Moving away from home

Before moving away and starting at your chosen university, familiarise yourself with the local area. A big city can be hard to navigate when it’s all new:

• Make a note of local shops and supermarkets that are within walking distance

• Find out which bars and restaurants are nearby and if they offer any student discounts

• Research into doctors and dentists just in case you need one

• Take a look at public transport links such as Trains and Buses

• Plan your route to university so that you don’t get lost on your first day!

Being organised is important for everything to go smoothly when you move to your new university student accommodation. Creating lists for the items you need to bring can stop you from doing any last-minute panicking and help you feel more organised. Chat to your friends about what they are taking so you can compare and get some great ideas.

• Documents – remember to take important documents such as student finance documents, university acceptance letters, travel documents, bank details, NHS number, NI number and any emergency contact numbers you may need

• Bedroom – duvet, duvet covers, pillows, towels, desk lamps, fairy lights, and photo frames. Bathroom supplies – such as toothbrushes, towels, and toiletries

• Kitchen equipment – cutlery, utensils, pots and pans as well as tea towels and electronic equipment

• University supplies – stationery, laptop, chargers, notepads and a rucksack

If you are travelling from overseas or need to travel light to a Mansion student accommodation then we’ve partnered with UniKitOut where you can order complete bedroom, kitchen and bathroom Starter Kits direct to your door.

Decorating your room with home comforts such as photos of family and friends, cushions, throws and plants will make your new room feel more homely and cosy. Adding photos of family and friends to your noticeboard will remind you of the happy memories but make sure you leave space for all the new and exciting memories you will make at university.

Before you move away from home, you may want to brush up on your cooking skills so that you can cope with living independently in the student world. There’s only so long that you can survive on takeaways, pasta and pot noodles and now you’ll be living on a budget it’s best to plan ahead.

You can enhance your cooking skills by learning from friends and family, make a note of these recipes and tips in a meal planner so you can save time by planning ahead. This also has the bonus of being able to budget properly during your food shop as you know which ingredients to buy, and you will not impulse shop.

Take a look at some of our hints and tips on Nutrition to help you achieve a balanced diet.

Moving away and starting university as an undergraduate student will be a new and exciting time for most people. Shake off first day nerves and find other students who are attending the same university as you or studying the same course online by joining relevant Facebook group. You can make friends before and then you will see a friendly face in lectures.

For each of our properties we’ve set up a resident’s Facebook group so that you can get to know your residents, learn about events and receive any updates of the site.

Take a look at your universities’ Student Union pages and find out about societies that you may be interested in joining during fresher’s week. This is an excellent opportunity to make new friends and occupy your spare time. Interested in sport? Universities have a myriad of different sporting teams that you will be able to join and have trials for – don’t forget your sports kit!

Moving away from home can be a lonely and a stressful time, budgeting and becoming an independent adult can all influence your mental health. We’ve partnered up with Student Minds the UK’s mental health charity offering our residents mental health support throughout their stay with us at Mansion student.

Take a look at our loneliness page of the website for more information on charities that are there to talk and support if you’re starting to feel lonely

Our on-site hospitality team are also trained in Mental health first aid – fully committed to offering our residents the best possible student experience, so if you need a chat then just pop down to reception where our onsite team will be there for you.

If you ever feel lonely at university, you can use their support services. There are always tutors and counsellors that can help. Don’t leave your problems to build up and hope that they go away. It is better to talk and discuss things with other people to help you and help other students.

Check out our other Wellbeing articles for more tips, advice and support when starting university.

Although there is so much to think about and plan, your university experience will be full of memories and life experiences that you will treasure. Enjoy your time as a student, get to know your fellow residents if living in student accommodation, join university societies and groups, attend the on-site events allowing you to make new friends and fill your noticeboard with new memories!