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Should I live at home or in uni halls?

TheArabian

Don't go for halls, they have many bad points, you don't know what people you'll accommodate with, you've to cook, go shopping, clean, etc. More responsibilities and more costs. Buy yourself a decent car or go for a trip outside the UK, that will be better, in my humble opinion.

sorry but if you think it's a bad point that you have to cook, clean and go shopping for yourself then you live a very sheltered life.
going to university is the time to grow up and the time for people to learn how to do things for themselves (for those mollycoddled youngens who don't know how to already).
i'd personally say that halls is one of the best parts of uni, perfect opportunity to make plenty of friends and truly get involved in everything that's going on. i also think when you go to uni you should be making new friends, experiencing new things, basically just growing up, not sticking to what you know and what you've been doing for the past 18 years (depending).

Reply 81

ch0llima

16

Looks like TSR **** itself again, I just got a subscription e-mail for this even though the last reply is ancient.

I'll reiterate what I've told others: move out. If you're voluntarily staying at home (without good reason) and shunning University life in favour of having what's essentially another four years at school, as well as deliberately choosing a University with commuting in mind, then that's a pretty sad situation and people are justified in calling you a loser. Money isn't a reasonable excuse, because I've known a good few people in halls who are seriously poor and can only afford freshers' week and maybe another 4-5 nights out a semester on top of their rent and food. If they can do it, then so can you.

There's a reason why Cambridge decrees that all its first year new freshers have to live in college accommodation (as was the case in 2002 when my brother started there), you know. They expect proper commitment to University life, and a continuing academic duty, instead of this spazzing about at home doing nothing and snubbing the whole thing while your peers throw themselves in at the deep end, break out of their comfort zones and have the time of their lives.

I went to a University which had many students living at home and, really, it was just plain depressing seeing them zipping off home at 11am when classes finished - can't stay to help us out on our team project or even a quick bite to eat? Hell no, just gotta get home and do **** all like some vast slug while the rest of us are bonding and developing. I really wish more places had the Cambridge regulations as it would really solve a lot of problems for all concerned.

Sorry if this sounds harsh and blunt, but it's an opinion I've held really close for a long time now.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 82

TheSownRose

16

ch0llima

Looks like TSR **** itself again, I just got a subscription e-mail for this even though the last reply is ancient.

I'll reiterate what I've told others: move out. If you're voluntarily staying at home (without good reason) and shunning University life in favour of having what's essentially another four years at school, as well as deliberately choosing a University with commuting in mind, then that's a pretty sad situation and people are justified in calling you a loser. Money isn't a reasonable excuse, because I've known a good few people in halls who are seriously poor and can only afford freshers' week and maybe another 4-5 nights out a semester on top of their rent and food. If they can do it, then so can you.

There's a reason why Cambridge decrees that all its first year new freshers have to live in college accommodation (as was the case in 2002 when my brother started there), you know. They expect proper commitment to University life, and a continuing academic duty, instead of this spazzing about at home doing nothing and snubbing the whole thing while your peers throw themselves in at the deep end, break out of their comfort zones and have the time of their lives.

I went to a University which had many students living at home and, really, it was just plain depressing seeing them zipping off home at 11am when classes finished - can't stay to help us out on our team project or even a quick bite to eat? Hell no, just gotta get home and do **** all like some vast slug while the rest of us are bonding and developing. I really wish more places had the Cambridge regulations as it would really solve a lot of problems for all concerned.

Sorry if this sounds harsh and blunt, but it's an opinion I've held really close for a long time now.

Do you have this much contempt for people who happened to go to a university nearby - maybe it's the best for their course, maybe it's the only one they could get into, whatever reason apart from specifically planning it to live at home - and couldn't really justify spending £4.5k to live in a small room when they have a perfectly good house ten or fifteen minutes down the road?

Also, what makes you think people do **** all when they're at home? Just because they're not with you doing something doesn't mean they're doing nothing...

Second also, 'problems for all concerned'? It seems to me like you're the only one who has a problem there. So there should be a widespread requirement to force people to live away to stop you being annoyed that they wouldn't eat with you?

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 83

RGH7100

I'm seriously considering staying at home in this economic climate. If it wasn't for the money I'd go for sure. It's not right to slag people off who can't live out- you don't know the reasons. As for people who don't want to do things for themselves, they need to wake up! How long do you think your parents will be around to clean up after you!??

Reply 84

daisychainn

I'm staying at home purely for financial reasons. I don't live in a very nice neighborhood and i'm one of the few people there who want to go to university and have done well enough in their a-levels to be accepted. I think i can manage spending another 3 years here whilst saving some money up (I also won't be spending my student grant so i can put that aside), but i'd absolutely hate it if i moved out for 3 years and then had to come back and live here. It's the best option, i'm not over the moon about it but i'm trying to think sensibly and make an effort to join in, so i can feel like i had at least some of the university experience. I'm also going to join the off campus society and do some volunteering to try and meet more people.

