You might have made the decision about your dream university months ago... But sometimes things don't go to plan, and that's ok!
On Sunday, 17th September 2017 at 5pm, my mum and my brother dropped me off at university with some new cooking utensils, enough food for a few months, and a poster of my dog. On Sunday 17th September 2017 at 10pm, my mum and my brother picked me up from university with my new cooking utensils, slightly less food, and a poster of my dog. Long story short, I decided that living in halls was not right for me.
When I got home that night, I couldn't begin to explain how I was feeling; I was embarrassed that I couldn't even last a night in what I thought was my dream university; I was worried about what I was going to do, considering Fresher's week started the next day, and I was terrified about informing student finance and having to make a million phone calls.
If you find yourself in this situation, I want you to know that you are not alone! I definitely felt like I was the first person to ever go through this at the time, but I'm sure I wasn't, and transferring universities to move closer to home, or even just moving out of university accommodation, is a lot easier then you might think.
Here is a simple guide explaining what to do if you decide to move out of university halls at the last minute:
1. Make a clear plan.
Yes, you've had years to make up your mind about what university you want to attend, where you want to live, and what course you want to do, but that can all change in an instant-just like I found out. If you're back home and having a minor freak out, just calm down and think about what you want to be doing in a few months time.
If you want to stay at the same university, that's great- you can skip the next step!
2. Inform your university that you want to transfer.
That night, I emailed the university (as well as the halls of residence there) to inform them that I would no longer be attending, and in the morning I rang them to check that I could be 'un-enrolled'. I then rang a university closer to home, and asked if they had any spaces on my course. As luck would have it, they did, and they told me that they would happily arrange my enrollment as soon as my student status changed on UCAS. (Yes- just when I thought I'd heard that dreaded acronym for the last time, it popped up again!)
I got on the phone to UCAS, who told me to ask my original university to release me from their records, and- when they had done that- I was sent an offer from my current uni, which I then accepted and- ta da- I became a student there!
3. Check your rent situation.
As I didn't stay the night in my accommodation, I was told that I didn't need to pay any rent, and that I would just lose my £300 deposit. If you stay in your accommodation for longer than me however, it is likely that you will be asked to pay the rent for at least one semester, so you definitely need to check with your halls of residence about this.
4. Inform student finance.
For me, this was the most difficult part of my transfer; not only did it take ages to get through to the student loans company each time I rang, but they seemed as lost as me in regards of what to do. What I eventually learned however, was not to take no for an answer; you need to calmly tell them that you are now going to be living at home, and that you need your online status to be changed. If you change universities, that can be arranged at the same time.
It saves a lot of hassle if you let them know what your maintenance loan was originally going to be, and what it should now be, and you should not have to go through the application process again.
5. Inform your friends!
Do not let yourself be embarrassed about moving back home; it was your choice and that is nobody else's business, and your friends will most likely understand completely! I know that a few of my friends have since expressed regret about moving into halls, and wish they'd stayed at home too, so I know I made the right decision.
The reason why this step is important, is because you might get calls from friends who were going to the same university asking if you fancy a night out six weeks into semester one, and you have to spend an awkward phone call explaining that you don't actually go there anymore.
6. Be confident about your decision
Maybe next year, you will feel more comfortable in halls and if that's the case- great! You could try moving out again (especially as you now know what to do if you change your mind!) If not, you can enjoy the many perks of staying at home, such as always being around when friends come home for the weekend, and having a little extra cash when you need it.
Most of all, don't let this tiny hiccup drastically change your university experience; it is still possible to have an amazing first year, and you now have a great little anecdote to share with the new people you meet.
