Leaving home soon?
Moving-out checklist
Every real-life practice task from the eight modules in the moving-out path, in one place. Ticks here are the same as the ticks in each lesson, so they stay in step, and they sync to your account if you are signed in.
204 tasks.
What leaving home really feels like
- Write down three feelings you expect to have in your first month away and one thing that would help with each.
- Ask one person who has moved away from home (a cousin, older friend or teacher) what surprised them most in their first month.
- Start a two-line evening journal now, so the habit is already in place when you move.
Preparing emotionally before you go
- Have a 15-minute conversation with a parent or carer about contact: how often, how and when you will review it.
- Write a goodbye list of five people and one thing you want to say to each.
- Find your future university's wellbeing or counselling page and save the contact details in your phone.
Your first week and first month plan
- Write your own first-week plan: three events to attend, two societies to try and one place to explore.
- Fill in a sample weekly timetable for your first month, including a Sunday evening activity.
- Set a reminder in your calendar for an end-of-month check-in with the questions from this lesson.
Homesickness in depth: a daily plan and when to get support
- Write your personal daily plan for a homesick week, with one item for morning, daytime, evening and bedtime.
- Write your most common homesick thought on a card with a kinder alternative.
- Save your future university's wellbeing contact and one UAE support line in your phone.
Staying close to family from far away
- Agree a call routine with your family and put it in both calendars, adjusted for any clock change.
- Work out the time difference between the UAE and a city you might study in, in both winter and summer.
- Plan one shared activity you could do on a video call, such as cooking a family recipe together.
Culture shock and reverse culture shock
- Write down three small things that might trigger culture shock for you abroad, and a comfort plan for each.
- Find one national or cultural society and one faith or interest group at a university you are considering.
- Before your first trip home, write a short list of things that may have changed for you and for your family.
Identity and independence: deciding who you want to be
- Write your top five values and one action for each that you could keep up at university.
- Choose one independence skill you feel least confident about and practise it three times this week.
- Start a decision log and record three decisions you make this week, with your reasons.
When and how to ask for help
- Find your (future) university's wellbeing, counselling and crisis pages and save the links in one note on your phone.
- Adapt one of the scripts in this lesson to your own words and keep it in your notes.
- Save 999, 998, 800-SAKINA and Itma'en 800506 in your phone contacts, plus the crisis number for the country you plan to study in.
Halls, private halls or a shared house: choosing your first student home
- Pick two accommodation options at a university you are interested in. For each, write the total yearly cost including bills, the contract length and the journey time to the main campus.
- Write your top five must-haves (for example: catered, en-suite, prayer room nearby, under 20 minutes to campus) and rank them.
- Find the accommodation office page of one university you are considering and note its application deadline.
Viewing a property: a room-by-room checklist
- Download Shelter's viewing checklist and use it to 'view' your own home or a relative's flat. Count how many items you could not answer.
- Write your own short list of ten viewing questions on your phone so it is ready for a real viewing.
- Practise the 'write it down within an hour' habit: after visiting any new place this week, note three things you liked and three concerns.
Rental scams and red flags
- Find three rental adverts for the same area online and compare their prices. Note anything that would make you suspicious.
- Do a reverse image search on one rental photo to see if it appears on other listings.
- Save the official reporting details for Dubai Police (app, e-Crime, 901) and Report Fraud (UK) in your phone contacts.
Move-in day: inventory, photos, meters and keys
- Do a practice inventory of your bedroom today: list every item and its condition, and take a dated walk-through video.
- Create a 'Home' folder in your cloud storage with subfolders for Contract, Inventory, Photos, Meters and Repairs.
- Write a short template email you could send on move-in day to report three faults, with space for photos and a request for a reference number.
Furnishing on a budget: what you actually need
- Find the room description for one accommodation you are considering and list what is provided and what you would need to bring.
- Draft a three-tier budget for furnishing your first room using the 60/30/10 split as a starting point.
- Write down the serial numbers of your laptop and phone and save them in a secure note.
