Going off to university is an amazing time. For most people, it’s the first time they’ll have lived away from home, and this can be both thrilling and incredibly daunting. Finding accommodation is a huge part of the process.
Get it right and you will enjoy your uni experience. Get it wrong, and you may well end up back at home sooner than you think. It really is that important, whether you’re in a city or a much smaller town. Finding accommodation and then making it your own is as important if you are looking for student accommodation in Gloucester as it is in the centre of London. Being unhappy in your home is a sure-fire way to make you reconsider being at uni.
Getting started
All colleges will help out with accommodation, whether they offer you a place in halls or with a list of properties and landlords.
You can find your own, but using one recommended by the college, such as http://studentaccommodationgloucester.co.uk, can make you feel more confident in your choice. These properties will have to meet much higher standards and will be used to housing students, and they will be located more conveniently – either near buses and trains or within walking distance of the college itself.
Location, location, location
All privately-run accommodation is off-campus, and halls of residence are increasingly being situated away from the main hub. Check out transport links; you don’t want to be getting up at 7am every day!
Make it your own
You have to feel comfortable and at home wherever you live. Student accommodation is often fairly no-frills, so bring items from home like your soft furnishings, bean bags, cushions and photographs. Don’t forget a decent speaker for your music, a TV and a games console if you have one. These last three can be excellent ice-breakers and also mean you can retreat to your room if you need a little break from communal living.
Posters are a ubiquitous addition to student bedrooms, and you may also be able to hang pictures if your tenancy agreement allows. Other things you might like to buy are low-maintenance plants, storage boxes and maybe even a mini-fridge.
One last point: check to see what insurance you might need and what’s covered by the landlord in the case of breakages to your belongings.
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