When you first move to university, your flatmates will be some of the first people that you’ll meet. Finding fun activities to do together can be a great way to break the ice, and if you’re stuck on what to do, here are ten activities to do together as a flat.
Take a walk together
There’s a lot to explore around the Canterbury campus! Take a look at the campus walking routes to find various paths around campus. Take in the campus’ natural beauty whilst keeping an eye out for those Kent bunnies. They’re everywhere!
Play a game
Board games can be a great way to get to know each other. You can organise a games night in your flat, or attend a board game night hosted by a student society. If you weren’t organised to bring any games, check out one of the board game shops in town or local charity shops for a real bargain!
Create decorations for communal spaces together
If you’re in a crafty mood, grab some canvasses, paint, and create some decorations for your flat. Get to know your flatmates and create something fun to brighten up your new place! Just make sure to check out the Accommodation Handbook to ensure all the decorations you create are allowed in your flat.
Get to know Kent Sport
Did you know that all students living on campus get a free Kent Sports Membership? Gather your flatmates and check out the gym or the range of classes on offer. Kent Sport offers both in-person instructor and virtual instructor classes that are a great way to hang out with your flatmates and break a sweat. From Yoga to Spin, they have it all, check out their class timetable for more info!
Plan a picnic
There are a lot of great parks to explore in Canterbury. Choose a nice day and pick up a grab-and-go lunch on offer at Dolche Vita, Gulbenkian, Mungos, Rutherford or Sibson, and check out one of the beautiful parks in Canterbury. Sit by the river and enjoy some sun at Westgate Gardens or explore Dane John Gardens. Alternatively, with the weather being poor right now, camp out in one of our onsite catering outlets to enjoy your food and treat yourself to a seasonal coffee or chocolate!
Check out some university events and meet your RLAs
There are always events going on on campus! Check out College and Community Life’s calendar of events to see all the events your Residental Life Assistants (RLAs) put on. Your RLAs are fellow students who are here to help you transition to university life and put on fun events for your college. Events range from quiz nights to painting in the garden – checking out an event together is a great way to bond with your flatmates. If you fancy something a bit more competitive, check out the ResLife Sports Cup, a monthly residential sports tournament taking place now!
Cook together
Sharing your favourite recipes from home can be a great way to break the ice with your flatmates. Each week you or one of your flatmates can choose a recipe for you all to prepare together. It’s a fun tradition to start either weekly or monthly, which will bring your flat together at the start and throughout the year. Alternatively, try hosting your own fun ‘Come Dine With Me’ event.
Create a Canterbury bucket list
There are lots of things to explore around Canterbury and the local area. Take some time as a flat to make a list of ten things you want to do together this year. Visit Canterbury has a wonderful collection of things to do throughout the year from Octoberfests and Christmas Markets to a visit to Canterbury Cathedral and a riverboat tour.
See a movie
Did you know that the University of Kent has an on-campus Cinema? The Gulbenkian has everything from the latest blockbusters to throwback movies. On Tuesdays, students can buy one ticket get one free making it super affordable to have a night out with flatmates. Add a Gulbenkian student membership to the mix and you can save even more money on screenings, theatre shows and food and drinks in the cafe!
Start a study hour
Even if you are not on the same course as your flatmates, it can still be fun and productive to study together. Pick a time each week for you and your flat to hit the books, it will bring your flat together and help you feel more relaxed and get prepped for your classes.
We hope you’ve found this guide helpful. If you have any suggestions on how the ResLife team can support students more with starting at university, email us with your thoughts!