For those of you that know me personally, I went to university in September of 2012 in Aberdeen, to study Politics and International Relations. I moved into the most expensive halls, because I'm a massive plonker but I'm one of those people that needs an en-suite I suppose. After paying £5,600 for 40 weeks rent, I thought I'd just let everyone know a little bit about my experience in first year halls and do's and don't's of living in halls!
Do:
- Make sure you look at absolutely every different form of accommodation that your university has to offer for example, my university offered a range of different halls in different locations and of different prices. So if you're lazy and can't be bothered to walk very far to uni (like me) get the closest halls to the university campus. Make sure you ask around on your uni open days and find out which halls are the nicest, best for partying or studying, closest, cheapest - make sure you ask loads of questions!
- Think about what it will mean if you chose to live in a flat (usually of around five people) or living in the cheaper halls with around 10-20 rooms in a corridor with shared kitchen, bathroom, showers etc. If you're not the most sociable person, I'd advise having more people around; so living in a flat probably isn't the best idea, you kind of just get stuck in the flat with the same people - living in the halls with more people means more people to socialize with and you can pick your closest friends more easily which is more than beneficial for choosing a house in your second year.
- Be a considerate flatmate. Don't come in at four in the morning waking everyone in your flat, block and halls up. It's not fair! It will cause trouble that no one needs! Make sure you clean up after yourself, don't be unnecessarily loud and if you have a problem with anything, I've found, the best thing to do is speak to your flatmates about it - just let them know you're not happy about the way you've been treated. Don't keep it to yourself and let it build into something much bigger, it is most definitely not worth the hassle. Be honest, I always have, and it's worked out perfectly!
Don't:
- Live unhappily. If you don't get on with your flat mates, or you don't like your room, or can't bare to share a bathroom with five dirty, smelly people - complain! Make sure you make a complaint, there is always something someone can do for you. You can change rooms whenever you need to do so with ease. Accommodation are there to help you, so whatever you need they will be willing to help! You can literally complain about absolutely anything, noise, dirt, parties ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING. So don't panic, there is always something you can do.
- Be an awful flatmate. Don't have parties on week nights til four in the morning, most students do stay up til about two in the morning anyway so it doesn't matter if you're partying til quite late but any time after like four, be prepared for someone to complain - you should look into your halls leaflet, it will tell you everything. For Aberdeen University halls, you're technically not allowed to have more than 12 people in your flat, and not allowed to have music/to have a party after midnight. Most halls have security that will shut it down after this time, and if your name keeps cropping up - you could get in trouble!
- Rely on your flatmates. It would probably be a good idea to make loads of friends from your course, you cannot guarantee that you will be placed in a flat with people with the same interests as you. These people you'll find in societies, clubs, sports teams and on your course. Don't be shy about things, if you're into football, join the football team. If you like drinking cocktails, join the cocktail society. Your flatmates may not be into the same things as you, so be sure not to cut yourself off from the friends you could have had if you'd taken the time to join a society or club. Every university has hundreds of societies and clubs so you'll be sorted.
- Rely on people you know. You'll probably go to a uni where you'll know at least one person, the likelihood of you being put in the same halls is very very slim, and university is full of people that you'll get on with just as well so don't rely on people you already know