Moving into university accommodation for the first time is one of those things that some find the most exciting thing imaginable and others are genuinely terrified of. And in both instances the reactions are totally understandable, as this isn’t the kind of thing you do every day and will for most represent their first experience of flying solo.
Chances are you will have heard one or two nightmare accounts of things going terribly wrong on or around moving day, which is of course par for the course. At the same time, there will always be the rather cliché scare stories of those having basically suffered each and every day during their studies, though in about 99% of cases these are completely overstated…the other 1% really having only their bad decisions to blame.
The good news however, is that sufficient time has passed for all manner of lessons to be learned when it comes to both moving in painlessly and dealing with first day jitters. Diving into things with no real plan of attack is a sure-fire recipe for the kind of stress that might well taint your first days. By contrast, be thoughtful and proactive and your reward could be the kind of move you remember for life for all the best reasons!
1 – Plan Ahead…Way Ahead!
First and foremost, the smoothest moves are always those that were planned right down to the finest detail. You need to know where you need to be and when, have a plan of how to get there on time and know exactly what you will take this time, next time and never. This isn’t the kind of thing you can do the weekend before classes start, so give thought to penning a checklist and plan as far in advance as possible. There’s no such thing as planning too early – planning too late on the other hand will really shoot you in the foot!
2 – Allow Tons of Time
In a similar sense, it’s also a good idea to make sure that when the big day itself rolls around, you allow yourself at least double the amount of time you think you need. Accounted for average traffic conditions? Well, just wait until you’re faced with three thousand other students all trying to move in at the same time. And just for the record, road rage is absolutely out of the question as there’s a good chance that guy you’re parping at and showing the finger to will be living right next door for the next three years, so be nice!
3 – Don’t Overdo It
The more stuff you take, the more painful and long-winded your move will be. That’s not to say that you want to live in an empty cell of course, but at the same time think about what you need, what you desperately want and what you can for a short time at least think about. And don’t forget – the more space you have, the more you can fill it with nice new stuff!
4 – Make Time to Meet People
Sure, you want to get unpacked as quickly as possible, but if your new neighbours invited you to head out to get to know each other, don’t pass up the opportunity just to stick to your prior unpacking schedule. The sooner you break the ice the better, so if an opportunity comes literally knocking at your door, don’t ignore it.
5 – Offer to Help
If you get finished early, take the time to help anyone else in the vicinity arriving after you. You only get one chance to make a first impression, so why not make it as the guy or girl that was helping folk get moved in from day one?
6 – Day One Only Lasts a Day
If things start getting to you, remember that moving-in day has only 24 hours just like every other day. Or in other words, it’ll be a distant memory before you know it so don’t go getting yourself too wound up about…it’ll be over soon enough!
7 – It’s Only Temporary
And finally, no matter how stressful or traumatic the whole thing starts to feel, never forget that this is neither your home nor is it a long-term place of residence for you. Instead, it’s not more than a stepping stone as you make your way to bigger and better things, so no matter how much you miss home and everything else you’ve come to know and love, it’s only a temporary situation! Make sure to check FindSpace