Breaking the ice with your new university housemates

The day’s arrived. However, it’s not the upcoming studies that are worrying you when it comes to university. Perhaps it’s the idea of getting to know, and getting on with, your new housemates. Living with new people will always cause a little anxiety so The Mix and UNiDAYS have teamed up to help lighten the load…

This article was written in collaboration with UNiDAYS. UNiDAYS is an online platform that help students get the best out of student life through exclusive discounts and deals from a variety of brands.

Whether it’s your first ever day on campus or a new year, new house – meeting your new housemates can be a little nerve-wrecking, so first things first…

Go easy on yourself

Our minds are experts at creating false stories and overexaggerating. Most of the time, the things we’re worried about turn out to be absolutely fine! However, that’s just the nature of the mind, so having some awareness can really help ease some anxieties when it comes to meeting new people.

Common phrases that might arise in the mind can include:

‘Will they like me?’

‘Will I like them?

‘What if we don’t get on?’

‘What if they’re a secret murderer who eats all my cheese at 2am?’

The truth is that we’ll never know if we’ll get on with someone until we get to know them, so there’s no point entertaining these nonsense narratives and creating more anxiety.

Give yourself some credit for actually having the confidence and drive to go to university in the first place! And don’t forget…

Everyone’s in the same boat

Which is a good place to start when it comes to meeting people.

Start simple with questions like…

‘What are you studying?’

‘What is it that you enjoy about the subject?’

‘What sort of job do you want from it?’

‘Why did you choose this university?’

You’ll find that these sorts of questions will open up new conversations and, before you know it, you’re talking about house plants and the best place to get a decent cheeseburger at 3 in the morning.

Oh, and by the way…

Everyone is LITERALLY in the same boat

Yes, people will be anxious meeting you too. 100%.

It’s completely natural for any normal human being to be a little nervous meeting someone new, so imagine the nerves when it comes to sharing a house with them.

Don’t be afraid to tell people how you’re feeling because the chances are that they’ll not only appreciate you sharing, but they’ll also share too!

Phrases like…

‘I’m a little anxious about this whole thing’

‘Are you as anxious as I am?’

‘How are you feeling?’

…will empower yourself and your new housemates and help form a deeper bond right from the very beginning.

The society of everything

It’s a fact of life that universities have a society on just about anything.

Asking your fellow housemates about their hobbies and interests will not only help break the ice, but it can also help you explore everything that your university has to offer.

Why not join a society together?

No society? Why not create one?

Whether it’s music, movies, sports, books, walks, or even your studies – finding common ground between you and your new housemates can be as easy as asking ‘So, what do you like to do?’

Freshers

If university is an entirely new chapter for you, have no fear! Freshers is here.

Back in the day, the first few weeks of university used to be all about getting completely smashed off 3 for £5 jagerbombs and taking home a traffic cone.

Nowadays, it’s a little more inclusive.

Yes, you’ll still find a decent party to dress up as your favourite Marvel character for, but with many young people swapping drinking for healthier, more wholesome options, Freshers can be a great opportunity to really get to know your new housemates.

Explore the variety of events on offer and discover your new home together. Start by chatting about what you’d like to see – whether that’s an arts fair, societies fair, concert or a even just a few drinks down the Student’s Union.

By sharing experiences together, you’ll naturally create a bond…or realise that you’re not really made for each other…

People pleasing

We all do it. We can’t help it sometimes.

The bottom line is that you’re not going to get on with everyone, and that’s OK.

If you’ve made an effort getting to know your new housemates and you don’t see yourselves being besties, there’s no point trying to pretend to be someone you’re not.

Lots of people end up living together who don’t necessarily become best of friends. As long as you can live harmoniously and look after the place you call home, that’s good enough.

University has thousands of opportunities to help you meet your people, and you will.

On the other hand, sometimes it takes a while to get to know your new housemates. Amongst the stress of studying and being overwhelmed by a brand-new way of life, it takes time to settle down and feel comfortable.

The important thing is to go at your own pace, stay true to yourself, and make sure you get rid of that half eaten pizza that’s been in the fridge for two months.