MMU First Year Home or Halls??? Help!

Hi

I am starting my degree in Mechanical Engineering at MMU in September and have a dilemna. Basically, I don't know whether to live at home with parents
or move into halls at uni. My nearest station is middlewood railway station which is 10 min walk away and then I would have a 35 to 40 minute
train journey to manchester oxford road station, making the total journey about 50 mins to 1hr.

I have spoken with two students friends from school who are both going into their second year (1 at MMU and 1 at UoM). (I had a gap year)
They both lived at home during they told me totally contrasting things. One said that he was "so glad" he had chosen to live with parents and save the loan/grant as it meant they could graduate with a total student debt (including tuition fees) of just £9000. He said knowing this had definitely made up for the fact that he had self admittedly not made any "real friends" or socialised at freshers or uni during his first year.

However, the other student I spoke to said that living at home during first year was a "terrible decision" as they had lost contact with all his friends from college (who had gone away to different unis all over the country), and, despite joining societies, he was not really able to make many new friends at uni or take part in freshers week/socials nights etc. He said he is definitely living at uni in second year. I asked him why he couldn't go on nights out with people off his course and he replied that generally people at uni tend to go out with those that live in their flat/halls/student house rather than going on nights out with their "seperate group" of friends from their course.

I was planning on living at home and travelling to MMU, however, the contrasting advice from these two students has really made me question my decision.
As freshers week looms, I am now starting to think more and more that I should have chosen to live in accomodation. Now I don't know if it is too late to book accomodation etc. as there is only 2 weeks until freshers starts

If I live at uni I will have to live in Opal or Unite Private halls (at a cost of at least £5500) because apparantly MMU have a strict policy of not giving students who live within 25 miles places in their own halls. I will also have to pay living costs, food, and socialising costs etc (as well as the £3.5k tuition fees). On the other hand, If I stay at home, my parents (kindly) do not charge me any rent and they would also buy my meals. In fact, if I stayed at home, my only expense would be travel costs (under £300 for the year) and tuition fees (which are covered by a loan like most students)

Obviously I will only get one shot at first year and want to make the right decision to get the most out of my uni experience. I would really, really appreciate any advice.

Thanks

James

Reply 1

Hannahbubbles

It all depends on whether you don't mind adding to your student debt. If it was me, I'd go to halls. My flatmate last year did the same course as you and he had a lot of contact hours, early starts etc... if you're a morning person then I suppose the travel isn't too bad, but your days are gonna be really long!

There are other private halls I'm sure.... I'm going to be living in Manchester student village, right on all saints campus, £86 per week. Look around!

And if you're afraid you'll miss out then you probably will.

I guess there are pros and cons to everything, just try to see what would suit you best!

(edited 12 years ago)

Manchester Metropolitan University

Manchester

Reply 2

Simone.xox

I'm living at home, and I'm really worried about the same things, like on a night out I'd have to pay loads of money to get home, and with the price of club events for Freshers I'm really put off. But I don't have another option, but in the long term think of the money.

I know someone who went to Manchester and lived at home for the whole three years, saved loads of money and managed to buy a house four years later, I kinda think although it may seem better to live in halls, at the end of the day when uni's finished a lot of students are just going to end up back at home, and I think sometimes indipendance is gained, but it can't last because student loans and having the ability to live away from home isn't going to last.

Just wanted to assure you, if you did live at home you wouldn't be the only MMU student doing so :smile:

Reply 3

Lizi-123

I personally loved halls and would have regretted living at home if that were an option. Sure it means more debt but I hear its not as crippling as it sounds as the pay back rate is reasonable. Also, you may grow apart from your friends at home and make lifelong friends at uni. That's what I did, although my boyfriend was the opposite. And in regards to the comment above about buying a house, me and my boyfriend have just graduated and I am doing a postgrad course whilst he is working but we realistically estimate we could afford to buy a house in the next couple of years (not being more well off than the normal student).

Pros of living in halls - independence, social life, less debt, making lifelong friends
Cons of living in halls - annoying flatmates, cost/debt

Pros of living at home - cheaper, avoid some debt
Cons of living at home - travelling, lower social life

At the end of the day you need to decide what you want out of uni - if its just the course you are going for then maybe living at home will be better, and you won't be the only one. But if you want the full university experience then living in halls might be better. It's not too late to find accommodation at this point although it might be a bit of a hassle

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