Moving away: How to make university a home away from home
Eloise Barker
Primary and Early Years Education with QTS BA(Hons) - Second Year
Hi, I’m Eloise and I’m in my second year at uni studying Primary and Early Years Education with QTS BA(Hons). I’m interested in reading, and I love listening to music and spending time with friends.
Although I don’t live far from Huddersfield, I feel like moving out was the best option for me. It's given me so much more confidence and independence, yet I'm still able to visit home from time to time.
Moving away from home can cause a mixture of feelings, but the experience overall has been positive for me. When I first moved away it took me a while to adjust, but I think moving into student accommodation is one of the best parts of university life.
Over time, Huddersfield becomes your new home. When I moved into my accommodation, the first thing to do was to try and make myself feel at home, safe and comfortable. I put up a lot of photos in my room of friends and family and brought my home comforts with me, such as a blanket and things I had in my old room.
It didn’t take me too long to settle in, I have lovely flatmates, some of who I know I'll be my friends with even after university. I'd messaged some of my flatmates before moving in, so I found I was already pretty comfortable around them.
My flatmates have always made me feel so welcome and they're so supportive! Spending time with them and cooking with them helped me become more confident and form good friendships.
Being able to cook your own food allows you to have more choice and prepares you for life after university. It also helps you to form a routine as you can cook at whichever time suits you. My suggestion is to make a weekly meal plan so shopping is made easier and you know what you're eating each day.
The good thing about moving away is independence but still knowing that you'll always have people to support you. I made more friends moving away than I thought, and I could not imagine my uni experience without them.
I also decorated my room with lights for a sense of comfort. I think that designing your room/space, is really important when settling into your accommodation. After all, you are there day in day out - this is your new home.
Now I'm at university and I've settled into my accommodation, I'm managing to keep a routine and familiarise myself with Huddersfield and its surroundings. I have no worries about living here and my friends have made my experience of moving away so much better.
No matter how far or how local you are, moving away gives you so much more freedom and opportunity - preparing you for life after uni and life issues such as money management and eventually having your own home. Managing money is probably the hardest aspect as it's hard not to overspend, however, budgeting becomes more familiar each week and managing money is no longer as difficult as it initially is.
For potential students who are considering moving out, go for it!
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