Heading off to university can be an exciting experience: living in a new city and making all sorts of new friends is a thrilling moment in your life. But it’s natural to feel homesick during this time too. Indeed, 50 to 70 per cent of students will experience some form of homesickness. Part of this could be because your halls don’t feel homely – but there are ways to change this. Read on to find out how you can make your student halls feel more like home.
Wall art
It’s likely that when you arrive in your room it will have plenty of blank wall space. This is a great opportunity to truly personalise your room. You can get creative and get posters printed of your favourite bands or motivational quotes. Alternatively, you could hang a wall tapestry for a boho feel. Or you could hang a notice board to help you quickly get to grips with your work schedule. Ultimately, just ensure that you’re careful with anything you add to your wall. By using white-tac or adhesive hooks you can avoid damaging the paintwork.
Favourite bedding
It can be difficult to adjust to a new bed. However, there are ways for you to adapt during the settling-in period. Try bringing your favourite bedding to university. This can help you feel more at home as you sink into a familiar bed and cope with any sleeping issues at the start of term.
Fairy lights
If you want to give your room a cosier feel, then you could try adding fairy lights. These lights can help you create a warm, welcoming ambience in your room. This can be heightened by stringing the lights high up around your room. Plus, by adding a floor lamp with mood lighting you can texture and layer your lighting in a cosy way. Just ensure that you go for battery-powered lights as they’re better for the environment.
Photo wall
A photo wall is another excellent way of making your room feel more homely. This is a photo collage where you place your most cherished memories on your wall by your bed. Just pick your favourite pictures of you with your family and friends over the years and arrange them in a pattern on the wall. You can add them to a board on the wall, or simply just stick them straight onto the surface of the wall.
Settling into halls can be a difficult process. But by following the advice above to make your room feel more inviting, you can help yourself settle in as quickly as possible.