I think people are really naive if they think loads of people just stay at home so they can have stuff done for them. I cook all my meals, do my own washing, clean the house - i'd already class myself as independent. There are a lot of other reasons why people stay at home during uni.

And people who stay in halls might have a better uni experience, but everyone i know who stayed in halls are now living back with their parents having everything done for them, even though they're 23+...

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 85

ch0llima

16

TheSownRose

Do you have this much contempt for people who happened to go to a university nearby

Yes, if they're self-righteous and obviously in denial as you are.

maybe it's the best for their course,

TheSownRose

maybe it's the only one they could get into

Mitigating circumstances? Okay, fair enough on a case-by-case basis like a parent died or the student developed cancer or something else which affected their ability to study for the important exams they needed.

If it's down to sheer laziness, then pass me my violin.

TheSownRose

whatever reason apart from specifically planning it to live at home - and couldn't really justify spending £4.5k to live in a small room when they have a perfectly good house ten or fifteen minutes down the road?

I know somebody who has graduated, is 25 and earning £27k a year. Still living at home, has very few friends, not a lot extra-curricular on his CV and his four years at Uni appear to me to have been a total waste. You're telling me he's too poor to move out, are you? Oh yeah - his place of employment is 50 mins away and he drives both ways every single damn day, and the town he works in isn't a total hole and is so much cheaper to live in than his hometown.

I specifically remember you saying you'd set a limit on how far away from home your University would be. It follows with me betting that you also get your dream Optometry job within farting distance of your family home. If you don't move out now, there's a high chance you never will or, at the very least, it'll take you years; move out of your comfort zone, see the world and develop as a person - halls is the best place to do that, guaranteed, and it gives you a ready made social group from which to expand your network of friends and try out new experiences. Another recent graduate I know still goes back to his family home every single weekend, even though it's 2.5hrs away.

I know somebody else in halls whose parents live 40 mins away. His dad earns £18k and his mum is on incapacity benefit, but guess what? This guy lives in halls quite comfortably as he's got grants and loans; to be fair, he can't afford too many nights out and his diet is relatively basic but his social life and personal development is on par with everybody else.

Also, £4.5k?? Maybe in St Andrews (hell, £4.5k is cheap for the St Andrews hall system unless you move into Fife Park), but by and large I've never paid more than £3.6k and I've lived like a king.

TheSownRose

Also, what makes you think people do **** all when they're at home? Just because they're not with you doing something doesn't mean they're doing nothing...

Ever come within two hours of failing a team project worth 40% of your grade because two of your teammates have pissed off home at 3pm and aren't doing any work because they're "at home" and therefore shouldn't have to?

I have. Me and another guy had to turn it around ourselves. Thank God for peer assessment forms and my ability to talk my way out of pretty much anything and everything.

The guy who goes home with the 2.5hrs journey every weekend really hit a wall with his final year project because he had too many distractions at home and his parents made him work to pay them keep (his dad earns £70k as well).

Working like Trojans, the lot of them.

TheSownRose

Second also, 'problems for all concerned'? It seems to me like you're the only one who has a problem there.

No, I think you do. You're showing clear signs of being in denial and selective with the evidence with which you're being presented. My opinion appears to be null and void because it doesn't coincide with mine. Feel free to say the same about me, because I don't really care.

"All concerned"?? Read what I said above about my team project, please. But I suppose you're subscribed to their school of thought as well.

So there should be a widespread requirement to force people to live away to stop you being annoyed that they wouldn't eat with you?

Pfft, interpretation fail. The "quick bite to eat" falls under "socialising" - get a dictionary. Who said I was actually annoyed about them not eating with me? Not annoyed at all; it's their loss and I've got other folk from my course who are open to socialising as they live away.

You've got yourself quite the logical entanglement here.

Have fun :h:

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 86

TheSownRose

16

ch0llima

Yes, if they're self-righteous and obviously in denial as you are.

maybe it's the best for their course,

Oh, good to know that you allow them to then.

Mitigating circumstances? Okay, fair enough on a case-by-case basis like a parent died or the student developed cancer or something else which affected their ability to study for the important exams they needed.

If it's down to sheer laziness, then pass me my violin.

Nothing to do with laziness. For example, medicine and they only get one offer for it, not unusual and actually better than a substantial percentage of medicine applicants.

I know somebody who has graduated, is 25 and earning £27k a year. Still living at home, has very few friends, not a lot extra-curricular on his CV and his four years at Uni appear to me to have been a total waste. You're telling me he's too poor to move out, are you? Oh yeah - his place of employment is 50 mins away and he drives both ways every single damn day, and the town he works in isn't a total hole and is so much cheaper to live in than his hometown.

