Life in a student flat starts rough but gets colourful. The flat looked more squat than home, but we filled it with life. Forget glossy showrooms, so we searched markets. One mate found a sofa in Hackney. It looked like chaos, but that’s what made it ours. Vintage sofas feel alive, and students get that instinctively. I’ve crashed into a leather sofa after a night out, and the furniture was part of the night. Retro furniture feels natural here, and designers take inspiration from it.

I stopped by Smithers looking for stylish upholstered seating nothing, and everything felt alive, not plastic. We couldn’t afford much, but it’s become the throne of the house. We’ve all dragged furniture through rain. it’s half the fun. Armchairs don’t mind if you fall asleep in them. Catalogue gloss falls apart fast, but retro lasts. every creak is another laugh. By the end of the year, you don’t remember the kettle, but that funky accent chair is legend.

When you start student life, forget the catalogue shine. Take home something with scars, and see how it shapes your memories.