When it comes to student housing in Lancaster, it’s rare that the date you can move in will coincide with your University start date. This gives you the flexibility to move into your student house at your leisure. You can either wait until the weekend before University starts, or you can move in much earlier and take advantage of all the benefits that brings.

There are plenty of reasons to avoid moving into your student house at the last possible minute. If you’re paying for your accommodation a few days, weeks or even months before your University start date, you shouldn’t let that go to waste. Here are just some of the benefits of arriving early to University:

You Can Start Job Hunting

If you plan to get a part-time job in Lancaster whilst you’re studying, you’ll have much more luck the earlier you arrive. There will be thousands of students arriving into Lancaster to start their studies, and many of them will be looking for jobs. Take it from us, there won’t be enough to go around. But you can increase your chances of securing employment by getting there nice and early.

Being in Lancaster, willing and ready to attend interviews and actively looking for a job will give you an advantage over the students who wait until their start date to begin searching. So, if securing a part-time job is high on your list of priorities, you’d do well to move in as soon as possible.

You Can Explore the City

If it’s your first year in Lancaster – or you simply neglected to leave campus last year for no other reason than going clubbing – you may not know the city you call home very well. Well, if you move into your student house with plenty of time, you can really explore this historic place. Why not venture up to Lancaster Castle? Take a look at our list of 19 things to do around Lancaster, and our suggestions for educational and interesting days out in Lancaster.

There are so many great things to see and do in Lancaster that you may have not noticed whilst you were busy settling into University life. Arrive early and take the time to really get to know your second home; you may discover some wonderful gems in the city you can share with your housemates.

Pick up Anything you Forgot

The mad rush on the last weekend before the University start date often yields one thing: you forget something. Whether it’s your favourite hoodie, a pair of shoes or even your toothbrush; it’s so easy to forget to pack something no matter how thorough you are.

Moving in early allows you to review what you’ve brought and gives you more time to realise if something is missing (hopefully you’d spot that missing toothbrush straight away). You’ll have time to go shopping for missing items, or even ask your parents to send your forgotten things in the post.

Research What’s Happening at Your University

Once fresher’s week starts, everything will be hectic. The entire week is jam-packed with events, sessions, workshops and all manner of introductory things to kick off the academic year. There’ll be nights out and day trips all over Lancaster for you to attend. There will be so much going on, in fact, that you may end up missing some really great events that you wanted to attend.

Arriving early gives you the chance to sit down and do your research. Take a look at the Lancaster University or University of Cumbria sites to find out about upcoming events. Get out a timetable and make a schedule of everything that’s going on that you don’t want to miss. University societies will also be doing a lot in the first few weeks, so get to know which ones are available at your Student Union. You could even contact them before the start date if you’re keen on joining – we’re sure they’d be happy to hear from you.

Avoid the Shopping Rush

The problem with the first weekend before University starts is that so many students flock to Lancaster at the same time. The influx of students over just two days can create chaos in the supermarkets. Students will be milling all over, picking up things they forgot or doing their first food shop – potentially leaving the shelves empty.

Arrive early and skip this mad dash entirely. You can relax and prepare for your first week of University in your Lancaster student accommodation, having already picked up everything you need well in advance.

If you have Student Housing Lancaster accommodation waiting for you this year, we look forward to welcoming you into your new student house.