Moving from home to a brand new place at the start of for college can be overwhelming. Even more so if it’s your first time away from home. There will be a huge and ever-growing list of things you need to survive on your own. Try to enjoy the first few weeks of the semester, when classes and coursework haven’t gotten too hectic yet. By the mid-term, you’ll be fairly busy getting stuck into assignments and midterms.
Build Your Nest
It’s important to make your room into your own space, so you have a place of your own to wind down after a long day of college. Print off some pictures of your mates and family, bring a few nicnacs for your windowsill. Get a blanket for the end of your bed. Winter hits hard in student accommodation and no one wants to pay for heating. Buy a second duvet set, so you don’t have to wait for your only one to dry after a wash. Get a small bin for your room, save some cleaning hassle. Grab some supplies from home, to save you from buying them; clothes hangers, wooden spoons, saucepans etc.
Pick up some necessities
Buy household cleaning products early on. It’s an adult task that I always forget. They’ll come in handy when your parents announce a surprise visit/inspection. There’s also only so much of your roommate’s stash you can use. Buy the fancy laundry pods when they’re on offer, life is too short for trying to figure out which washing machine compartment is for the powder.
Acquire your own mug, you’ll be drinking copious amounts of tea or coffee to get through all of those assignments so it’s worth having one you like. This will be your caffeinating vessel for the next year or until your drunken friend breaks it at pre-drinks. Get used to the city. Plan your route to college early so you don’t get lost on your first day The first week of college is relatively easy, so spend the time wandering around, get your bearings, pick up any bits you need. Find the nearest shop, cafe etc.
Pick up a pencil case, fill it with pens. I’ve spent three years of college rooting in the bottom of my bag, looking for a pen or else begging for one off a friend. Grab some small notebooks that will fit into your bag, there’s no point lugging around giant copies all day.
Get a water bottle, you’ll most like be hungover in lectures a lot and bottled water prices in college are extortionate.
In those first weeks, talk to everyone. You’re all in the same boat so you might as well get through the awkward introductions early. Join some societies, go to their events. Don’t take college too seriously at the start, it’s designed to ease you into it.
From the Editor: If you are looking for information on HOW and WHERE to look for accommodation, be sure to check out Roisin’s article on finding accommodationi in Dublin here.
