It’s January and the start of a new term. Although the autumn and the next academic year still seems a lifetime away (after all, we have a winter, spring and summer to get through yet!) it’s never too early to start looking for student accommodation. Before you begin your Pads for Students search, ensure you have chosen the right people. It’ll be a for an entire year and potential frictions now will boil over into and beyond cabin fever.
Choose Wisely Based on Personality
It should be the first decision you make. Don’t worry if you haven’t already decided – there is plenty of time. Think about compatibility with how you prefer to live. If you’re tidiness-obsessed and your closest friend is messy, they are not right for you. If you’re an introvert who likes to be in bed by 11pm and that’s the time they usually head out to another party, they are not right for you. While there is wisdom in tolerating others’ differences, there is also wisdom in seeking traits that won’t clash. Remember that Good Friend =/= Good Flat Mate.
Could You Take the Strain?
Aside from the personality type conflicts above, friendships will come under strain. Falling out with mates is normal and it will test the limits of what you are prepared to put up with. If you want to avoid conflict with a particular friend just don’t live with them. Sometimes, the best thing you can do for a friendship is to live separately and enjoy the time you do have together. You’ll thank yourself later if you find problems that could have led to a clash of characters in a home.
Choose for Motivation
It’s a good idea to choose housemates with whom you have common interests. That could be academic (living with course mates), but it can also include friends from the university sports team, study groups and so on. When two or more people with the same interests live together, it’s easier to feel motivated to do what you need to do. You will be able to study together, practice together and ensure that the other gets to sessions/lectures/practice/training on time too.
Second Years: Don’t be Afraid to Change
The final year is the most important. Students currently in their second year should already be looking to their final year. Just because you live with a certain person now, you are not obliged to do so next year. It could be that certain relationships are unbearable. If so, take note of the things causing a strain and aim to eliminate them from your choice of housemates. That could be alienating one person, or it could mean looking for a whole new set of cohabitees.