Your student accommodation will be a bit like home for a long time, which is why it is important to choose it well, but also to feel at home.

Studying away from one’s home town often involves some loneliness and homesickness, so we want to give you some tips to make you feel even better about your next ‘home’.

First of all, choose carefully where to go

Furnishing your space in the best possible way is certainly important, but so is finding accommodation that already has many amenities, such as a laundry room, a shared kitchen (if you do not have your own in your accommodation), a gym, etc.

We can certainly help you find the best solution according to your needs and ensure that you find a place right away that allows you to study in peace, but at the same time allows you to have fun and also meet other students like you!

Make the most of what your accommodation offers

Since you will often find yourself in your room or studio, it is important that it’s comfortable for studying.

You will certainly have a window: try to carve out a study place near it so that you can make the most of the sunlight and not use too much artificial light, which can be annoying in the long run. Open the window from time to time and, if there are curtains, keep them open as much as possible during the day.

 Studying in bed is out of the question: it may seem comfortable at first, but then it will bother your back. Furthermore, it is important to separate the spaces well: the bed is made for relaxing and sleeping and not for carrying out activities that require more attention or that may even stress you out!

Also avoid eating in bed, for hygienic reasons, first of all. If the accommodation where you will be staying has a communal kitchen, make use of it, even if you have your own: it will allow you to get some time of your own to eat, get out of your room/studio and also meet new people!

Less is better!

One of the most frequent mistakes of students coming from outside the city or country is to bring more things than they actually need. This then results in reduced living space in your accommodation. So what can you do?

After a while, you should work out what clothes or items you have not been using for months: those will be the things you can send back to your parents to free up some space and be more comfortable.

If, however, you realise that you can actually do without these things forever, there are two solutions. You can give them to some association that will surely give them to those who actually need them; or you can sell them on some second-hand site.

Ideally, you won’t need much. Usually some accommodations already provide everything needed for cooking and sleeping. If not, to eat you will eventually only need of: 2 bowls, 2 plates, 2 glasses and 2 sets of cutlery + a frying pan, saucepan and colander. Regarding sleeping: 2 bed linen sets, or just one if you’re going to the launderette and using the tumble dryer.

As far as your desk is concerned, try to borrow as many books as possible from the library and buy two large binders per semester with dividers to archive your lessons.

New life, new habits

Obviously this new situation means you need to have some new habits such as tidying up regularly. This will make it easier for you to find what you need, as well as to understand what you use most and what you don’t.

 Establish daily and even weekly routines: they will help you create a rhythm and not lose track of the days, especially during the most intense periods of study. Similarly, try to make time for walking outside, for example in contact with nature.

If you need a hand and advice on finding the right accommodation for you, do not hesitate to contact us. Our staff is here to help you with one of your most important choices!