Starting your first year of University is an exciting, and nerve-racking, time for all students. For most, it is the first time that you will live away from your parents and get some of that independence you’ve been craving. Don’t get too excited just yet though, there are a few things you should know before fleeing the nest. Here are our 7 vital rules for moving into student accommodation.
If you have no idea what student halls look like then you need to have a snoop around first! Many student accommodation rooms are a lot smaller than the bedroom you may be used to at home and you may have to share facilities. The best way to find out exactly what space you have will be to ask the University if you can have a look around first. Most will be happy to oblige, but if not then ask some of the students at the Uni about what their rooms are like.
It’s important not to just threw everything into bags and boxes in the hope that it will fit, or even be needed whilst you’re away. Try and put together a list of all the important things that you know will definitely be needed and then work out how much space is left for the rest. There are some obvious things (clothes and bedding), as well as some less obvious things (washing powder and cooking utensils).
Once you have a list together all of the necessary items, it’s time to work out what extra things you are going to need to take with you. This is why point number 1 is so handy, as you should already know what kind of facilities are in your halls. Will there be cooking equipment provided? Is there a fridge in the room or just a large one in the communal kitchen? Where does everyone wash and dry their clothes? By knowing the answers to these questions, you will quickly discover what other bits you should invest in.
By now, it should be time to pack your life up into boxes and bags. Most new students will end up packing far too much stuff, but this is something you will learn as you go along. As long as you have the basics, and the extras that you discovered on your investigations, then everything else can wait. You’ll be back home before you know it anyway, so you can pick up anything you desperately need then!
You should have a ton of boxes and bags to take to University now, but what is going to happen to the rest of your stuff? Are your parents happy to keep your room exactly as it is or do they want to convert it into the spare bedroom as soon as you leave? Do you want your parents being able to snoop through your stuff whenever they want, anyway? Most students will use some of their student loan to invest in a student storage solution, to keep hold of all their stuff for the time they’re at university.
The next important thing to think about is how are you going to get all your stuff up there? A lot of students soon realise they cannot afford to keep their car on top of the cost of uni fees and living, so many leave it at home. Will your parents give you a lift up to your new accommodation or will you have to find your own way there? Make sure you have an exact trip plan, so you’re not left struggling with all your stuff on the train.
As soon as you get to University you may be desperate to get out and explore, but wait! There’s no point in leaving all your stuff packed in boxes before hitting the clubs; you’ll regret it in the morning when you can’t find any bedding. Make sure you at least unpack the basics before you go and make new friends. We promise, it will be worth it!
For more information on the student storage services provided by Urban Locker please call 020 3637 0850 or browse the website www.urbanlocker.co.uk.