As a medical student you’ve just moved into the thirteenth floor of halls. Your room is the size of a matchbox. The person next door plays music so loud that cracks are forming in the wall and someone’s stealing your milk. Don’t panic!! … here’s some advice.
Label your food
If you have to share a kitchen then get your initials on your grub. There’s nothing more irritating than finding someone has eaten your pack of choccy biccies by mistake.
Be open minded
You’ll meet a greater diversity of people than ever before. You’ll have to share your living space, the kitchen and even the shower. So what, they might eat coco pops for breakfast but the fact that you eat ricicles isn’t exactly normal either!
Don’t hide in your room
The hairy guy in room 13 may be frightening but staying in your room isn’t the answer. Get out and meet people. Your first year in halls is the easiest way to meet other medics. If you don’t push yourself to meet new people this term you’ll regret it later.
Sort out any problems
If you’re slowly going deaf because of the loud music played by your neighbour confront him about it. Don’t shout, yell or throw your dissection scalpel at him. Offer him a cup of coffee, explain calmly the problem and invite him to hear how loud the music is himself.
Shower power
If one of your floormates spends 45 minutes in the shower each morning shaving his/her legs then here’s a trick to get them out. Most of the water outlets on each floor are connected so turn off and on the hot or cold taps in the sinks or showers. The water going from stifling hot to freezing cold should speed him up.
The clean team
Share the laundry load. Team up with a mate and do a mass of laundry at one time. It’ll save you a fortune and you’ll have someone to hang out with while the machine goes round and round and round … just keep your red boxer shorts out of her whites, ok? And, if you hang your CK pants up right away you might just escape the need to iron them.
Don’t shop till you drop
Save yourself the torture of dragging five tons of shopping back from the supermarket by getting it to come to you. Get together with the rest of the guys on your floor and order your beer and pizzas online. Enter you shopping list at Tesco.com or Sainburys.com and they’ll cope with all the trolley trauma. As long as you request it they’ll bring it right to your floor … so your don’t even have to change out of your pj’s!
Sort problems soon
If you do have any problems about living in halls get it sorted straight away. There’s no point letting things get you down. The staff in the student accommodation office have dealt with every conceivable problem so don’t feel embarrassed.
