University can be one of the most exciting times of your life; it’s your chance to be independent, meet new people, experience new things and study for your future. However, for all these same reasons, it might also feel like the most terrifying time of your life.
You go from having all your home comforts and being surrounded by the familiar faces of your friends and family, to finding yourself somewhere completely new and surrounded by strangers.
So, to help calm your nerves and get you off to a good start, you might find it useful to socialise with these people before you make the move to uni. But you might be asking yourself, how is that possible?
Thanks to the digital world we live in, meeting new people before you start university is easier than ever before. Through social media you’re able to find, connect and communicate with different people before you even leave home.
It’s only natural to want to know who you’ll be living with. After all, these people will play a big part in your university experience.
That’s why if you’ve booked to live with us at Host, you’ll be invited via email to join your accommodation’s private resident’s Facebook group prior to your arrival. This will allow you to virtually meet and engage with other students before you move in.
As well as the private group, all of our Host accommodations have their own Facebook page which you can follow. Our teams will post regular updates throughout the year about on-site events, local events as well as tips, advice and even some top competitions and giveaways!
Whether it’s socialising or studying, you’ll spend a large part of your time at university. So, the more you know about it before you go, the more comfortable you’ll likely feel when you arrive.
So, head to Facebook once again and start by doing some investigation work. Search for Facebook pages and/or groups related to your university, the university’s student’s union and any societies you might be interested in joining when you arrive.
Follow the pages and join the groups and then interact where possible. Comment on relevant posts, send a direct message to the page if you have any specific questions or start a new conversation within a group.
Now you’ve found people living in the same accommodation as you and going to the same university, it’s time to find out if anyone will be on the same course as you.
Your first port of call is to search Facebook. See if there are any pages or groups dedicated to your course that you can follow/join and interact with. You might even find groups with members of current students already on that course; which you might find it useful to ask what the course is like and what to expect.
If you can’t find a course-specific page/group, then why not comment in one of the other groups? For example, in your accommodation group, introduce yourself and let other residents know which course you’ll be studying and ask if anyone else is on the same course.
Even if you connect with other students online before you start uni, remember it doesn’t mean you have to BFFs with them. Though you might find that you get along well, have lots in common, and you become friends for life.
But just because you’ve connected online, it doesn’t mean you have to hang out with them. Sometimes it’s just nice to know you’ll have a few familiar faces waiting for you and you can meet up with them if you need/want to whilst you settle in.
As well as following your chosen Host accommodation’s Facebook page, you can follow Host on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for even more news, tips and competitions! Still looking for accommodation? We still have availability at some of our locations.
To become more ‘environmentally friendly’, Host is launching the #HostEnvironmentalPledge campaign to encourage responsible behaviour and drive sustainability across our sites throughout the UK and Ireland.
It’s a simple campaign! For every percent we reduce our overall utilities (electric, water and gas) consumption by we donate to one of our nominated charities.
Show me all newsCalling all A-level students who are looking to attend the open days of their dream universities this year. Whilst some universities hold virtual open days, there is just no beating being able to explore and see your chosen university in person. You get to see it, smell it and live it.
To ensure you send off your application within the correct dates, we have listed the important UCAS application dates for the upcoming year, so you can make a note of them and add them to your calendar.
The benefits of booking semester student accommodation are shorter contract lengths and a whole lot of flexibility. Students book Semester term accommodation for many different reasons including PhD courses, work experience and medical training. We will list the main benefits and reasons students choose to book semester length contracts.
