Welcome

For many of you, living in halls will be a whole new adventure.

You will get to know people you have never met before and encounter people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

At first it might seem a little daunting, but living with different people is a fantastic opportunity to discover new things about yourself and others. It’s good to keep in mind that it won’t always be plain sailing and there may be some bumps on the road ahead.

However, if you and your new flatmates can communicate openly and respectfully, you will enjoy a brilliant year, creating lasting friendships along the way.

Here are some of our top tips to help you settle in with your flatmates and make living together as smooth as possible:

Communication is key

Create conversation — chat with your flatmates and find out their hobbies and interests. Being able to talk to your new flatmates and getting to know them is key to making sure you understand each other and respect each other's boundaries. It will also help if a problem arises; you want to be able to feel comfortable talking to them about it.

Be as sociable as you can

This doesn't mean you have to go down the corridor knocking on everyone's door. It's little things like cooking your dinner when your flatmates are in the kitchen or planning nights where your flat can get together and socialise e.g enjoying a movie night together in the cinema or common room.

Be yourself

Don't pretend to be something or someone you're not. Being yourself will make you more relaxed and you'll create better friendships.

We encourage our residents to engage with fellow students from different cultures and to build friendships with people from 'all walks of life'. We will not tolerate any kind of discrimination or marginalisation within halls. 

Check out the video below for insider info from our Residence Life Assistants - current students who have been there and done it before.