When it comes to choosing where to live there’s a lot more to be considered than the house itself – good or bad housemates can make or break your student housing experience!

Living in student housing is very different at the moment compared to previous years. You’ll find yourself spending a lot more time with your housemates, possibly without any visits home, not attending lectures on campus and maybe not even being able to leave the house for part time work. You need to be absolutely sure that you can spend intense amounts of time with your housemates comfortably. 

Try … Read the rest

So you’ve unpacked the boxes, stacked your pots and pans and waved goodbye to the car pulling up the road. Your new flat is now really yours; but what do you do now that you’ve actually moved into your new home?

We are here with a few ideas of what you can do to make your transition into student life as smooth as possible and to share some hints and tips about moving out and living in Southampton.

• Have a cuppa with your new housemates
  
  You may have met online before move-in, but these people are now living with you,

When did you learn to read your gas meter? Are you up to date with paying your bills? Are you getting the most out of your central heating? The Union is here to help you pick up key life skills this month!

Housing and Life Skills Day

Tuesday 29 January, 11:00 – 15:00, on the Redbrick (Highfield campus)
Learn more about student housing and important life skills you might not have mastered yet, like budgeting, maintaining your home and first aid.
There will be the opportunity to win prizes in our raffle too.

Meet a Housemate

Wednesday 30 January, 18:00 … Read the rest

Boo! It’s almost Halloween! Which means it’s almost that time of year where the student housing nightmare begins. Every year the rumours about all the good houses being gone begin to circulate, the rush of panicked house viewings start and deposits are begrudgingly handed over.

But what if we told you it didn’t have to be this way, that it’s OK to take your time, choose your new housemates wisely and that you don’t have to rush to rent?!

Sounds pretty good huh? Listen to our Welfare Wednesday podcast below to hear some student housing horror stories, sound advice … Read the rest

Now that you’ve arrived at the University of Southampton and you’re settling into your new home, it’s time to go and meet your housemates and get stuck into Freshers’ here at the Students’ Union! Here are a few top tips to help kick-start your student experience in the best way possible…

1.Don’t hide away in your room

Staying behind closed doors doesn’t exactly encourage conversation – go introduce yourself to your new housemates! Hanging out in the communal kitchen or Hall’s bar is also a good way to settle in.

2.Swap phone numbers

In this day and age, phone numbers … Read the rest

Housemates are like marmite. Sometimes you’ll love them, other times you may find them tricky to get along with. No matter how close you are to them, it’s not always plain sailing and in the worst case, things can get nasty. Whether it’s the classic problem of bin jenga or loud sing-alongs to the likes of Bieber and One Direction, here are a few pieces of advice on how to deal with some of these issues before things escalate into full-blown fisticuffs.

Issue 1: Messiness

There’s mould growing in old mugs, the bins are full to burst and there’s an … Read the rest

Welcome to the first in our series of three blogs about how you can save money in Southampton. We will cover penny pinching tips for shopping/food, saving energy around the house and saving cash on transport and nights out. If you’ve got any tips that you swear by to make that loan last longer, then please get in touch via our Twitter page @yoursusu.

Shopping/Food

There are a huge number of ways you can reduce your shopping bill. First of all go basics. Sainsbury’s covers almost all products and the difference in taste is negligible if any!

Branding is … Read the rest

No doubt students will be starting to think about their accommodation arrangements for next year, and there will be some of you who will be tempted to start house hunting as early as before Christmas. We’re here to reassure you not to panic! As part of our Don’t Rush campaign, we’re encouraging you to hold off until after exams finish in January. This way, you will be able to:

• Visit our Housing Advice Fayre
• Consider applying for halls with friends
• Get to know potential housemates and make an informed choice about who they’re going to be living with
• Look at