Remembering everything when moving can be an almost impossible task. This is especially so for young movers in the case of university and college. This is because as we know, there is not only the accommodation itself to consider, but also the location of the campus, family, and other variables linked to a first time mover. So to help with this, here is a list of ideas to consider in this new stage of a student’s life!
1) How First Year Works
When it comes to thinking about living options in regards to university, the first question for the prospective student should always be: ‘what would you like to get out of it?’ For the majority of 18 to 21 year old first year students the answer is: ‘the full experience’, education, lifestyle, and everything that goes with it. For these students, living on campus is the most popular option, as you are right in the middle of it. For mature students, or for those who only want to study and return home, a different option may be more appropriate.
2) Living On Campus
Once the decision has been made to live away from home the next question is whether to live on-campus or off campus. Both options have their pros and cons. The benefits of living on campus are mainly linked to the services and facilities that available in connection to the universities building(s). These range from amenities like security, laundry services, and cleaning. These services may or may not be available off campus, however, it is likely that they will be included in the price of the contract, so the question is often ‘budget’ related.
3) Living Off Campus
This is a preferred option for some students if they would rather move into a house or flat instead of university halls. This is a good option if the student(s) would rather live with a specific group of people that they are already familiar with. There is also a greater flexibility in regards to what type of rooms, building, and surroundings they have. Another big factor in this choice is also linked to the control the student(s) have over their environment, since the number of people sharing the building will be more select.
4) Home Stay
One option which is often left out of the normal choices for student accommodation is a ‘home stay’. This is when a family lets out a room in their home, when the student would like to live in a family environment. The letting of the room itself is run by a business similar to a normal estate agent, and these can be found if you type ‘home stay’ into a search along with the relevant location of the university. Home stays are especially popular with international students who have not lived abroad, or away from before.
5) Distance
Often, a stumbling block in choosing student accommodation is that those interested have not found out the distances between their new home and their classes. If possible, it’s an idea good to do a dry run of how long the journey is to avoid finding that it is in fact less convenient than you think. Or at the very least, bring up the local travel website and try a few journey plans at different times, including peak as well as off-peak times.
6) Area
When considering any of the above, especially when not familiar with the area in question, it is worth researching the area(s) being considered. Usually, there is information readily available from the accommodation department of the prospective university, however, in knowing that their first priority is promotion, and only secondly discloser, it is worth while researching the areas in question for yourself from independent sources. Ideally, mix your research with both sources, from the university as well as online forums where local residents communicate about and discuss the area.
Naturally moving in and out can always leave a lot of rubbish behind, so if you need help you can always call dependable and experienced house clearance company to save you the unnecessary headaches.