Moving away for university
Lia Collins
Psychology with Criminology
Hi! I’m Lia, a third year Psychology with Criminology student at the University of Huddersfield. I am originally from Goole, which is around an hour away from Huddersfield, and I chose to move to Huddersfield for university.
Another thing I was really nervous about when moving away to university was making friends, and whether or not I would get on with my flatmates.
Check if your accommodation has a Facebook group before you move in. I did that, and was able to connect with the people I would be living with, and we made a group chat and spoke a lot before we all moved in.
We all got on well, and I ended up finding my two best friends this way! It helped me to feel less nervous, and less alone.
Another helpful thing is that every year there are Facebook groups set up for people who will become University of Huddersfield freshers.
I joined one group and met loads of other people on my course, and we ended up making a group chat and talking and really getting to know each other before we ever met in person.
It really made walking into my first lecture much less scary, having familiar friendly faces around me and you can ask each other loads of questions before you start, and discover you have the same worries, which helps.
There are also now WhatsApp groups set up for each of the University's Schools, so you can make friends in their and maybe set up course groups from there.
When it comes to moving day, my tip is to make sure you’re all packed and ready to go way before the time you need to set off.
It is a big thing, moving your whole life to a new place, so it makes it easier to be completely organised.
I would also advise doing a food shop either when you get there, or before you go, so you don’t have to worry about what to eat on that first day.
I would also suggest unpacking your kitchen things before you tackle your bedroom, so you can dibs the best cupboards/fridge/freezer shelves!
The ultimate advice I can give is to remember that you may be feeling nervous and anxious about moving to university and making new friends and meeting your flatmates, but everyone else you meet will be feeling just the same as you.
Make the most of Welcome Week and check out the events put on by Huddersfield Students' Union because you'll find lots of new friends there too.
You are all in the same boat, and there will always be someone you can talk to. Remember to make the most of your time, because these three years can be the best of your life!
Finally, the great thing about Huddersfield is the combination of it being a town, with big cities, as well as countryside all on your doorstep. It really is the best of both worlds. As I mentioned, I come from a small village in Oxfordshire and the step up to moving to Huddersfield has been fun, without feeling overwhelming. I can go out for the night and see a bunch of students I know, which brings a safe community feeling, whilst still giving freedom to go out and enjoy myself. It is easy to find calmness within the town, without tediousness.
Moving away from home can be daunting, but with the right attitude and tools, you’ll soon settle into your new home. My advice as a chronic worrier would be to just be patient, don’t expect it to happen overnight, and ride out feelings of unfamiliarity. I promise you it’ll all come together with time, and Huddersfield will feel like home.
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