It’s to some bird’s advantage to leave their nest before they can even fly. While this blog isn’t about birds, it is a perfect analogy for the daunting task of moving out of home for the first time.
While the lead up to moving away to university is exciting, there is no shame in admitting it is scary. But that’s also the beauty of this stage of life, the challenge and the freedom is thrilling! Here are the tips I used when moving out of home for the first time:
1. Go on a big adventure:
Jumping on a plane, road tripping, cruising the sea are all perfect ways to do this.
My getaway before starting Uni was to the ski slopes in Perisher. For three months I lived away from home which was the perfect opportunity to experience what it’s like to leave the “nest.” I was meeting and bunking with new people, working and of course snowboarding and partying!
It pushed me out of my comfort zone, taught me independence and ultimately gave me a real insight to what living on-campus might be like.
2. Go in open-minded:
Creating expectations of what living out of home might be like is inevitable, but it is extremely important to remember expectations aren’t reality.
For example, making friends at Uni. While everyone is friendly and welcoming, it can take days, weeks, the entire first semester or even longer to find long-life friends… but trust me it definitely happens! Saying yes and utilising opportunities is an awesome way to make friends and get comfortable with your new surroundings.
3. Join a sports team or a club:
Playing sports has always been in my nature so it helped me relaxed and took my mind off this big change.
Being involved at Uni is the best distraction and a great way to build relationships! It also leads to greater opportunities – by joining the Bathurst CSU women’s soccer team, I have been given the opportunity to go and play at Nationals in Queensland!
In a nutshell, the best way to approach moving out of home is with a positive and patient attitude even if you aren’t ready to “fly”.
