Things You'll Need in Your Student House and Where to Get Them

June was only yesterday yet Halloween is just around the corner, the landscape slowly shifts to the golden tones of autumn leaves and the stores are overflowed with pumpkins, sweets and costumes of all kinds. Your suffocatingly warm bedroom is turning cold and condensation is covering your shaky windows. Classes just began yet somehow you are already three weeks behind, the effervescence of freshers week is gone and has left behind a horrendous cough you can’t quite get rid of despite litres of ginger tea and Lemonsip. To complete the picture, you just found out that Mercury is in retrograde (whatever that means) and you’re in for a wild ride.

No matter whether you’ve entered your first or last year, it is absolutely normal to feel a little lost and perhaps even lonely. Returning to a traditional uni routine after a -chaotic- year and a half can be more challenging than you anticipated and it’s perfectly normal. That is why, returning to your student house should feel like coming home, especially after a long day. Students often underestimate the importance of ‘owning’ their space when it comes to their student accommodation. It might just be a rental, and you might be able to go home often, but you will still spend most of your time in your student house whether you like it or not. For me, making my room my own was a crucial step in settling in the UK. Unlike most students, I can’t go home whenever I feel like it and my house needed to feel like home as much as possible.

I will admit, what turns a house into a home usually is the people living with you. Unfortunately, sometimes you will end up living with people who drive you crazy. If the shared spaces are only used for survival purposes, just focus on your bedroom. If you get along with everyone then making the communal spaces comfortable can be extremely beneficial. But let’s start with you.

I might be stating the obvious but make sure your bed is comfortable. It’s the central piece of furniture in your bedroom and you’ll find great comfort in it. Grab some pillows, cushions, a warm duvet and a fuzzy blanket that you’ll pair with some of the beddings of your choice.

Big empty walls can be very daunting and adding a little life to them is always a good way to own the space. Be careful with the tape you use as you don’t want to get charged for chipped paint but a tapestry, some prints or pictures reflecting the things and people you love really help feel at home.

I also love seasonal decorations and if your budget allows it, you should consider them too. Since I always need to ask myself “how am I bringing this home once the year’s over?” before buying something, I like disposable decorations and often try to DIY them myself. It’s a fun bonding activity to do with your housemate and it really lightens up the space. Last year we invested in a small Christmas tree from Poundland and it truly cheered us up throughout the lockdown. I’m glad we got to keep it and can’t wait to install it in a few months.

Candles, fairy lights and plants are both compatible with your room and communal spaces. This year my housemates and I headed to B&Q to grab some green friends. Despite not knowing much about plants, I am committed to keeping my peperomia alive and thriving. Not only it brings me a sense of purpose in the house, but it also gives me something to go back home to. And finally, our Jo Malone Peony Blush knock-off from Aldi (run don’t walk!) brings a soft and comforting smell to our living room.

In the kitchen, we added some pictures of Brighton’s street art that our talented friend Ella photographed in the first year. Another thing that really helped is organising the shelves by categories and not by name. For instance, all the plates, cutlery and glasses are kept together. We keep a tab for cleaning products and shared products such as spices, sauces, coffee, etc. and then do the math to share our finances equitably. The feeling of “what’s mine is yours” truly contributes to creating a comfortable environment. The only boundary we’ve created is for food for which we get a cupboard each and respectfully ask before taking anything if we’re lacking something. We all know that there’s nothing worse than spending the whole day fantasising about the pack of Doritos you’ll destroy the second you get home just to find out that your sibling got it before you. The same goes for your housemates.

Some student houses don’t provide locks on the doors and even though you trust the people you live with, you might feel a little bit uneasy at night. You’re at your most vulnerable when you sleep and personally, I used to wake up to the tiniest noise or simply freak out in the middle of the night because of a simple shadow. Living on the first floor truly helps me to sleep better this year and the fact that one of my best friends sleeps in the room next to mine but when he’s not around all the girls in the house get a little nervous. Thankfully, you can find locks (often aimed at child safety) on the internet for a reasonable price which allows you to lock yourself in. You can also ask your landlord about it but as discussed in a previous blog post, student housing is often ruthless. I’m mainly thinking about my fellow ladies out there but everyone is entitled to feel 100% safe in their home.

Where to get home decor in the UK?

Primark, Poundland and Bargain Buys or even Facebook Market Place are great places to shop if your budget is tight but don’t place like Tigger, TJ Maxx or HomeSense can have some great deal and if you invest in good quality items in the first year they will last throughout your whole time at university. Every year I set a budget of £100 for my bedroom in order to adjust to the new space I am occupying. For some it might seem like a lot, for some, it might be too little but there are no rules. You can find great things and stick to your budget. You need to prioritise what is important for you. Your room should be a place where you feel at ease and where you can fully recharge.

Last but not least, in 3rd year we created a ‘kitchen’ Spotify playlist so everyone can add the songs they enjoy not only it helps us get to know each other a little better, we always have something to listen to when we’re all together. It’s a simple and fun way to add a soundtrack to your uni life and discover new songs to which you’ll create new memories.

I hope this article can help you in some way since whether you’re an international student or not, we all feel homesick at one point or another. Head to my Instagram to meet my new plants and learn more about my student lifestyle!