The end of the academic year can also mean a change in your student accommodation. Moving as a student can bring lots of exciting advantages and possibilities. You will hopefully be living with people you like, you may have more control over your environment or you may simply have the chance to experience living somewhere new.
Moving accommodation
Moving accommodation can be exciting but also strange and unsettling. Embracing the uncertainty and taking sensible steps can make the process feel better.
Addressing Conflict
However, changing where you live can also be unsettling and many people find moving stressful. Thinking ahead and taking some simple steps can make this as good an experience as possible and can help you settle in more quickly to your new home.
Time
Moving takes time – often more than you think.
- Block out time before the day of the move to pack, get utilities set up and try to avoid a last minute scramble the night before - as this can result in you starting the day of the move already tired.
- Think about the other responsibilities that you may still have – this may mean you need to start packing and preparing sooner.
Plan the day
You may wish to consider planning:
- How and when you will move your things
- When during the day you will eat and rest
- What needs to be unpacked first – e.g. your bed
- What food do you need to get you started
Do the basics
- Before you move in, agree how you and your housemates will sort our bills, keep the place clean, address any disagreements etc.
- As soon as you move in check the inventory and return it to your landlord – highlight anything that is damaged, broken or not working.
- Familiarise yourself with how everything works and where the fire exits are – being on top of this quickly will make you feel more in control of your environment.
Prioritise personalising your environment
- Making your space feel like yours quickly, will make you feel more at home. Your brain will have associations with your things, making the new home feel familiar.
Seek out the nearest homeware shop so you can make your room yours. You’ll feel instantly more comfortable and less worried with a cosy room.”
Get to know your new home and find things you like
- Take time to really notice your new home and take it in.
- Find things about your new accommodation that you like – this might be the view, the area, the layout, the colour of the walls or carpet, a design feature or anything else.
- Explore the local area, if you don’t know it already. Becoming familiar with our environment makes us more comfortable.
Get into routine quickly
- Routines help to give rhythm and structure to our day. Each new environment will require a slight change to your routines, doing this consciously can give you more of a sense of control and comfort in the new environment.
Healthy habits can help your mental health
Page last reviewed:
April 2023