Where we live is of vital importance to our health, wealth, wellbeing, safety and happiness; and that’s especially true of 
student accommodation. For many students this is their first experience of living away from the family home, so searching for ‘digs’ can be a stressful and confusing time. Whilst it might be tempting to feel that the most important factor is price (and keeping the costs low are certainly key to enjoying your student experience), it’s important to consider much more than where’s cheapest when choosing ‘digs’.
Location is crucial in everyone’s housing needs; however for students this is even more vital. Consider how you will be travelling into university, and if this is by public transport, then you need to know where the routes are, how often they run and how much this will cost. Living closer to the university may be slightly more expensive, but if this will save on bus or train fares and make it easier to get into early / late lectures then it may be more economical overall.
Let’s face it, student areas are not always in the nicest parts of town, and there are many opportunistic thieves who prey on students’ laptops, mobile phones and shared property. Security should therefore be high on your list of priorities when viewing potential accommodation. Simple measures such as asking about the possibility of keyed access, window locks and being aware of previous issues can help to reduce the risk to yourself and your possessions.
First impressions matter, for properties as well as people. When viewing accommodation ask yourself, ‘could I be happy here?’, ‘is this what I’m looking for?’ and ‘could this be made to feel like home?’ If the answer to these questions is yes, then maybe you’ve found ‘the one!’ If you’re looking at shared accommodation, wherever possible you should ask to meet housemates before signing paperwork (and be sure to ask what they’d like in a housemate, any issues they’ve had in the accommodation and whether they would recommend it to a friend). Living with people we like and respect can make even the dreariest accommodation feel a little brighter!
Once you find the perfect accommodation, it’s time to make it feel like ‘home’. Charity shop finds, donated items from family and posters are all effective and cheap ways of personalising your new room. If you’re feeling homesick then why not try adding some photographs, a throw from the family home or an ornament that has sentimental value? Many people have the stereotype of students being messy and not caring about their surroundings, and whilst this may be true for some, it’s certainly not the case for all. Good luck in your accommodation search, and in your university career
This post was written by Matthew who is a UK based blogger that enjoys guest posting on student accommodation based blogs and is writing on behalf of Poles Direct, a curtain pole and window furnishings supplier. http://www.polesdirect.com