As many students moved into halls accommodation this weekend, I thought it would be helpful to share my list of ideas and social activities you can do with your new flatmates to help break the ice, find common interests and most importantly, have fun!
Flat Food Shop
Once you and all of your flatmates have moved in, the number one thing you’re all going to need to get is food! Take a walk to your Big Tesco or Sainsbury’s and fill some trollies with your student essentials – bread, pasta and noodles! This is a great time to chat and get to know each other’s interests in food and cooking abilities. You may learn if anyone has any dietary preferences such as being vegan or lactose intolerant, and this will help for the next point which is to have a flat dinner!
Flat Dinner
At uni most students find it hard to stick to set mealtimes during the week, but it is nice to often arrange with your flat to all sit down and have dinner together. You can ideally have this discussion during your group food shop, so you can buy the ingredients everyone likes and split the cost fairly.
Games Night
My top tip for games to play with flatmates is to pop into all the charity shops in your town. They have board games in most of them and even some drinking games and card games too, all for only a quid or two! In regard to drinking games, they’re a great way to feel more comfortable around your new friends, but make sure to have a conversation to ensure that no one feels pressured into drinking, they can still socialise sober and have just as much fun!
Walk around your New City
If you’ve moved to a city for the first time, you and your flat mates are most likely not going to know the area very well. This might be a good opportunity to take a walk around the city and explore, look for the shops and essential places you may need to go to at some point so that you feel more confident in where you’re living.
Karaoke Night
Many pups hold student karaoke nights on a sunday evening and this is a great place to go along to as a flat to socialise with a pint and experience a good atmosphere surrounded by other students.
Movie Night
You could all take a trip to your local cinema and avail of the student discount! Or if you can get your hands on a projector, set up a movie screen in your kitchen/dorm and everyone get cosy and bring a snack and then you’ve got your own slumber party!
Vintage Kilo Sale
There are often vintage kilo sales held in locations at universities across the country. Find out when the next one is on in your city and bring your flatmates down to get some good quality clothes for a bargain! This will also be a great opportunity to bond over style and fashion.
Pottery Barn
If your group are quite creative you could visit a local pottery barn and paint your own bowls, plates and cups to use in your uni kitchen so that you know whose is whose.
Go for Spoons Breakfast
Whether your hungover, missing home or simply just hungry, a Spoons breakfast is the answer to every problem, and the best part is that it’s super affordable. You can go as a group and treat yourself to unlimited free tea and coffee all morning.
Socialising with flatmates can seem super scary at first, but it’s important to remember that everyone is feeling the same way that you are too. And once you’re over that hurdle and you become close friends it will become hard to not want to spend every waking moment together, but this last tip is one that is the most important. Take time every week for yourself to enjoy your own company. You don’t want to get to the point where you fear being alone. Being social at uni can feel like a drug – there’s people everywhere, all the time at the touch of a button. But forcing yourself to stay in on occasion and recharge your energy levels and reset your mind can significantly improve your mental health in the long run. You are allowed to be super social and still say no to things. It’s all about finding a balance.
