Things You Learn About Yourself From Having To Share Accommodation
Sharing an accommodation can sound scary, but Final Year Law Student Liang shows how it’s all worth it.
Apart from preparing for settling into life in Belfast, one of the most daunting thing to prepare is to live in Belfast. After months of planning and researching, I’ve come to the decision to live own campus: at Queen’s Accommodation Elms BT2.
Fast forward a month later, I am settling in well to the place. With a few funny stories, comes a few life lessons that I’ve learnt to cherish in the days to come. So here’s a few things I learnt about myself from having to share a place with 4 Flat Mates.
1. You learn how to cook and enjoy your own cooking
Prior to coming to Belfast, I worked as a Barista at a Café. However, learning to survive on my cooking is another whole story. Through making mistakes in the kitchen, eventually I learnt how to work around the kitchen and learn new recipes.
As of now, I would share my groceries with my friend and he will come over to eat at place on a daily basis.
2. You Learn How to Live With New People in a New Place
Interesting thing for me is that I’m living with 4 other flatmates who are from China. Now, coming from Malaysia I grew in a South East Asian environment and a part of me wanted to experience living with international flat mates.
Nevertheless, it was a matter time to adapt with the new situation and I can now say I’m grateful for them to be my flatmates.
3. You Learn How To Shoulder Your Own Responsibility
Back home, I only had to live with my brother. Even then we were living in the comfort of our own home. Being in a foreign country and living with new complete strangers, there are certainly some changes that needs to be made.
Well for one, our flat is comparatively quiet compared to the rest as I live in a Quiet Living Area. That was one thing I had to adapt when I first moved in. We also had to set up a daily cleaning roaster to ensure our flat is constantly kept clean.
4. You Will Learn To Manage Your Time Like A Boss
Living with new flatmates means that everyone has their own schedule. It was interesting to coordinate with my flat mates as to timing we were using the kitchen every-day.
This tends to get better as time progress once you’ve familiarize yourself with your flatmate schedules and timing.
Once you master your time, you become a master of your own time. (Get it?) It can be tough but practice makes perfect.
5. Things Will Eventually Work Out And You Will Get The Hang Of It
Now for most of us who are living alone for the first time, it can be tough. Managing your own finance, planning your own time and cooking for your own may sound difficult at first.
However, trust me when I say that we all live through and learn from our mistakes, because we really do. I used to struggle to cook on my own the first week I arrived in Belfast but now I enjoy cooking!
Want to join Liang and his pals? Find out more about studying Law at Queen's and check out the great accommodation options available.
Hew Hoong LiangLLB Law| 3rd year |MalaysiaHi there! I am a 21 year old Malaysian pursuing my final year of law degree in Queen's University. Nature lover, part time geek and a passionate writer. My passion for writing started to developed into a skill when I served as writer and journalist of a legal tech startup back in Malaysia. Now, I am casual blogger looking to share my experiences and thoughts in Queen's through my writing. I hope my blog serves as a unique point of interest for Malaysian students like me who are studying at Queen's or thinking about coming here! Fun fact: I am trilingual and I love to explore and get lost in different cultures and traditions. |
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