All thing's University: Moving into Halls

Moving into Halls of Residence is one of the factors that make up the majority of a student's university experience. But that also means moving away from home, which I know is a scary concept for both parents and students. In this post, I'm going to go over my Halls experience at Royal Holloway and go over common halls concerns.

My Halls Experience:
As you all know by now, I currently study at Royal Holloway University of London (actually based in Surrey) and I've just come to the end of my first year studying Liberal Arts. I moved into halls in September 2019, Royal Holloway is a campus-based university so the accommodation part of the main campus. For me, this worked well and I felt secure being within a gated site.

When move-in day came around, we'd already packed up the car the day before so we were ready to set off first thing in the morning. I personally think that booking the earliest move-in slot of the day is best because it allows you to unpack, meet flatmates and explore the campus a bit. When I moved in, I also arranged to go for lunch with my parents as the final goodbye before I went to unpack my things and they set off back home.

After speaking to a number of prospective students and some of my own friends I've decided to compile a basic list of things to bring with you, obviously, there are different things everyone would want and you have to consider the size of your room and the amount of storage you have.

Kitchen: (Tailored for Self-Catered Students)

• Dinner Service (Plates, Bowls etc) - I would recommend only bringing two of each, usually if you're buying a pack you'll have four of each item so by doing this you have some spares if you happen to break anything. 
• Cutlery - Pretty obvious one for self-catered students.
• Utensil Holder - This was a great storage method of holding all my cutlery and utensils, I kept this in my cupboard and that kept everything organised.
•  Dishmatic Sponge - *other brands are available* but this was an absolute lifesaver for me, as you can imagine some uni kitchens can be pretty grim so having my sponge on a little stick was a huge relief. I guarantee you that if you don't come to uni with one by the end of the first term you would have given in and ordered one on Amazon! 
• Pots & Pans - I brought two of each and that was plenty for me, especially given the kitchen storage I had. 
• Chopping Board - I brought two with me, one larger one and one smaller. I used both but I also know people that have the one and manage fine so it's a personal preference. 
• Cleaning Products - As stated, uni kitchens can be vile at times and I wouldn't rely on the housekeeping services to keep your kitchen clean because they can be just as irresponsible as other students. So my advice is to just take matters into your own hands and clean up after yourself. 

Bedroom: 

• Bedding - In my Hall's they provided a duvet, pillow and mattress protector so I just needed to bring a fitted sheet, another pillow and my duvet cover. Make sure whether to check whether you have a double or single bed and whether the duvets are provided. 
• Throws - I always wanted my room to be cosy so putting throws and fluffy blankets over the end of my bed and over my desk chair was something that was key for me. 
• Decorative Cushions - not really essential but for those that love making things look cosy, you can't go wrong with some lovely cushions. 
• Lighting - Although my room came with a lamp, it didn't really fit with my aesthetic so I brought my own and added fairy lights all around my bed and desk area. 
• Photos - You want your halls room to be your home from home so putting up photos of friends and family is always a nice touch. My room was covered in photos and as I went through the year I got more printed of me with my new friends. 
• Additional Clothes Storage - If you're a fashion lover like me, more often than not you'll probably be disappointed with the wardrobe space so as you can see in the photo, I brought a clothes rail with me, this had to be one of the best things I came to uni with. I made it a feature in my room, putting my favourite clothes on the rail. 
• Over the door hooks - perfect for hanging jackets and scarfs on. 
• Books - If you have any course-related books these are perfect to go on the shelves that most uni accommodations provide. 
• Desk/Stationary Organisers - the last thing you want is your desk looking cluttered because it makes you not want to work there. Organisers are a good addition to your room and you can always find some that can link to the colour scheme of your room if you have one. 
• Doorstop - this is perfect for when you first move in, you can keep your door open to help you meet your flatmates. 

Bathroom: (Tailored to students with an En Suite) 

• Towels - I brought two large ones with me so I can always have a spare one whilst one's in the wash. 
• Bath Mat - This backfired on me because my bathmat was actually bigger than my bathroom however, I got it to match my towels and ended up folding it in half. Nevertheless still an essential I would still bring. 
• Toothbrush Holders - I bought a matching set along with a soap dispenser, these were just a nice addition to my sink making it look less like a plane toilet and more like a homely bathroom.

Of course, all of these things are subject to personal preference but are things I would recommend to take with you. When it comes to personal belongings like clothes, shoes and other objects just remember the size of your room and that at some stage you will have to move it all out again along with the things you will inevitably collect along the way. 

Top Tips for Living in Halls

1. Don't isolate yourself when you first move in - I know how daunting it can be moving away from home but make sure you familiarise yourself with the environment so, getting to know your flatmates and the area you've moved to! 
2. If you're on a campus uni like Royal Holloway be sure to explore the local area - for those moving to Egham, make sure you visit the town and other nearby areas such as Staines and Windsor. 
3. Be prepared to live with noisy and inconsiderate people - student life is very different to the life you'll be used to at home, especially for the first few weeks where people get all the partying out of their system. You may have a lot of noise in your flat but this is to be expected, if it becomes persistent then contact the residential services team. 
4. Keep in mind that everyone has come from a different background and have different hygiene standards - As I've mentioned further up in the post, hygiene is a huge factor that puts a downer on hall life, in my experience I had people leaving mouldy and generally grim food in the fridge making me heave every time I opened the door. If you choose to confront your flatmates remember to be polite as you do have to put up living with them for the remainder of the year. 
5. Be prepared to live with people that you may not get along with - I didn't really get along with the people I lived with, I didn't have anything in common with them but I still managed to have a good time. Remember that if you are having serious issues with the people in your flat, there will always be the opportunity to file a room request form to move to another flat. 
6. Be open to doing new things and embracing new opportunities - have fun! 

If you have any questions about student life at Royal Holloway, or more generally living in halls please leave a comment down below xx