Tips to Thrive in Student Accommodation

Originally published: 14th October 2024
Latest Update: 26th September 2025

Living in student accommodation or student halls with your uni roommates can be exciting and challenging!

Here are some useful tips to help you make your shared space feel like home.

Cleaning Shared Areas

Starting with the basics.  Shared responsibilities. Housework can be a drag but it’s much easier if everyone chips in. This doesn’t have to mean strict guidelines though. A popular way to manage chores is by setting up a rota. Before you dive into rota-making, have a chat with your housemates. Find out how often you think each chore needs doing. Your housemates may also have a preference for certain chores. Below are some examples of the frequency of chores.

Examples of daily tasks:

• Washing up dishes after meals (bonus tip: try a dishwasher app for easy scheduling)
• Putting away dishes that are dry
• Tidying shoes and coats

Examples of weekly tasks:

• Emptying bins and taking out the recycling
• Hoovering shared spaces
• Quick clean of the bathroom

Examples of monthly or fortnightly cleaning tasks:

• Mopping floors with disinfectant
• Getting rid of cobwebs
• Doing a deeper clean of the bathroom and living area (bonus tip: use eco-friendly cleaning products)

While a rota is great for shared spaces, it’s also important to remember that some chores are personal and shouldn’t be on the rota. For instance, washing up after you’ve cooked or eaten is definitely a ‘you’ job, not something to palm off on your housemates.

Bill Management

On to the next point of tension for students – bills. Not all bills are included with accommodation, so it’s best to have a chat with your roommates and figure out how you’re going to split this fairly.

Monthly Bills
If your accommodation doesn’t include bills in the rent, it is important to have a conversation with your roommates about how you’re going to pay. The last thing you want is someone forgetting to pay, leaving everyone short on essentials like water and gas.

There are two main ways to manage bills:

• Traditional Approach: One person handles the bills, and everyone transfers their share to them. However, this can be risky if someone forgets to pay, as the person in charge might end up covering the shortfall.
• Student Bill-Splitting Packages: These allow you to combine all your bills. Gas, water, internet, and energy all into one monthly statement. It’s then split among your roommates. The best part is everyone is responsible for their own payments. This means no one is left holding the bag if someone forgets to pay.

⭐👉 Check out student-friendly bill-splitting apps such as Monzo, Splitwise, or The Student Energy Group.

Household Essentials
Whilst household essentials are less scary than big monthly bills, they are still just as important. This includes bits like food, drinks, cleaning supplies, toilet roll, and bin bags. There are few ways to split them:

• Splitting the Shopping Bill: This can work, but it depends on usage. For example, if one person drinks more milk, it might be fairer to pay proportionately. Personal items like toothpaste shouldn’t be included.
• Using a Kitty: A kitty is a pot of money that everyone contributes to for communal items. It’s simple – everyone chips in a set amount each month, and the kitty is used for essentials. Adjust contributions as needed based on usage.

Socialising and Respecting Downtime

Getting to know your roommates can be such a fun experience. Whether it’s sharing stories about your courses, bonding over a Netflix binge, or discovering you both love the same band. Little things like cooking together or grabbing a quick coffee can turn strangers into friends. If you’re struggling to break the ice, here are a few ideas:

• Arranging a meal together – Who doesn’t love a Dominos?
• Keep your door open (literally) – It’s an easy way to show you’re up for a chat.
• Hangout in shared areas – Don’t isolate yourself in your room
• Creating a group chat – Great for organising hangouts and sending updates.
• Go food shopping together – It’s a fun way to learn about each other’s tastes.
• Arrange a takeaway and movie night – Easy, fun, and affordable.
• Ask your roommates to come out to the pub with you – A casual setting can help everyone relax.

The Student Room website has loads of tips on balancing socialising and study time as it’s a forum of previous and current students.

Having Fun

The simplest tip? Have fun! Living in student accommodation is about more than just sharing a space. It’s about learning, adapting, and building friendships that could last a lifetime.

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