So you’ve just got your results and you have successfully gained your place at university! Despite all the celebrations and enjoyment, you start getting a little worried because you know you are going to be living at home during university whilst lots of other students are moving out of home and living together. Definitely do not let this get you down and don’t worry because you will not be missing out on anything! Carry on reading and make sure you do all of these things so that you full make the most of your time at university living from home.
Attend all induction activities
Although it’s easy to miss inductions when you’re at home because it might take that little bit of extra effort to get to campus, you can be sure that the one you don’t go to is vitally important. Therefore, it is better that you turn up and attend. It is also a great place to meet your new coursemates and kickstart your university life, especially when meeting people at university can be slightly less convenient if you are based at home.
You will probably be in classes with the people who are in your induction, so you may as well meet them earlier rather than sooner. It also means you all meet each other at the same time instead of turning up when students have already started getting to know each other.
There is a wider importance to induction activities that meets the eye. You will learn about the city you are in and will probably be encouraged to explore that city or campus as part of your induction, even though you are a student that lives at home, it is still beneficial to know the city or campus you are at a little bit more, who knows you might be able to teach others a thing or two. There are also many helpful sessions that will show you around the university online facilities that will be hugely beneficial when completing your coursework or revising for exams. Aside from this, it most definitely puts you in good stead with your tutors, if they see your face at the inductions then it isn’t going to do any harm for your reputation. Further to this, it avoids the embarrassment of you not knowing something
In the class that was mentioned at the induction.
Sign up to fresher events
Fresher events run throughout the day and night so if you are not much of a drinker or you don’t like clubs then there will be day time activities such as society testers and activities like laser quest or ice skating.
Fresher events can often be events that don’t actually involve the drinking culture, they are there to suit all groups of people, so get involved! Fresher events will introduce you to new people and this will only make your university life more enjoyable. This is one of the best ways to meet like-minded people and really start to get to grips with the sort of activities you are wanting to get involved in throughout the year.
Join Facebook groups
Joining Facebook groups before you embark on your university journey will really help you settle into the journey you are beginning. As a home student it is very important that you are aware of all that the university offer, away from the academic side of things. Often these groups are formed by the student’s union and therefore are not academic based. Facebook groups will ensure that you can engage with any events that the group are putting on so you don’t have to miss a thing.
More importantly than this is that they can lead you to people that are in similar situations to you and having that common ground can really make university life a lot easier when living at home. There are usually group chats for students living in the same buildings, but also for students who are all living at home. Remember, lots of students will be in your position so it might be good to talk to others living at home to see how they are getting on.
Join societies
Societies are a great way to give yourself a break and be sociable. When completing your university degree from home if might be that you feel distant and disconnected from the university lifestyle. However, there is no rule that says you can’t get involved with societies as a home student. So, jump right in!
As mentioned before, societies give you lots and lots of access to like-minded people which means they are a great way to meet new people and make new friends. Societies also do lots of day time events or early evening events, which is great for home student because there is still plenty of time to get home afterwards.
Join a sports club
If you decide to play competitively with the sports clubs you will most likely be expected to play on a Wednesday. This is fantastic for home students because you will usually have no university commitments on a Wednesday which means there is plenty of time to travel and meet the requirements of the sports team. Sport is also a great way to take you mind off the academic side of university and get yourself out of the home environment.
Make friends with people in the halls
Making friends with people living halls is great because it can give you a taste of what hall living is like. What’s great for you as well is that if you make really good friends with people living in halls, there may be opportunity for you to stay there now and then just to give yourself some time off from the commute to university that you are used to as a home student.
Study in the library to separate your home and student life
The library is a fantastic facility that all universities offer, and it is great for home students to use to separate themselves from home. This means that when you are at home you don’t necessarily need to be studying, so you can enjoy your time at home because all the studying is done.
Libraries also offer cafes and social area where you can enjoy a catch up with friends or even meet new people. This further helps you to draw a line between home and university, helping you to escape the on goings that may come with living at home.
Final thoughts
Living at home during your university journey certainly has its benefits and it most definitely does not mean that you will miss out on the university lifestyle. So, take on board all of these little tips and make the most of your university’s facilities and resources that re on offer. I am sure that as you embark on your journey there will be many more resources and facilities that you will discover, which will help you make the most of living at home during university.
Some students might be jealous of you living at home with all your home comforts and no one to steal your milk!
