If you are starting college, this will be the start of a beautiful journey. Many students tend to choose on-campus accommodation as it comes with incredible convenience. But it can be hard to get used to the new environment. However, there are some things you can do to help you navigate.
Different campus housing has different policies and rules.
These will include quiet hours, when and how many guests you can have along with how to inform early on, policies on room décor etc. By going through these housing policies carefully, you will have a better idea of what is expected from the community and how you can avoidcertain conflicts. By reaching out to UQ student accommodation, you can get a copy of their policies so that you can know whether there are certain items you are advised not to bring. You can contact the campus to see whether they will let you know who your roommate is and their contact details early on. This is if you are sharing the space with others. This will give you an opportunity to introduce yourself to the roommates beforehand and discuss preferences. This way, you can get an idea of who is bringing what so that you don’t bring duplicate items. And once you get to the space, you can start communicating with the roommates on how shared responsibilities like cleaning will be coordinated. You can also have a basic guideline when it comes to personal space, noise levels etc. This ensures that everyone is comfortable in the shared space.
You can personalise your space
So that you have something to remind you of home and comfort you when you are feeling homesick. These can be items that reflect your interests, hobbies, personality etc. And you can also put up photos of friends and family to make the space a bit more familiar to you. You can choose these personal items beforehand so that you know what you can take with you. You have to be mindful about the space you have in the room; generally rooms tend to be quite compact so you have to find ways to optimise space. The best way to get used to your new life is to dive headfirst into it. There will be many residential life programmes held for on-campus students and residents so that they can get to know everyone and start forming friendships. There will also be community meetings and orientation sessions that you can participate in to get an idea of the spirit of your college.
It is good to establish a routine
So that you can manage time for academic commitments and social engagements. Set aside time for your personal wellbeing as well. This can be listening to music, reading a good book, doing wellness yoga etc. As this is a new routine and a new place, it can help to make sense of it all and track what is happening by making a schedule. This can have your study sessions, classes and leisure. Make sure you have time to relax, exercise and take care of yourself. There are also so many campus resources that you can rely on such as communal kitchens, laundry facilities, study areas, gyms etc. You can explore the options available to you and how you can use these so that you can make your life a whole lot easier.