Moving day plan and your first-night box
- Write a list of everything that would go in your first-night box and check whether you already own each item.
- Make a document folder (paper and digital) with copies of your passport, acceptance letter and any accommodation contract.
- Plan your moving day as a timeline from waking up to going to sleep, including travel, key collection and the first supermarket trip.
Setting up your room to study and sleep well
- Measure your current desk set-up against the HSE checklist: screen height, distance, keyboard and chair. Change one thing today.
- Move your phone charger away from your bed for one week and note any change in how quickly you fall asleep.
- Draw a simple floor plan of a typical student room (about 3 by 4 metres) and decide where you would put the desk and bed.
Moving out and getting your deposit back
- Write a moving-out timeline for an imaginary tenancy ending on 30 June, with dates for giving notice, cleaning, final readings and the check-out inspection.
- Draft a polite email asking a landlord to confirm your leaving date and when your deposit will be returned.
- List the five places in a flat you think are most often missed in a final clean, and how you would clean each.
What bills does a student home actually pay?
- Write a list of every bill your family home pays each month and ask a parent roughly how much each one costs.
- For a university city you are considering, find out from the accommodation website whether halls rent includes energy, water and internet.
- If you plan to study in the UK, find the page on your university website that explains how to get a council tax student certificate.
Setting up utilities on move-in day
- Write a one-page move-in checklist for your future home: meters, photos, supplier contacts, internet booking, council tax or Ejari.
- Find the electricity meter in your family home and practise reading it and photographing it clearly.
- Look up the DEWA move-in page (or your emirate's provider) and list the documents you would need.
Splitting bills fairly with flatmates
- Draft a one-page house money agreement you could use with future flatmates.
- Work out the split for this example: three flatmates, bills of 90, 30 and 45 pounds; then repeat for four flatmates.
- Practise writing a polite reminder message to a flatmate who has not paid their share.
Direct debits, standing orders and never missing a due date
- Make a bills calendar for an imaginary student flat with rent, energy, internet and phone, choosing a payment method for each.
- Find where in your banking app you can see and cancel direct debits, standing orders or recurring payments.
- Set a monthly phone reminder titled 'Check bills and balance' for the first weekend of each month.
Phone contracts, SIM-only plans and switching
- Check your current phone plan: monthly cost, data allowance, and when the contract ends.
- Look at your phone's data usage screen and note your average monthly use.
- Compare the total 24-month cost of a handset contract with buying the same phone outright plus a SIM-only plan.
Reading a bill and spotting errors
- Find an energy or DEWA bill at home and label the unit rate, standing charge (if any), readings and account number.
- Read your family's meter and compare it with the reading on the latest bill.
- Write your own complaint email template for a wrong bill and save it in your notes.
When you cannot pay a bill
- Write the priority order of bills for a UK student household using the Citizens Advice list.
- Save the Citizens Advice and StepChange contact details in your phone under 'Money help'.
- Practise the payment plan script out loud with a parent or friend.
Filing, keeping and closing household paperwork
- Create the 'Home' folder structure on your phone or laptop and save one real document into it.
- Write a move-out checklist covering meters, accounts, deposit and address changes.
- Pick a monthly date for your ten-minute paperwork routine and set a repeating reminder.
Planning a week of meals for one
- Mark next week's days as cooking, busy or eating-out days, then write a plan with the simplest meals on the busy days.
- Choose 2 or 3 anchor ingredients and plan at least two meals that use each one.
- Start a favourites list with 5 meals you can already make, or want to learn (see the Kitchen Skills module).
Writing a shopping list that works
- Take a shelfie of your fridge and cupboards, then write next week's list from your meal plan.
- Create a master staples note on your phone and organise it by shop layout.
- On your next shop, do not buy anything that is not on the list, and note how much you spent compared with usual.
Supermarket strategies: getting more for your money
- Compare the unit price of two sizes or brands of 3 things you buy every week, and switch where it saves money.
