Best Pieces of Advice for Move-In Day

Move-In day is daunting, to say the least, but it’s also the beginning of a time in your life you’ll never forget. University is where you make friends forever and study what you love. So don’t feel too nervous about starting as long as you’re prepared it will go smoothly. That being said, there’s so much to do that sometimes you just need a bit of guidance. If you’re looking for some advice on how to navigate move-in day, this post is exactly what you’re looking for!

Make a list to pack

There’s nothing worse than forgetting something at home, especially when you’re moving miles away and can’t just pop back. That’s why putting together a list for packing will make your life a lot easier. You never know when you’ll remember something random you want to bring, so if you’ve started a list, you can add on as you go. You could even organise your list by room so that you’ve considered all your kitchen and bathroom essentials too! The sooner you start your list, the more organised you’ll feel. When there’s so much to do, keep the stress down as much as possible.

Find your housemates on socials

Meeting your housemates for the first time can be so intimidating on move-in day. These could be the people you spend the next three years with so of course you want to get along with them. To find your housemates, join groups (often on Facebook) dedicated to your university and post your accommodation and flat number. If your future housemates are also looking, they’ll find you through this post! Alternatively, your flat number could already have been posted, so make sure to scroll through. It’s so much easier knowing your housemates from the offset because you’ll have already spoken to them and maybe even made plans! When you meet, it’ll be like you already know each other, and it’ll be one less worry for you.

Get ahead on your reading

When you start at university, you’re often sent a reading list way in advance. A good way to be prepared for move-in day is to get this done and dusted. Especially when you have events like freshers to attend, you don’t want to be staying in reading. It also means you’ll be able to socialise with your housemates more as these first few weeks are when people really bond! Make your way through the reading list during the summer but make sure to leave plenty of time for fun too. If you’re efficient with your time, it doesn’t have to be boring.

Plan your meals

When you study at uni, you don’t want to spend the time learning how to cook. Even more so when you’ve just moved into a new kitchen, it’s a lot easier to navigate if you already know what you’re doing. Prepare by doing some cooking at home to get some practice. The meals don’t have to be anything crazy either! There are plenty of simple options you can do during the first few weeks while you settle in. Pasta, fajitas or pizza are just some of what you could start with. It might also be helpful to create a meal plan to stay organised throughout the week. The more you plan, the easier your move-in will be.

Take a walk around your city

If you’re not too far away from your university, taking a walk around the city is a great way to be ready for move-in day. Getting used to a new location is complex, and you’ll need to know where the nearest supermarket is as well as your university buildings. If you know this in advance, you won’t need to figure it out later on. It also means you could help out your housemates a little if they’re unsure. They’ll definitely appreciate the help! You might even find some cool places to go to, such as fun activities or restaurants! Every city has their own little gems. Depending on when you move in, you might also find you have classes or introduction talks to attend. It’s better to be confident about where you are.

Plan your dates

Speaking of classes, sometimes even during freshers, you have classes to attend, so planning your timetable before you move-in is a good idea. By scheduling all your lessons, you can then plan plenty of time to hang out with your new housemates and maybe dedicate specific time to sorting your place out. University is busy from the offset, so you’ll feel a lot better if you’re on top of it all. You also might find this helpful throughout the year, so give it a go, and hopefully, your move-in will run smoothly!

These are just some of the essential elements to consider. Think we’ve missed any? Let us know in the comments.