Welcome to Leeds, your new home away from home.
Whether you are coming from nearby or have travelled across the world, Leeds is an amazing place to begin your next chapter as one of the largest student cities in the UK. However, we know that moving to a new city can be overwhelming, so we've put together our best advice to help you settle in.
How to settle in:
- Spend some time exploring your new area and become familiar with the city, it's a good idea to check out the route to your university from your accommodation in case you need to use public transport.
- Get to know your flatmates early, this will make living together much more harmonious. Plus, it's a great way to make friends from day one.
- Go to Freshers Week! Take advantage of the many events taking place, it's another way to meet new people. Freshers is also a good time to push yourself out of your comfort zone, don't be afraid to say yes to things you wouldn't usually do.
- Sign up to societies and sports teams to find people with similar interests (the society fair usually takes place in Freshers Week).
- Have fun but don't spend all your money at once, give yourself a budget for Freshers Week.
- Remember, it is normal to feel homesick and miss your family and friends, keep in touch and try to stay busy until you are more settled in.
How Unipol can help:
Unipol has the answers to all your housing questions.
We offer free housing advice and have multiple articles on our website breaking down the new Renters' Rights Act. We’re also here to help resolve housing issues, don't be afraid to use our app to report any repairs in your accommodation. For any tenants having any wellbeing and support issues, including problems relating to your accommodation and co-tenants, you can reach out to your Housing Manager or the Wellbeing and Support Coordinator. The universities also provide a range of support. For more information and to get in touch with us, check out this page.
When it's time to start house hunting, we can help you find your next student home whether that’s staying in halls or moving to houses, we have so many options to offer. We can also help in many other ways such as checking your contract and showing you accredited properties. However, you don’t need to worry about looking for housing just yet, our advice is to not rush into anything and gather all the information you can first. Keep an eye on our social media pages where we will provide top tips and tricks about house hunting, including when you should start looking.
What to do in Leeds:
If you're a foodie, Leeds is the perfect place for you! The city is packed with independent restaurants, cafés, and street food vendors, offering something for everyone. Head to Kirkgate Market, one of the largest indoor markets in Europe, to try a range of cuisines street-food style. If you're more interested in dining out, you'll find many hidden gems dotted around the city centre.
Belgrave is an independent venue serving music and food, it is very popular amongst students with 3 floors to choose from including a rooftop terrace. Their street food offerings are delicious, with Dough Boys serving freshly made pizza in-house. It is a great place to socialise and spend some time with new friends if you aren’t sure where to go yet.
If you need to do a bit of shopping, Trinity Leeds is the perfect place to find larger, well-known brands such as Urban Outfitters and Primark. There are also plenty of charity shops and vintage, second-hand stores around the city centre. The Corn Exchange is a great place to start if you’re looking for unique, independent shops like these. If you have forgotten any essentials (such as extension leads) you will find a variety of shops in and around Leeds that have you covered.
Staying safe in Leeds:
Use apps such as WalkSafe (which has Leeds-specific features) and Life360 so that friends or family can have your location. Avoid walking by yourself when it's dark and late at night and stick to main, busy roads. Also check what your University offers, there are a lot of safety initiatives in place for students. It is important to take safety precautions but don't let this put you off going out.
Don't forget to follow our social media pages, @unipolhousing, for student tips, tricks, and advice.