You may have already decided that you want to go studying abroad. It is common that students usually live in a student apartment or student houses while studying abroad. You might be interested in living with others in a student house as well. But how to get along with other people from the same house? Well, I already experienced living with others for a few times. Firstly, when I just came to study in Vlissingen. Secondly, when I went to do my minor abroad. So, I can share my views on that. In this blog, I will tell you how it is to live with other students.
Your housemates are your friends!
When you first come to another city/country, most of the time, you don’t have any acquaintances or friends. By moving to a student house, you get to know your first friends in this city! I still remember my first day in Vlissingen, I felt so lonely upon my arrival to the city but a warm welcome from one of my housemates in front of my new apartment changed my attitude. Three years passed already, we are currently living in different countries but still keep in touch and care about each other. I lived together with five other students and these people made a lot of input into my life! Although, now I don’t live with my first housemates anymore, we still keep in touch and spend some time together. So, don't be afraid you will feel lonely once you enter your new house, because you have got your new housemates.
Me and my housemates preparing a BBQ dinner together
The period of adaptation
Of course, living together with others is not a always fairytale. You all have different behaviors and way of living. Normally, the student house is full of internationals, which means the behavior can be completely different from yours. You can have a housemate who is not used to clean his pan immediately after using it. You can have a housemate singer or the one who is constantly taking a shower. All these things are a part of an adaptation period. By living with others, you can find out your strange habits as well. And it is normal. We are all different. The most crucial point here is to talk to each other. If you are disappointed, just tell your housemate and I’m sure he or she will understand! After getting used to each other, all these small things become so unimportant.
Always together
Whether you are happy or sad, there is always a place where you can share your feelings. By living in a student accommodation, you are surrounded with people willing to listen to you and help. When there were sad days in my life, I could easily go to one of my housemates (depends on who was at home but basically I could go to anyone), have a cup of tea with some cookies, tell about my problems and get a valuable advice or just forget about all problems by having a great time. Moreover, during summer time, me and my housemates were organizing BBQ evenings and had a great time together.
I can also share my experience of living with two Austrians during my minor in Vienna. These people contributed to an overall experience abroad by supporting, taking care and sharing their part of life. We had some dinners and cozy evenings as well as shared some bad moments together. Living with others somehow becomes a part of you and will be a memorable experience for the rest of your life.
Experience it yourself
All in all, from my point of view, living with others should be experienced by everyone. This stage of life is helpful in organizing yourself, being more communicable and responsible. Although, it may seem living with other people can be hard due to everyone’s personality, I can say that I had and still have a great time! If you are ready to meet new people, challenge yourself and have a fun time, student house is a perfect solution for living abroad for you!
