Chlosuniblog This blog can also be found on UWE Bristol’s platform UWE Browzer! I hope you enjoy my tips!
Whether it’s your first time living away from home or not, moving into a whole new space can give you a mixture of feelings. There’s no doubt that it can be quite daunting, especially if you are travelling further out to study, but you can be sure that everyone will be feeling somewhat the same within your first week of moving into university- new housemates, new settings and your own space. However, even though you may be feeling a little nervous, you cannot deny that it is also incredibly exciting, starting your new journey at university!
The best thing when moving into a new environment is to get yourself settled and put your own stamp on things! After all, you will be living in halls for a whole year, it will be like a second home, so your uni room should be a comfortable place that is completely yours.
What makes you feel at home?
Favourite photographs of family and friends is a great way to make your room feel homely. Fairy lights are also a great touch to bring that relaxed vibe to your room. Posters or pictures also give your room a real sense of you! Just whatever you feel that will make you feel homely and comforting in your new home, go with it! It’s also incredibly cheap to do this and give your room a lift from the plain beginning, fairy lights can cost as low as £2.50 in some shops or could even just be sitting around your house not being used.
The pin-boards provided are a great way to get started. Some guidelines at uni mean that you can’t always hang things on the wall so the boards are a great thing to use and get creative with! It doesn’t have to be a work of art, but you will be spending a lot of time in your new house so change it up as you please to make this a comfortable space to be in! Pinterest have good ideas on how to style a board too if you get stuck on an idea.
(Here’s mine from 1st year!)
After a couple of weeks, I even used the pin-boards to exhibit the leaflets of freshers events I went to and photo booth strips, this is one of the useful things about the boards – you can update them and change them around however you like! Some of my friends even used colourful wrapping paper across theirs to make it extra funky and not so plain! So even if you don’t want to pin pictures or timetables up, there are loads of ways to brighten up your room in a cheap and fun way.
If you are unsure about any items you want to bring, guidelines on your university website will highlight was is allowed (eg: candles were not allowed in rooms at my university halls)
Bedding
A cozy throw or blanket on your bed always makes me feel better for sure, especially if you just want to take a break from the SUesdays (Student Union Tuesdays) and nights out. Most people aren’t fussy about bedding, so just make sure you have the right sized sheets for the mattress provided (you may have to buy a ¾ sheet for most flats unless it’s a single).
A few cushions for comfort and style add just a little something if you are that way inclined! A colour scheme my be your thing, but might not be, so just do your own thing and let your style shine through.
Space and Storage
When moving into uni, you my think you need absolutely everything from home, but trust me – you don’t.
Start with your essentials first – making a list is a great idea, and then figure out what you could also bring that you feel is too important to leave behind (and this doesn’t mean your entire collection of books or records).
If it happens that you are struggling for space, storage boxes are a god-send. Storage boxes under beds or your desk are cheap a good way to keep things neat and tidy (inspections happen every semester so keep that in mind).
Lighter and brighter
As well as fairy lights, you may want to bring a lamp for your desk or beside your bed. Sometimes you don’t want a big beaming light on, so if you work better in the evening or just are just chilling out and don’t want it too bright, think about bringing one.
Also, if your room seems a bit dull with the standard voiles in your room, maybe knot it or push it to the side of your window to let in as much light as possible during the day!
(Your window-sill is a great place to put the little homely decorations too!)
Workspace
The one major tip for your desk – keep it simple and neat. You don’t need a whole collection of highlighters in various colours by your side – even if they are the most beautiful pens ever.
If possible try to avoid cluttering this space and your room will feel a lot bigger and you will also have larger space to use!
Keeping things organised is a good way to make sure you don’t loose track of your work too and you will always know where everything is.
(Now, I can’t stay I stuck to this at all but trust me from experience – it’s much better to know where everything is rather than be frantically trying to find your work that you need for a lecture in 10 minutes time…)
Remember, you will be there for a year, so make it count! Your room should be a place to relax and have some downtime in, so make it comfortable and make it yours.
This blog is also posted on UWE Browzer, click here to check out the uni website that I have been working with!
