Most students will spend their first year at university in university halls, grouped together with a number of people their age who they have never met before. I have spent the last five months living in halls, sharing a flat with around twenty other students studying a range of degrees and from all across the country and beyond. There are pros and cons to living in halls. Some moments in these past five months have been brilliant. Some, less so.
Pros:
Meeting new people: There is no denying that I have met some amazing people through living in halls. When I applied for accommodation, the only choice I got as to who I lived with was if I wanted to stay in a mixed sex flat or an all-girl flat, and nobody in my flat knew anybody else when we moved in. Some of the people I live with are wonderful, and I’ve no doubt that I’ll miss them when I leave halls.
Finding future house mates: For a lot of students, its people in their flat that they chose to rent a house with in second year and beyond, rather than the friends they’ve made on their course, and staying in some other kind of accommodation limits your options for second and third year.
Living independently: For most students, living in halls is the first time that they’ve had to look after themselves for a significantly long period of time. Living in halls gives you access to a kitchen (some larger than others) if you’ve chosen self-catering accommodation, and there’s only so long you can live off of beans on toast before you decide to give the cooker a try. Living independently isn’t just about cooking, of course, but doing the washing, budgeting, and cleaning are all things you’re going to have to get used to before you start “real life” and you might as well start at halls.
Bills are included: Free WIFI (when it isn’t cutting out), heating and water included in accommodation price. Living in halls can be (if you chose the right halls) very cheap. Always a bonus when you’re living on a student budget.
Cons:
“When it isn’t cutting out”: A lot of people have problems connecting to the WIFI in our halls. This isn’t too big an issue most of the time, but is worth bearing in mind if you’re internet dependent.
Sometimes your flat mates are jerks: Sometimes you end up with a few flat mates who you don’t get along with so well. Some universities run a service that allows people to change rooms near the beginning of the year if you find yourself with a group of people you really don’t get along with. Sometimes you’ll just have to grit your teeth and bare it. One year isn’t that bad, right?
Milk wars: Or just general fridge wars. Whilst it’s possible to put a lock on your cupboard or keep your food in your room, most halls won’t let you have a fridge in your room, and you’re going to be sharing one with the rest of your flat. And there is nothing you can do (besides sitting guard all the time) to stop your milk being drunk by other people.
(Fun story: one time someone in my flat drank the last of my milk. It was about a week out of date, but I was being a stingy student and doing the “sniff check” to ensure it hadn’t gone off yet. I’ve no idea if whoever drank my milk did any checks. If not, I’m sure karma got them)
Other fridge war stories include fighting over your shelf, having other food stuffs stolen, and people changing the temperature on the fridge.
Noisy, messy people: Your flat mates can be the nicest people in the world, and still make a mess and keep you up all night. Another thing to bear in mind.
The Ghoul Student 