Moving into student halls or student accommodation can be tough, especially if you don’t know anyone on campus and you’re shy. The good news is that there are lots of ways to make new friends and get to know your housemates, and below we’ve rounded up some of the very best options.
Prepare a meal
One of the simplest and most exciting ideas is to prepare a meal with your new housemates. Set a budget, all throw in £5, and then head to the supermarket together to do some shopping. Once you’re back, you can decide who’s going to do what, and then sit down and enjoy your meal together. Simple and effective.
Go for a night out
The chances are that you’ll be wanting to spend a lot of your free time going to the pub or the club, so bring along your flatmates so that you can get to know each other a little better. The best part is, once you’ve had enough and want to get back to your student digs, you’ll have someone to walk back with! Win-win.
Join a society
University societies can be great fun and give you a chance to make new friends, so ask your flatmates whether they’re interested in signing up for one together. You don’t necessarily have to stick it out and attend every week, but going along to a couple of beginner’s sessions can give you some ideas as to whether or not it’s right.
Make a joint bucket list
Meeting new people that you’re going to be living with can be awkward, but as soon as you’ve got to know each other and your traits, it’ll become a whole lot more simple. Consider making a bucket list, where you all pitch in an idea or two of things you’d like to get up to before the end of the term. That could include going to a local karaoke night, making your own homemade curry, finding a girlfriend/boyfriend, or simply going for a road trip.
Decorate together
If you’re not happy with the communal spaces in your new shared accommodation, then consider asking everyone to get involved in a decorating session. Paint and pizza parties are a great idea – you order a couple of pizzas and buy a few tins of paint, and within no time at all, you’ll have painted your house and have bonded.
There you have it – five simple ways to bond with your new housemates. Give these ideas a go and see where they take you, and you might just be surprised by the results!