A Home Away From Home – Making the Most of Your University House Share

Whether you’re living with friends or have moved in with people you’re not yet familiar with, graduating from halls to private shared accommodation can be one of the most cherished parts of university life, a fantastic growth experience, and a means of creating memories that will remain with you long after you step onstage to receive your graduation certificate.

That isn’t to say that there won’t be times when your fellow housemates will push several of your buttons at once – living with others, even people you like, can be hard. Below are some tips for smoothing over any jagged edges of your house share experience.

Spell it out

Nobody will know unless you vocalise what’s bothering you. If you’re irritated by the flighty housemate who keeps stealing your oat milk because they just: “keep forgetting,” to buy their own, take them aside and have a firm but polite conversation with them. We are more likely to take steps to resolve an issue when confronted with it directly and tackling it head-on is a better option than letting the problem fester.

Even for something as mundane as chores, openly discussing who is responsible for what or drawing up a rota can save you a massive headache further down the line when the entire household is actively avoiding taking out the bins (which will start to smell very quickly).

Starting a house WhatsApp Group can facilitate this communication, keeping you in the loop on everything house related. It’s also a great tool for making plans.

Prepare to Compromise

There’s no need to bend over backwards to meet everyone’s needs, but a little flexibility goes a long way in a house share. You’re sharing a space with a cacophony of personalities, needs, and priorities, many of which may not align with yours. If one or two people need to use the kitchen around the same time as you and there isn’t room for everyone, maybe the chilli can wait for half an hour.

Showing you are prepared to meet in the middle instead of bulldozing over others can only improve your relationships with those you live with. Compromises and good deeds also tend to stay with people, and you might find your housemates will be more prepared to grant you favours in the future.

Socialise

Nobody assumes that house sharing is easy but making the effort to hang out with those you live with can ease the struggles, particularly in those first few weeks when everyone is getting adjusted. Try to plan a meal out, a pub crawl, or a cinema trip whenever you can. If the budget is a bit tight, a games or film night will achieve the same goal.

loc8me boast a vibrant community of students, and creating opportunities for this community to socialise and forge those unbreakable bonds has always been one of our top priorities. As well as movie nights, game

tournaments, and cultural festivals, we support numerous student clubs and organisations that cater to a range of niches and interests, so students are bound to find those they click with.

We All Need Our Space

It can be difficult to navigate the balance between getting to know new housemates and respecting people’s need for privacy. As you get to know who you’re living with, you’ll get more accustomed to their habits, when they’re up for having a chat, and when they want some down time. However, as a rule it is best not to barge into someone’s room without being asked and always knock before you enter.

The rooms on offer at loc8me facilitate this balance in just the right way; with common areas designed to promote social interaction. We also offer dedicated study spaces and quiet rooms for when students need some time out.

If it’s early in the semester and people are still getting to know each other, it can be best to adopt an open/closed door policy at first, which some may be aware of from living in halls. The general rule is: if someone’s door is open, they’re letting you know they’re happy to have a chat. If it’s closed, they’d prefer not to be disturbed.