For students, moving into halls for the first time can be one of the most exciting and scary parts of university life. Life in halls can be one of the best experiences you have while at university, but it isn’t always easy, so here are a few tips on how to survive common issues.
Homesickness
Let’s face it, as a fresher, you’re enjoying your independence and the new-found freedom university has given you, but after a few weeks have passed, when you’re stressed out or fresher’s flu has hit you (which it will), you’re going to feel homesick. This is where your housemates and friends play an important role. You need a good support network around you and having someone there from across the hall to talk to and take care of you will make all the difference.
Noise
Noisy neighbours and housemates, slamming doors, fire drills, paper-thin walls and floors and parties. The noise in halls doesn’t ever really stop, so I can’t recommend enough investing in a decent pair of ear plugs if you ever want to get a good night’s sleep again. Just be careful you don’t sleep through an alarm and miss your lectures. When it comes to assignments and revision, make use of the library and campus facilities to get your work done, as the noise and crowding in halls are an easy distraction from study.
You hate your housemates
Everyone hopes they can be lucky and that their housemates will be life-long friends years later, but that can’t be the case for everyone. Some of you are going to be stuck with people who you clash with, who no matter how hard you try- you can’t get on with and who are a living nightmare. My best advice is make the best of a bad situation, as you can either make each other miserable or try to get on with it and co-habit in peace.
However, if your housemates are leaving you permanently miserable, you aren’t stuck without alternative options. Newcastle University offers a flat exchange programme where you can move into available rooms in other accommodations and take your chances with some new flatmates if your current ones are not working out.
Cleanliness
Living with new people is hard, especially when you all have different preferences and ways of doing things. It’s a good idea to set up a cleaning rota early on as it can help you live peacefully together (without a mess!). If you can all agree to one night a week spending thirty minutes together to keep on top of cleaning, it’ll save on arguments and resentment later. There is nothing worse than feeling dirty in your own home or feeling like you’re the only one pulling your weight and doing all the chores.
People using your stuff
This is, unfortunately, inevitable. You’re going to come home to a sink full of your dirty dishes, your mugs dirty from half-drunk cups of tea, your cutlery in the sink coated in grease from last night’s takeaway. Best way to try and avoid this is to never leave anything on the side, as people will grab it off the drying rack without thinking. Another top tip is to set ground rules early. If your housemates know it’s an issue for you, they’re less likely to do it again.