Tips for moving away from home
Moving away from home
Moving away from home is daunting at first but is an exciting opportunity to expand your independence. It’s something to consider when deciding which uni to go to!
Hi, I’m Osian and I’m a first-year maths student at the University of Huddersfield. One of the reasons I chose to study at Huddersfield was that I knew I wanted to live pretty far from my home in Suffolk to really develop my independence. When choosing which universities to apply to, you should think about whether you want to commute or live away from home, and how far away you want to travel.
Before moving to uni
Find a hobby you can do yourself
I’ve recently got into crocheting and it’s a great thing to keep me occupied so that I have something to do when I’m by myself in my room, aside from studying.
If you have a disability– get in touch with the University’s disability service
It’ll make your life so much easier if support is already in place. You can also apply for DSA if you’re eligible – I’ve found this really useful, and the process is not anywhere near as scary as it sounds. The disability team are lovely and want to help. And if you don’t do this beforehand, or you become disabled later in your course, don’t worry – you can get in touch with them anytime.
Learn how to make some dishes for one person
Portioning can be difficult if you’ve never cooked for one person before. One of the first meals I made at uni, I ended up making seven portions, which luckily, I was able to freeze and save for later! You can also try out new recipes if you’re cooking for yourself. My family don’t like mushrooms so we never really ate them growing up, but now I’m at uni living independently I add them to as many of my dishes as I can!
When you get to uni
Cut yourself some slack. As exciting as it is to move into uni, it’s a lot. Give yourself time! When I first got to uni I made my bed and took a nap before doing any more unpacking! After that I decorated my room and made it my own – this helped me to settle in.
Find the laundrette and local shops. It helps to find things before you need them, and it’s easier to settle in if you feel like you know where things are.
Get some groceries. Remember to check how much fridge and freezer space you have before buying lots of cold items, and make sure to get some supplies such as tissues in case you get fresher’s flu!
Register with the health centre. Best to be prepared!
Explore campus! It saves a lot of time and stress on your first day if you know which buildings your lectures will be in, and where to find them, besides it’s nice to explore our beautiful campus.
Go to the Freshers Fair. It’s a great opportunity to see what’s on offer at the uni, and I came away with so many freebies (that was my favourite part!). It can be overwhelming so go at your own pace and bring headphones if that helps.
Join a society
This is my biggest piece of advice. I had a look on the Student Union website to see what seemed interesting and came across Archery. Now I have an exciting hobby – it’s the highlight of my week – and I’ve made so many friends through joining this club. It can be a little scary to try something new where you don’t know what to expect – I emailed before I started Archery to ask for a bit more information, and they were super friendly and happy to tell me more. I would recommend looking at the societies section of the SU website as there are so many cool things that you can get involved in.
Final thoughts
I’m happy with my decision to come to the University of Huddersfield. I love being able to cook whatever I want and have the freedom to create my own routines. I’m enjoying my course, and of course the Archery!
There’s a lot to consider when moving away from home, but in my experience it’s so worth it. Whatever you decide, good luck!
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