This is my first time at university, how should I choose my accommodation?

Moving away from home to go to university for the first time can be a daunting experience and so it’s essential you start planning early to make the transition as smooth as possible. I’m sure your family will want to help as much as possible and you should take their help when offered.

Of course, there are plenty of different types of accommodation you can choose from and all have their advantages, but you should maybe contact the university’s accommodation office to find the options available in the area you’re moving to.

Some things to bear in mind are:

• Distance to the university
  It sounds obvious, but you have to factor in the traveling time to get to the campus every day. Sometimes your chosen accommodation may be in a more desirable place with plenty of facilities and amenities, but is it worth the extra travel?
• Local amenities
  If you’re a keen swimmer, runner or rugby player then is there a local sports centre you could join that has the facilities you need?
• Entertainment
  Maybe you want a fantastic social life and somewhere to go each night to check out the local comedy or music scene?

There’s also obviously the cost. If you’re the solitary type that wants a place all to yourself then you’re going to find the costs higher, however a shared house will be cheaper and you get the benefit of living with a bunch of like-minded people. Hopefully!

How do I find who to live with?

This is a toughie, but it’s great if everyone shares similar interests and gets on with each other. We know, it’s hard to know this if you’re getting together with a bunch of strangers, but social media is big these days and many people meet up with their fellow students on-line.

Checkout the Facebook pages for the university you’re going to and see who else is on your course and then maybe get in touch or just ask if anyone is looking to share accommodation, you’ll be surprised how many people are in the same situation.