so, if it's cleaning, introduce a rota or politely ask people to wash up as they may have forgotten. Once you’ve figured out the issue, you can find the solution. Avoid confrontation and passive aggression. This will only encourage toxic behaviours and just overall resentment for each other.

Check if your roommates are ok, sometimes there is a bigger issue if someone isn’t pulling their weight with chores. They might be really overwhelmed or missing home. It’s really important to look after each other.

 Remember to give yourself a break

You will probably find the first night quite rough. But once you’ve settled in and got to know how each of you works you will be able to build a routine together. Take everything in your stride, you’re not expected to know how everything works immediately. Take your time to learn your new surroundings and most importantly, have fun.