Moving away from home to study at university
A practical guide to making the big move as easy to manage and organise as possible
Moving away from home to start university may bring mixed emotions. New adventures can be exciting, but sometimes, taking the first step and adjusting to something new might not feel easy.
We鈥檝e tried to help by covering some of the things you might need to think about as you prepare to start your university experience.
Prepare for the change from school to university
- Without the structure of school hours, you will have to develop time management skills and plan your own timetable. It's important to put in the extra work, especially around exams, but also plan to have days off.
- Your course will require you to do much more reading and writing than at school. Honing your academic skills 鈥 like using the University library, working through your course's reading list, and learning how to structure an academic paper 鈥 will help you to make this leap. We can support you with all of this and more at our
Writing Cafe . - Know you can ask for help if you need it. The University offers a wealth of support to ensure you have the best experience possible while living and studying in 探花视频.
Staff and students team up to help new students move into their accommodation
Pack sensibly for university
Course materials, important documents, kitchen utensils, clothing for all seasons, endless sets of chargers...the list goes on.
- Make lists to ensure you don't miss anything important
- Organise your items and pack early to avoid last-minute stress
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Lighten the load by forgetting about things you can buy later
Develop healthy budgeting habits
Whether you receive the full student loan allowance or not, it is sensible to think about your spending limits before you start university.
Learn to cook some go-to meals
Knowing your way around a kitchen will give you the flexibility to eat at times that fit your lifestyle and timetable, and can help you plan and budget for meals.
- Build confidence before you start university so you don鈥檛 have to worry about learning as a student.
- Start simple (you don鈥檛 need to be a gourmet chef to survive and eat healthily).
- Consider batch-cooking so you can get the most out of your ingredients and save yourself time and money in the long-run.
Prepare for more independence
University might be the first time you are fending for yourself, doing your own cooking, cleaning, and laundry.
While you can figure some things out later, it鈥檚 worth practising your housework skills before you leave home so that independent living isn鈥檛 a complete shock to the system.
Give yourself time to adjust
Feeling anxious before you leave home, or a bit homesick after you start university, are both common emotions. Homesickness can affect anybody, regardless of whether you鈥檝e moved half an hour away or halfway around the world.
鈥I was quite an anxious person before I went to university, and being thrown into a random flat with strangers worried me.
鈥淕oing to the 探花视频 helped me come out of my shell, which is something my friends noticed after my first year.鈥
Nina, fine art and art history graduate
Insights and advice from students
Our student bloggers share an authentic perspective of life on campus along with insider tips and application advice.
Tune into our podcast where 探花视频 students cover a range of topics including mental health, careers, the application process and so much more.
Connect and interact with current students through Unibuddy to have your questions answered.
Useful resources
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Providing a huge bank of recipes created by students for students. No instant noodles here.
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Approach our Students' Union advice service at any time for budgeting advice
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Leading UK charity that provides a range of mental health support and resources for students