A guide for navigating uni life if you are neurodivergent (and also if you’re not)

September heralds the start of big changes for all students, from little ones starting out in school nursery, right through to those at the latter stages of their formal educational journey. In the UK there are approximately 500,000 under-graduates off for their first taste of life away from home – and of those it is estimated that 7% are neurodivergent (that’s around 35,000 students if my maths serves me). You aren’t alone!

For anyone, leaving home is exciting and overwhelming all at once. But if you’re autistic or have ADHD, the shift can feel extra huge: new routines, new people, new expectations. The good news is that you can absolutely thrive, especially if you go in prepared. Remember, everyone needs to adapt to successfully adjust to university life; and everyone’s journey is unique to them.

Here are some tips to help you set yourself up and be ready for some of the challenges that studying away from home can throw up:

Build a good support network

Think of your connections as your personal safety net. Everyone needs this – and even if you’re completely confident and independent, it helps to know who you can turn to.

Family and friends: Schedule regular calls or check-ins. Knowing you have a set time to chat can ease homesickness.

Uni support services: Most universities have disability advisors, mental health services, or student support centres. Reach out before you arrive so you’re not scrambling later. You can keep it as low key as you prefer.

Peer groups: Look for clubs that align with your interests. Having regular commitments to people and times of the week is a great regulator. It’s also the perfect way to meet people and you’ll immediately have shared interests as common ground and talking points.

Create structure

Routines can be grounding, especially when everything else is new. Here are a few things that might help:

Plan the basics: Decide when and where you’ll do your grocery shop, your laundry (and whether that works with money, a token or via an app), and clean your room. Diarise your chores or put them on a visual planner.

Academic timetable: Familiarise yourself with your lectures, group sessions and other academic commitments – some will be weekly and others less regular. Be prepared for some flexibility and changes. Also find out if your lectures are live streamed or recorded for later reference.

Visual reminders: Whiteboards, sticky notes, or phone reminders are lifesavers when you are juggling too many tabs, especially when there are a lot of new things to get used to all at once.

Familiarise yourself with your new world

The unknown can be stressful, so shrink it down.

Visit if you can: Walk around campus before term starts. Practise finding your lecture hall, classrooms, the library, and any quiet spots you might like to retreat to.

Check the website: Many unis have virtual tours or maps. Familiarity, and an awareness of where your key hangouts are, will make the first week feel less overwhelming.

Accommodation prep: Bring comforting items from home (your favourite blanket, noise-cancelling headphones, or your own pillow for example). Making your space feel safe is important. Other useful things to bring include photos, books and other reassuring items.

Explore your town: One of the greatest joys is relocating to a new town or city where there are lots of new and interesting things to discover. Take your time and get to know your surroundings, a little at a time. If you have chance to spend time there before moving day, make the most of local guides and maps and online information. Follow your uni and city on Instagram for regular research.

Make it about you

It’s easy to get caught up in Freshers’ Week pressure, but you don’t have to do everything. Uni life is a melting pot of social, academic, clubs (raves or chess, you choose) but also for somewhere to feel totally at home – find a coffee shop, regular walk or run, great cinema – and call them your own.

Pick your parties: If big parties aren’t your thing, try smaller gatherings or interest-based clubs.

Know your limits: Say yes to things that you want to do, and say no to the rest, whilst keeping new things on your radar for later consideration. You can always decline politely and ask people to ask you again in a few weeks.

Ask for adjustments: Whether it’s lecture recordings, extra time in exams, or a quieter study space, you’re entitled to support. Don’t wait until you’re drowning to ask. It’s likely that you’ll find uni support quite different to most kinds of support you’ve had at school.

Coping strategies for the tough times

Even with planning, rough days will happen, they happen to everyone. Here are some ‘in case of emergency’ ideas:

Sensory kit: Noise-cancelling headphones, fidget toys, sunglasses, or a weighted blanket -whatever soothes your system and makes you feel better.

Break tasks down: “Write essay” is overwhelming. “Open laptop” → “Find article” → “Write 100 words” is do-able. Approach all the big tasks like this, not just the academic challenges.

Grounding routines: A walk, catnap, listening to music, or brewing tea can reset your brain when it’s spiralling. Quiet, private meditation is good for everyone when overwhelm threatens our peace.

Final thoughts

Communal living takes some getting used to, especially if your room is next to the kitchen or main entrance. It can be noisy and might take some time to get used to each other but bear with it and you’ll soon find your own rhythm and work-arounds.

Uni isn’t about doing everything perfectly. It’s about learning, exploring, and figuring out what works for you. With the right scaffolding: your support network, routines, and self-awareness, you’ll thrive.

Your fellow first-year students will all be joining from different parts of the country, some from abroad, so everyone will feel displaced and unsettled. Just because some aren’t showing it (or are louder than the rest) doesn’t mean they feel any more at home that you do.

It’s also worth noting that rough days, difficult times and challenges present themselves in life, wherever you are. To quote Pretty Woman… ‘it’s just geography’.

Be kind to yourself, lean on your supports, celebrate the small wins and enjoy it.

You’ve got this.

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Takeaway checklist

✅ Set up regular check-ins with family or friends

✅ Contact disability advisors or student support before term starts

✅ Find peer groups or societies where you’ll feel at home

✅ Plan out laundry, shopping, and cleaning routines

✅ Map your class timetable and block study times

✅ Use reminders: whiteboards, sticky notes, phone alarms

✅ Visit campus (or do a virtual tour) before you arrive

✅ Pack comfort/sensory items for your room

✅ Decide what social events you want to do

✅ Request any academic adjustments you need early on

✅ Put together a sensory/coping kit

✅ Break big tasks into small, manageable steps

✅ Create grounding routines for when overwhelm hits