How to bond with your flatmates

Attempting to cook for yourself, navigating a new city, and running for 9 am lectures. First year is an intense experience and even more so whilst getting to know your flatmates.

Here are some ideas on how to break the ice.

1. Have a Mario Kart tournament. This can also be made into a drinking game with penalties based on your place in the game if that is what you are after.

2. Host a ‘Come Dine With Me’ night in. Depending on how many flatmates you have, two of

you can make a starter, two a main and two desserts. Its also a great opportunity to get

dressed up.

3. 'Photo roulette’ is an app that randomly selects images or videos from your camera roll. The rest of the players must guess whose image is on their screen. This one ensures you get to know each other well and can become pretty competitive. But rest assured, you do have

some control over the images used in the game.

4. Have a weekly film night where each flatmate gets to choose one film. We found that the worse the film, the better. Charity shops are perfect for finding films to get you started.

5. Host a cocktail/mocktail evening. Each person has to make a drink inspired by their degree or their hometown for the group.

6. Go pottery painting as a group; you could paint a communal item for the flat kitchen or a

trinket dish for your new room. This one can be a bit pricey, but makes a nice Sunday

afternoon activity, or day out for someone’s birthday.

7. Plan to do your weekly shop together. This may seem boring but is great when you first

arrive in halls or your flat. You will feel more organised and having a focus may alleviate

some of the awkwardness of your first conversations.

8. Don’t be afraid to knock on other flat doors. This might seem cliché and sound nerve

wracking, but everyone is in the same position as you and they want to get to know each

other.

Edited by Caitlin Hart