- Swap 3 branded items for own-brand versions for a fortnight and decide which you would keep.
- Find out what time your nearest shop reduces chilled food, and plan one reduced-price meal you will freeze or cook that day.
Reading food labels: traffic lights, ingredients and dates
- Compare two versions of one product you buy often (sauce, cereal, yoghurt) using traffic lights or the per 100 g figures, and pick the better one.
- Check the dates on 5 items in your fridge and sort them into use-by (safety) and best before (quality).
- Write the opening date on the next jar or sauce you open.
Stocking your cupboard, fridge and freezer for one
- Put a thermometer in your fridge (or borrow one) and adjust the dial if it reads above 5°C.
- Write a store-cupboard checklist and tick off what you have; add the gaps to your next shop.
- Divide the next large pack of meat you buy into labelled single portions and freeze them the same day.
Meal prep and packed lunches
- Plan and do one 60 to 90 minute prep session this weekend that gives you at least 4 lunches.
- Buy or find an insulated lunch bag and two freezer packs (or freeze a water bottle the night before).
- Track what you spend on lunch for one week of buying and one week of prepping, and compare.
Eating well on a tight budget: a worked week
- Set a weekly food budget and track every food purchase for 7 days.
- Price your own version of the worked week using a supermarket app or receipts near you.
- Cook one meal where you replace half the meat with lentils or beans, and note the cost per portion.
Finding halal food abroad
- Ask your family which halal certification they are comfortable with, and learn its logo.
- Search for certified butchers and halal restaurants near your future university and list two to visit in your first week.
- Read the ingredients on three sweets or desserts you like and check for gelatine or alcohol.
Cooking for one without waste
- Weigh 75 g of dried pasta or rice and find a cup or mug that holds about that much.
- Cook one 4-portion recipe, eat one, chill one and freeze two labelled portions.
- Keep a waste log for two weeks and change one thing on your shopping list because of it.
Online groceries and delivery apps versus cooking
- Add up all the fees, charges and tips on your last 3 delivery orders and work out what percentage of the food cost they were.
- Compare the price of 5 items you often buy in a rapid delivery app with the same items in your nearest shop.
- Replace one delivery meal this week with a 'fakeaway' you cook, and note the difference in cost.
Registering with a doctor where you study
- Find the GP surgery, student health centre or in-network clinic nearest to where you will live and save its details in your phone.
- If you are heading to England, open the NHS 'Register with a GP surgery' page and read through the form so nothing surprises you.
- If you are heading to the US, find your university's insurance waiver deadline and add it to your calendar with a reminder a week before.
Health insurance decoded: cards, networks and co-pays
- Find your health insurance card, photograph both sides and save the insurer's helpline number in your contacts.
- Open your policy's table of benefits and write down four numbers: your outpatient co-pay or percentage, the per-visit cap, the medicines co-pay and any deductible.
- Use the insurer's app or website to find two in-network clinics and one in-network pharmacy near where you will live.
Claims, pre-approval and avoiding surprise bills
- Find your insurer's claim form and claim deadline and save the link in your notes.
- Create a phone folder called 'Health receipts' with subfolders by year.
- Write the pre-approval script in your phone notes so you can read it out next time a doctor orders a scan.
Booking and preparing for an appointment
- Write a symptom note for any minor problem you have had recently, using the What, When, What changes it, What you have tried and Your worry headings.
- Save the phone booking script in your phone notes, with your date of birth and surgery name filled in.
- Make a list of every medicine, vitamin and supplement you take, with doses.
Pharmacy, 111, urgent care, A&E or 999: choosing the right help
- Find your nearest pharmacy, urgent care centre and emergency department where you will live, and save all three in your maps app.
- Write a one-page 'where to go' card for your fridge or phone: pharmacy, GP, 111 or local equivalent, urgent care, emergency number.
- Practise what you would say on an emergency call: your full address, a landmark and your phone number.
