Starting University can be a nerve-racking process which is why freshers’ week can be so helpful. It allows you to get to meet new people and form bonds with other students before you get busy with your studies.

Below, we have put together a few tips to help you prepare for freshers’ week.

Before You Arrive

• Get your student bank account sorted out
  You will need to have this sorted sooner rather than later. We would recommend using comparison websites to work out what is going to be the best account for you.
• Secure your student accommodation
  Whether you’re staying in University Halls or other student accommodation you’ll need to get it sorted in advance. This is an area we’ve specialised in for over 40 years so please feel free to contact us regarding this.
• Make a list of everything you need to take with you
  It’s important to ensure that you take everything you’re going to need. Creating a list will help you stay organised.
• Look at your welcome emails
  Check your ‘Welcome to University’ emails and follow their social media channels to find the latest information, details, advice and guidance. Look at your timetable to see what other information is available to you.

Upon Arrival

• Arrive as soon as possible.
  By arriving early, it gives you the chance to get familiar with your student accommodation in Sheffield and your surroundings before others begin to arrive. People tend to form bonds early on, especially with your house mates and others living in your halls of residence so pluck up the courage and get yourself out there from the start.
• Don’t stay locked up in your room.
  If you hear people talking, go join in the conversation and get to know your flatmates. Just because you have made a few friends doesn’t mean you should stop there. You’ll be making friends with like-minded people on your course so don’t lose confidence, keep introducing yourself to new people.
• Unpack early.
  Within the next few days and weeks that follow you’re going to be extremely busy. So, make your room, house or flat as comfortable as possible with all your home comforts. If you need help or support, most Universities have experienced support teams available so don’t hesitate to use them.

Beyond Freshers’ Week

• Get to know your surroundings. Start with your accommodation and local area. Figure out where all the things you’ll be needing are. For example, laundry room, reception, friend’s accommodation, local shops/supermarkets etc. You’ll also want to find out the best route to take for lectures. If you’re getting public transport, then you’ll also need to know what the times are as well as how much it’s going to cost. Rather than figuring things like this out on your own, try taking a friend and explore the city together.
• Visit freshers’ fairs, again, you might also want to do this with a friend. It’s a good opportunity to join societies and clubs that are going to help you pursue a job in your chosen career. Freshers’ fairs are often packed with freebies too.
• You might want to work out a budget to stick to whether that is monthly or weekly. For help when it comes to budgeting check out our blog about managing money.

Student Living

• Even if you’re the biggest introvert, you need to try and keep up a friendly relationship with your house/flat mates, it will make your Uni life so much easier.
• Contribute to household chores. Whether you’re living with friends or strangers, it needs to be considered a ‘team game’ and will make the house run smoothly. Help with the washing up, hoovering, dusting and other chores.
• Keep your personal space clean and tidy especially if you’ve got your own bathroom facilities, little and often avoids bigger issues later on.
• Food! This is important. We all know that feeling of anger when someone eats the food that you’ve been dreaming about all day. It might be an idea to each have a cupboard or a shelf in the kitchen for your own food and one for shared food. Remember that there is no one responsible for your diet other than you, so ensure that you’re still buying fruit, veg and cooking meals rather than eating out and having ‘make-do’ meals.
  Discuss your student accommodations food policy early on. Talk about what you’re going to share, who and when is doing the food shops and whether you are going to shop separately or all chip in.
  • Tips: Do a bulk food shop as this will cost less than shopping for food each week individually. If you’re not sharing or cooking together, cook in bulk and keep things refrigerated or get them in the freezer.

Staying Safe

On nights out, stick with your friends, keep an eye on your belongings and watch your drinks. Make sure you eat before you go out and let family members know where about you are going before you head out. Try to ensure that you have your lifts/rides home planned before you leave the house. Also, try not to travel in taxis or on public transport alone, try to share lifts with friends.
If you’re heading home late at night, try to do so with someone you trust and let someone you trust know where you’re heading.

We hope you’ve found these tips helpful and remember if you still need help finding your student accommodation in Sheffield then please get in touch with us, we’re here to help.