How I settled into university life whilst living at home

Reasons for wanting to stay at home instead of halls

The choice to stay at home was because I wanted to stay close to my family and especially to support my mother. Also, I guess in South Asian society usually it’s a huge no-no to move out, so it was never an option for me personally, considering how family oriented I am. I’m very grateful to be able to stay at home because of the support and my mother’s homemade food is the best and I can’t cook.

Settling into social life

I transferred to Leeds Beckett this year from another uni and so that transition was difficult on top of living at home, away from the university life during the pandemic. However despite these initial worries I managed to stay engaged with my online learning as well as make time for my friends (old and new) whether it was a group facetime call or just a simple message.

I was glad to have people from Leeds Beckett on my socials, this made a huge difference since I started with no friends and as time went on started to gain a few, and this is a positive progress for me.

Settling into university study life

As I mentioned before I did not know anybody when I started uni and so I felt alone with my studies at first, but I am very thankful for the support from my tutor as I have managed to adjust well to the study style. They have helped me alongside my studies with things such as career advice and assignment questions.

The resources and support provided by Leeds Beckett have been hugely helpful, especially for assignments and online timed exams as I am able to contact them directly, and any issues are always resolved quickly. They also provide support for mental health too which I really appreciate as looking after your mental health is really important. What I truly appreciated was the support provided during Ramadan and the choice to apply for extensions and mitigation options.

Commuting to the city

Living near town is good as it’s only a 10 minute bus ride and a five minute car ride from my house to uni. I mostly travel by bus since I can’t drive but I’m making it my mission to pass my driving test hopefully soon. Being close to town means that I can make plans with my friends to go shopping or go to a café and a park. What I love about being in the city is the accessibility to the library which is right in the city centre.  

Living at home pros

Homemade food is a definite benefit of staying at home. Traditional Pakistani food biryani have my heart. Also support from family is so important and that is what I am grateful for even though the household may be loud. Additionally, festivities such as Ramadan and Eid celebrated with family is always amazing and an exciting time at home. My family is always supportive of my choices which is important for me and they will help me out if I ever have an issue with something. I remember struggling when I had to submit an important assignment and my sister helped me out by proofreading it and giving me honest feedback as well as assuring me that it will be fine.

Overall, living at home for uni whilst the majority of it has been online learning experience has been challenging with Ramadan, early lecture time slots and not knowing anybody at first, however I have learned so much and over time adapted and met new people. Loneliness was a fear of mine ever since transferring and I never thought I would adapt well. I am thankful for the group activities where I have formed new friendships and I am looking forward to more face-to-face lectures and seminars to be on campus and have a more social experience in my next few years.