Move into YSJ accommodation with me!
Hi I’m Amy, a third year Primary Education student who has just spent a semester studying abroad so is now back into YSJ student accommodation for the next semester! Read through my move in day with me whilst I give helpful tips and tricks to help your move in go as smoothly as possible!
So, it’s that time of year for me again. After a semester abroad (which was one of the best experiences of my life and I 100% recommend), I’m back in York, ready to take on my third year! The move-in process this time was a little different since I had a lot more stuff than I remembered, and with it being early January, the snow was absolutely not helping. But, despite the insane amount of things I decided I needed to have with me (trust me you are not alone with the overpacking, I’ve been doing it for 3 years now), it felt so good to be back in York and ready to get settled into my new student accommodation.
Here’s a little breakdown of my move in day, including some tips, tricks, and the joy of rediscovering this beautiful city! So grab a cup of tea, and let me take you through it!
Snowy start
The day started with me saying a very teary goodbye to my dog and my grandparents, despite me having just been away from them for 5 months, the goodbyes never get any easier, and, of course, the snow decided to make an appearance just to make things a little more dramatic. I was honestly worried when I woke up and looked out the window that we weren’t even going to make it to York! My dad’s car was packed to the brim with all my stuff, I very nearly left my sister at home in favour for some extra pillows but I had to leave them behind so we could get going!
I was, obviously, already an hour behind schedule but we set off towards York!
The drive to York
Now, as a third-year student, I’m definitely feeling a little different about the whole move-in process. It’s kind of strange coming back to student accommodation after a semester abroad—especially when you’ve gotten used to your own space and the luxury of not sharing a bathroom with random other people. But at the same time, I was excited to see all my friends and get back into the rhythm of uni life.
After a smooth, snow-covered drive, I finally arrived in York and parked at the back of the university. Pro tip for anyone moving in who needs to collect their keys at uni: you can park for free for 10 minutes on some of the roads on and around Garden st – which is perfect to run in and collect your keys. This time around as I’m moving in at an unusual time – I was collecting my keys from the Porter’s Lodge, which is just opposite the library (Fountains) and is called St Anthony’s house on a map. In my first year I collected my keys from the Holgate information desk – which is probably hard to miss on move in day as there’ll be loads of people, and student ambassadors to help direct you.
Limes Court
When I finally pulled up to Limes Court, I could not believe how beautiful it is. Despite it being winter there was a gorgeous blue sky when I arrived and I couldn’t help but think that I’m so lucky to be living here for the next few months! It’s both different and similar to my past YSJ accommodation rooms at The Grange St Mary’s and Muir House – it definitely seems a bit more modern and the natural light in my room is amazing—just what I need to stay productive and actually enjoy being in my space.
Room tour & pro tip for moving In
Once I got to my room, I realized just how much I’d missed having my own space. The room was empty, but with some effort, I was ready to make it feel like home again. The first thing I do when I move in is hang up my clothes—and here’s my best tip: put elastic bands around your clothes already on hangers. It makes hanging up clothes so much easier. I don’t know why I didn’t figure that out earlier, but trust me, it’s a game-changer! First year Amy spent so long putting all her clothes back on hangers when I didn’t even need to take them off in the first place!
Whilst Limes Court doesn’t have a sink in the room – it does have such a big wardrobe space! There’s a full size wardrobe and then another rail that essentially means you have a double wardrobe! So don’t skimp on the hangers because you have more than enough room!
I also hung up my favourite tapestries and scarves on the walls to add some colour and personality to the room. They’re such an easy way to make any space feel more “me,” and honestly, I can’t imagine living in a plain, white room anymore. I love the fact that Limes Court rooms are practically lined with pin boards – it made it so easy to hang up my decor without worrying about causing any damage!
Organising & sorting my keys
Next up, organising. The first thing I always do when I get a new set of keys – add them to a lanyard. I actually did this before I even arrived at Limes Court – it’s the best way to make sure you don’t forget them as you can hook them round a bag strap, wear them round your neck and they are easier to find at the bottom of a bag. Then I hooked the lanyard on a hook on the back of my door (my hook was already there so clearly somebody has had the same good idea as me!), but I recommend using a no damage command hook!
An empty room, but not for long!
By the time I had everything unpacked and organised, it was getting dark outside. My room was still a bit of a work in progress, but it was starting to feel like home. To be honest, I wasn’t exactly feeling 100% settled yet, but that’s the fun of moving in, you get to take your time and make it yours. So that’s what I did! I got some photos ordered and pinned them up as soon as they arrived and my room instantly felt so much more cozy and homely.
Ending the day right.
To wrap up the day, I met up with my uni friends for a bottomless brunch. Honestly, it felt so good to catch up with everyone. We laughed, drank way too much, and just enjoyed being back together. Moving in can be a little overwhelming, but moments like these make everything feel so much better. And at the end of the night coming home and seeing my lovely little tapestries all over the walls, my cute little rug and putting my heated blanket on ensured the day ended on a high!
Thank you for reading!
That was my move in day! It was full of busy moments, some chaos, and a lot of excitement. I’m ready to get into this next semester, make the most of being back at uni, explore York and the surroundings of my new home (I’ve seen a very tempting fish and chip shop just up the road) and enjoy the next chapter of my third year.
If you’re moving into student accommodation anytime soon, I hope this little behind-the-scenes of my day helps. I’ve got so many more tips stored in my brain about being a student in York, so I’ll most definitely be making more blogs and videos to share them!
I hope this helped make you feel more confident and excited about your move in day – from my experience in 3 different YSJ accommodations, they all have their quirks (and cats for some reason? All the YSJ accommodations seem to have resident cats haha) but you will have the best time in York wherever you live!
Thank you for reading!
-Amy 🙂
If you’re interested in finding out more about our accommodation here at YSJ, you can check our accommodation’s website, or our 360 video tours. You can also have a look at Amelie’s blog on Settling into University Accommodation.