Repeat prescriptions and taking your regular medicines abroad
- Make a list of every regular medicine you take, with generic name, dose and how often, and ask a pharmacist or doctor whether any are controlled.
- Set a recurring reminder seven days before each medicine usually runs out.
- If you will travel to or through the UAE with a regular medicine, look up the MOHAP personal-use import service and check whether yours needs a permit.
Dentist and optician
- Check when your last dental check-up and eye test were, and book one before you leave home if it has been a while.
- Look in your insurance table of benefits for 'dental' and 'optical' cover and note what is included.
- Photograph your glasses or contact lens prescription and save it with your medical record.
Vaccinations before and at university
- Find your vaccination record and check whether it shows MenACWY and two doses of MMR.
- Look up your university's or country's vaccination requirements and note any deadlines.
- Save the meningitis symptoms list in your phone notes and share it with a friend going to university.
Your personal medical record: blood group, allergies and medical ID
- Write your one-page medical record using the headings in this lesson and save it securely.
- Set up the medical ID on your phone with allergies, conditions, medicines and two emergency contacts, and switch on Show When Locked.
- Ask your family whether you have a blood group result from an actual test; if not, leave that line blank.
Health on a budget
- Check whether you qualify for free NHS dental treatment or eye tests before your 19th birthday, and book if you do.
- Next time you buy a painkiller, compare a branded and a pharmacy own-brand box: note the active ingredient, strength and price.
- Add a monthly 'health' line to your budget and decide how much to put in it.
Your weekly admin hour
- Choose a weekly time for your admin hour and add it to your calendar as a repeating event with a reminder.
- Create an 'Admin' folder in your cloud storage with five or six subfolders, and move three important documents into it.
- Run your first admin hour using the checklist above and note how long each part took.
Calendars and reminders that actually work
- Put every deadline you know for the next eight weeks into one calendar, each with two reminders.
- Set default notifications for your main calendar so new events get a reminder automatically.
- Choose one big assignment and plan it backwards with a fake deadline three days early.
A simple to-do system: capture, prioritise, review
- Do a 10-minute brain dump of everything on your mind, then rewrite five items as clear next actions.
- Sort your list into the four urgent and important boxes and schedule two 'important but not urgent' tasks in your calendar.
- For one week, choose your top three tasks each morning and note how many you complete.
Taming your email
- Add your university email to your phone and set two fixed times a day to check it.
- Create two filters, one labelling university messages and one sending newsletters to a 'Read later' label.
- Process your inbox using delete, delegate, respond, defer or do until nothing in it needs a decision.
Managing your accounts and recovery details
- Write an account inventory of your 10 most important accounts, noting linked email, phone number and whether 2SV is on.
- Update the recovery phone and email on your three most important accounts if any are out of date.
- Download or move any work you want to keep from a school account.
Keeping track of important dates: IDs, visas and renewals
- Create your important dates table with at least six documents and their expiry dates.
- Add a calendar reminder for each one, set months before expiry.
- Check your passport against the entry rules for the next country you plan to visit.
Digital declutter: subscriptions, files and phone
- List every recurring payment from the last three months and total the monthly cost.
- Cancel at least one subscription you have not used in the last month, using the official app store or company steps.
- Back up your important files, then clear your downloads folder.
When life admin goes wrong
- Find your university's (or future university's) extension and extenuating circumstances policy and note the request deadline.
- Write a template apology email you could adapt for a missed deadline.
- Check that every regular payment you make has an automatic payment or a reminder set.
Locking up properly: doors, windows and keys
- On your next day at home, walk round your flat or room and check every lock, including windows and the balcony. Write down anything faulty.
- If anything is faulty, email your landlord or accommodation office today describing the problem and asking when it will be fixed.
- Pick a permanent place for your keys, away from the door, and use it all week.
Visitors, tradespeople and landlord visits
- Ask your energy or water supplier whether they offer a password scheme for callers, and set one up if they do.
- Find your tenancy agreement and note what it says about landlord visits and notice.
