How To Settle Into University

Heading off to university, especially if this is the first time you have lived away from home, can be daunting. Yes, it will also be exciting and exhilarating, and you will learn a huge amount (both about your subject and about yourself), but there is always that worry about settling in and coping well. We’ve put together some useful tips that will help you feel comfortable quickly so that you can get on with enjoying your time at uni.

Prepare In Advance

You’ll know in plenty of time where you are going to be staying while you’re studying. That means you can prepare in advance and make sure you have everything; there is nothing like a last-minute rush to make you feel nervous and concerned about the next step. Preparing in advance means making sure that you have all the bedding, clothing, and equipment that you are going to need. Check it all over, pack it away, and relax, knowing that you can tick that job off the list.

If you’re not sure about anything, call the university and ask. There won’t be any question that the staff can’t answer, and even if you think it’s silly to ask, do it anyway; then you can stop worrying and be sure that you’re completely ready.

Get To Know People

It might not always be possible to find out who you’re going to be sharing accommodation with, but if you do know, you can get together with them before the term starts. This unpressured time to get to know one another can be extremely useful. Remember, you don’t have to become best friends with the people you’re living with and near, but it is a good idea to get on with them. Don’t feel under pressure to hang out with people all the time if you would rather not.

Introduce Yourself

When you arrive, assuming you haven’t had a chance to meet everyone (or anyone) in your halls of residence or student accommodation, it’s essential that you introduce yourself. That is easy for some people and truly terrifying for others, and you’ll know which of the two camps you fall into. If the former, then you will be happy to go ahead and say hello to everyone who arrives. If the latter, you will probably prefer to stay in your room and hide away. That won’t help you too much when it comes to settling in, though, so it’s important to work out a way to get to know people. Some people choose to meet people online first, and others might like to use a card creator to make greetings cards to give to people which can contain all the information they might want to include.

Remember, that no matter how shy you are to start with, you will soon get to know people really well and feel a lot more confident. This is one of the many important life lessons that you’ll learn at university. Another tip to consider is that everyone is going to be feeling just as nervous and confused as you are, even if some are more adept at hiding it than others. Be kind, be yourself, and be approachable, and you’ll soon make lifelong friends.