Most students heading off to university are moving out of their family home for the first time, and this can really be a daunting time for many. But there’s plenty you can to help yourself feel at ease when living away from home, and we’re here to help you! Here’s our top tips…
Keep your documents together
There are plenty of documents you might need or want to have with you when moving into student accommodation: passport, university acceptance letter, anything to do with student finance, your accommodation information, anything to do with your medical needs and so on. Keep these secure and together in a box file or folder that you can easily access whenever you need to.
Get to know the area
If you can, visit the area where your student accommodation is before you move in. Figure out which roads are well lit, if there’s any underpasses you need to use, how far away from your building other locations are and so on. If you can’t do this in person, try using Google Maps to figure it out. This will help you get your bearings much more easily when you do move in, and in turn you’ll generally feel a lot safer!
You may want to join a Facebook group (or similar) for the local area, so you’re able to stay informed of any issues around where you live. Get a personal alarm, too, if this is something you feel would help you feel safer.
Find out any important phone numbers
Create a list of any important phone numbers you need to know – the office number at your student accommodation, local taxi numbers, your emergency contact etc. Have these in your phone but keep a hard copy too, in case you need it. Hopefully there won’t be any emergencies but you never know, and it’s always good to be prepared.
Keep your valuables secure
Any valuables you bring to university with you, such as your laptop or tablet and any jewellery you particularly care about, be sure to keep them secure – you will of course be able to lock your room, so make sure you do so, but for extra security you could get a mini safe or keep valuables somewhere out of sight like under your bed or in the wardrobe.
Here at Cityheart Living, we work in partnership with Endsleigh Insurance Ltd to provide you with limited contents insurance. When you move in you will be issued with the policy details. If you need further insurance for anything you bring with you to your student accommodation, be sure to get this sorted as soon as you move in!
Moving out is a big deal, and you want to make sure you’re off to a good start in terms of personal safety and security – hopefully these tips will help you find peace of mind and feel happy living in student accommodation. Good luck with moving in and with your subsequent studies.