- Save your landlord's and building management's official numbers in your phone so you can check any caller quickly.
Keeping your address private offline
- Collect any old letters and parcel labels in your room and shred or destroy them.
- If you are registered to vote in the UK, check whether you are on the open register and opt out if you want to.
- Review the name and delivery notes on your food and parcel apps.
Your arrival routine: getting home and getting in
- Agree a 'home safe' message routine with one friend or family member this week.
- Try Check In (iPhone) or Emergency sharing (Android) once on a short trip so you know how it works.
- On your next arrival home, practise: key ready, look at the door, lock it behind you.
If you think someone has been in your home
- Write down, in your phone's notes, the serial numbers of your laptop, phone and other valuable items.
- Save your local police non-emergency number (101 in the UK, 901 for Dubai Police) in your contacts.
- Check that 'find my device' is switched on for your phone and laptop.
Power cuts and water outages
- Save your local power and water emergency numbers in your phone today.
- Put together a mini outage kit: torch, batteries, power bank, water, and snacks that need no cooking.
- Find your fuse box or consumer unit so you can check it in the dark.
Small fire habits: candles, chargers and batteries
- Do the bedtime fire check every night this week.
- Look at every charger and extension lead in your room: replace any that are cheap unbranded copies, damaged or overloaded.
- If you have flatmates, agree where any e-bikes or e-scooters will be stored and charged.
Your personal emergency plan and ICE contacts
- Set up Medical ID (iPhone) or emergency information (Android) with at least one ICE contact today.
- Write your one-page emergency plan and send a copy to a family member.
- Agree a regular check-in with one person and decide what they will do if you go quiet.
Before you arrive: enrolment, reading lists and confirming your room
- Make a pre-arrival tracker with five rows: IT account, online registration, student card photo, accommodation confirmation, reading list. Add a deadline and a 'done' box to each.
- Find your department's welcome or new-student page and write down three things it asks you to do before you arrive.
- Take a passport-style photo against a plain wall and save it as a .jpg ready for your student card application.
Freshers' week and orientation: using it well
- Before your first week, write a three-column plan (admin, social, rest) for each of the first five days.
- Prepare and practise two conversation openers and one polite way to leave a conversation.
- Choose two events from your university's welcome week programme that do not involve a night out.
Lectures, seminars, labs and the VLE in practice
- Log in to your VLE, turn on assignment notifications and download the handbook for every module.
- For your next seminar, write down one point you agree with and one question from the reading, and say at least one of them aloud.
- If you have labs, find the safety rules and dress code for your department and check you have the right shoes and protective equipment.
Office hours, lecturers and your personal tutor
- Find the office hours for two of your modules and add them to your calendar.
- Write a short email to a lecturer asking to discuss one specific question, using the structure in this lesson. Send it if you have a real question.
- Before your next personal tutor meeting, write down three topics to discuss.
Your university library: finding, borrowing and getting help
- Find one book from your reading list in the library catalogue and write down its shelf number and whether it is available as an e-book.
- Look up your subject librarian's name and the list of recommended databases for your subject.
- Search one database for a topic from your course and save the full details of one useful article.
Societies, clubs and the students' union
- Look at your SU's list of societies and shortlist three: one academic or career, one skill or hobby, one community.
- Go to one taster session for a society you would never normally try.
- If you are already in a society, offer to help with one task at the next event.
Assessment and feedback at university
- Download the marking criteria for one upcoming assignment and write, next to each criterion, how you will meet it.
- Start a feedback log with your most recent marked piece of work and one action for next time.
- Find out whether your modules offer any formative tasks this term and add them to your calendar.
Does first year count? Grades, progression and using your summers
- Find your programme regulations and write down: does first year count towards your final result, what is the pass mark, and how many credits you need to progress.
- List three summer options from your careers service website and note their application deadlines.
- If you study in a GPA system, calculate your current or predicted term GPA using the method in this lesson.
From lifereadysociety.com/checklist/. Each task links back to the lesson that explains it.