Living independently in your hall

Moving to a new city and home is exciting, but it might be a bit of a shock to the system just how independent you need to be whilst you're here. 

Whether it's doing your laundry, managing your finances or simply just keeping your space clean, there are some things about living in halls that you might not have given much thought to.

We've shortlisted some of those things and thrown in some useful tips and links in the mix too, with the aim of making independent living a bit easier for you. 

Doing your own laundry

If you've never done your own laundry before, there might be lots of questions running through your mind. In halls, there's typically a central laundry room for all residents to wash their clothes. You'll have to create an account with the operators of the machines and pay through an app. These machines are quite big, so you can usually fit a lot in.

If your washing doesn't fill the machine, it's a good idea to team up with a flatmate or friend and put both loads of washing in the same machine. This is a great way of saving money. Instead of using a dryer, you could buy a clothes airer too. 

For more information on how to do your washing, take a look at the following links: 

LSE and UoL halls.

Sanctuary, Unite and Urbanest halls.

Keeping it clean

Whilst some people revel at the thought of giving their space a spring clean, it's probably not high on the agenda for many students. But keeping things clean doesn't have to mean a massive job every couple of weeks or months. Cleaning as you go is the best way to take care of your living space, so if you've just had dinner, do the washing up straight after because putting it off only leads to it piling up - and then you'll never want to do it!

The same goes for your room. A quick hoover and wipe down every week or so will keep your room spick and span, and will help you to avoid a day spent cleaning later down the line. If cleaning isn't your forte, take a look here for tips on how to keep your accommodation clean. 

Being respectful

It goes without saying that we want you have a blast here at LSE, but there's still a requirement to be respectful to the people living with you and around you. Try to keep noise to a minimum at night or during exam season during the quiet hours, clean up any mess you've made in shared spaces and pull your weight in any group chores. 

Compromising with flatmates

You're not always going to get your way when you're living with other people, which is where compromising is so important. Having a bit of give and take helps to keep things fair among you all. For example, one of you might have more cupboard space than the others, so it's only fair for someone else in the flat to have more fridge space. Keep the peace, but always speak up if you feel like someone's taking advantage of your kindness.

This is why it's essential you complete your flat agreement so that you can always revisit it. For any information on this, reach out to your warden.

Being sensible with money

When your first student loan drops into your bank account it can be tempting to splash the cash, especially when you get caught up in the rush of student life. However, it's really important to take a step back and create a budget for your money so you're not living off super noodles for weeks! Creating a budget includes tallying up all of your outgoings including rent, bills and subscriptions and then subtracting that total from the amount in your bank account. 

Work out how much you'd need for groceries, then whatever you have left is yours to spend how you like. Don't forget about student discount companies like TOTUM or UNiDAYS, which offer fantastic discounts on lots of popular high-street stores. 

Top tip: Team up with your flatmates and do a group food shop. It's likely you'll need some of the same stuff at the same time, so shopping together will save money and free up space in the kitchen. 

Staying safe

Although not strictly about living independently in your hall, staying safe in a big city is one of the biggest things to consider when living on your own. Remember to keep your wits about you when you're walking around the city in the day, and at night avoid walking on your own and instead opt for public transport. Only ever used licensed taxi services. Apps like Uber are the most commonly used in the Capital. 

Take a look at our tips on staying safe in London article for more helpful pointers. 

Knowing where you need to go when you need support

Sometimes life away from home can be difficult, and if you ever feel like you need to speak someone, there are plenty of support services available to you as a student at LSE. For more information on the kind of support available, take a look here. Each hall of residence has a warden team that is on call every evening that can help with support or any advice.