For many students like myself, a big part of university life is moving away from home and living independently for the first time. This can be exciting, but it can also be daunting to be entering a completely new and unknown chapter of your life. 

It definitely takes time to settle in but here are some ways I made myself feel at home in Salford.

1. Create your Safe Space


Wherever you are living, this is where you will be spending a lot of time in between lectures and bonding with your new friends, so it’s important to make it a warm, inviting environment that you enjoy being in. This could include sticking up photographs with the people you care about, or hanging posters of your favourite artists or films, for me, I also find fairy lights are a perfect way to add character to a room. Make the room your own and you should start to feel settled in your new city sooner.

2. Explore the area


If you’re going to be spending the next few years studying here you’re going to want to know your way around! Take the time to go on walks around campus and beyond to familiarise yourself with the local area. We have plenty of videos on our Instagram page (@salforduni) showcasing some of our favourite spots around Salford and Manchester, which you may find useful. 

3. Forming Friendships


Chances are you won’t know anyone when you first move to Salford (slightly terrifying), but this does allow you to have a completely fresh start to introduce yourself to new people without any previous ties holding you back. From my experience, the best time to meet people was during the events at Welcome Week as everyone was eager to chat and no one had already formed a friendship group. Over the next few years you’ll also have plenty of time to form close connections with those on your course, or any societies that you join so there are so many opportunities to meet like-minded people.

4. Invite your friends and family to visit 

After a few months of settling in, I was so excited to have my friends and family come visit me and to be able to show them around my new home. It’s important to remember that just because you are moving away from your hometown, it doesn’t mean that any of your relationships from home will be affected. You can still continue to call regularly and keep in touch with your home friends and then it’s even more special when you do get the chance to see them in person.

Those are just a few of the ways I’ve managed to turn Salford into my new home. Remember this process won’t just happen overnight and things may possibly feel strange for a few weeks, or even months; it’s a completely different experience for everyone and there’s no right or wrong way to do it! Good luck with your university journey!