Then that's something down to him, or maybe he's happier having few friends? Either way, I fail to see how it has a definite link with living at home during uni. Not too poor, but that's hardly the only consideration.

I specifically remember you saying you'd set a limit on how far away from home your University would be.

Actually, what I think you remember is "there's a limit to how far a uni would be away from my house and I'd still commute to it" ... which is true. If I'd gone to York, I wouldn't have commuted from Cambridge to York. I never applied for ARU with the intention of living at home - it was the only optometry course I could apply for, because of how I got into it.

If you don't move out now, there's a high chance you never will or, at the very least, it'll take you years; move out of your comfort zone, see the world and develop as a person - halls is the best place to do that, guaranteed

1) My father lived with his parents until he was twenty-seven, when he moved in with my mother because she (and her mother; my father bought my grandmother out, and she went to live near her other daughter afterwards) had central heating. He seems to have done absolutely fine in life.

2) You have got to be joking that you thinking living in halls with a few randomly selected people is the best place to 'see the world'.

Also, £4.5k?? Maybe in St Andrews (hell, £4.5k is cheap for the St Andrews hall system unless you move into Fife Park), but by and large I've never paid more than £3.6k and I've lived like a king.

My original choice had been LSE - would have been £4.5k and more.

Ever come within two hours of failing a team project worth 40% of your grade because two of your teammates have pissed off home at 3pm and aren't doing any work because they're "at home" and therefore shouldn't have to?

I have. Me and another guy had to turn it around ourselves. Thank God for peer assessment forms and my ability to talk my way out of pretty much anything and everything.

No, I haven't. I was the one in the library until 2000 hours working on the team presentation whilst the people who lived ten and fifteen minute walks away were p*ssing around in their halls ... and that was the whole grade. They only showed up to one rehearsal, and it was the last one, so it was only by talking our way out of it with the questions that the three of us who had worked on it got a semi-respectable grade.

The three of us were all commuters, and one of us had a daughter seriously ill at the time.

No, I think you do. You're showing clear signs of being in denial and selective with the evidence with which you're being presented. My opinion appears to be null and void because it doesn't coincide with mine. Feel free to say the same about me, because I don't really care.

We both are being selective - you're only presenting the cases of people who lived at home and were somehow worse off for it. Your opinion isn't void, I just don't agree with it. I can tell you that I work bloody hard when I'm at home, and of the many people who failed our first year, only one of them was a commuter - the rest of us are progressing.

Pfft, interpretation fail. The "quick bite to eat" falls under "socialising" - get a dictionary. Who said I was actually annoyed about them not eating with me? Not annoyed at all; it's their loss and I've got other folk from my course who are open to socialising as they live away.

You've got yourself quite the logical entanglement here.

Have fun :h:

I can't equate the two without being told - sorry. I know that the 'you' here is probably very different from RL-you, but I can't say that not eating with you appears to be a loss for them. And I fail to understand how someone this up in arms about an issue isn't annoyed by it. Yes, you had a bad experience with the project and should be annoyed with them - I would be. I'm annoyed with the people who had little input on our presentation, doesn't mean I think there should be rules to force everyone to stay at home.

Also, did you have to make each little section you quoted linked to my name - it's all ch0llima in my Who Quoted Me?

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 87

daisychainn

ch0llima

Mitigating circumstances? Okay, fair enough on a case-by-case basis like a parent died or the student developed cancer or something else which affected their ability to study for the important exams they needed.

If it's down to sheer laziness, then pass me my violin.

Why would it be laziness? i don't think there's many 18 year olds whose parents are still doing everything for them. Me and my best friend are both living at home, (but going to different universities), but neither of us get everything done for us.

If you don't move out now, there's a high chance you never will or, at the very least, it'll take you years

Most people starting university are 18/19! It's not like they're in 30 years old and still living with their parents :rolleyes:

And what about people who don't go to university? They don't live with their parents forever. And lol, who never moves out of home? :lolwut:

I know somebody who has graduated, is 25 and earning £27k a year. Still living at home, has very few friends, not a lot extra-curricular on his CV and his four years at Uni appear to me to have been a total waste. You're telling me he's too poor to move out, are you? Oh yeah - his place of employment is 50 mins away and he drives both ways every single damn day, and the town he works in isn't a total hole and is so much cheaper to live in than his hometown.

I also know someone (my cousin) who's 25 and earning around the same amount of money. He lived in halls and moved back home in 2006. He's been on that wage for four years now and still has no intention of moving out. He also drives around an hour to work every day. His halls experience obviously hasn't spurred him on to live away from home again...

Honestly university is only three years of someone's life, and halls is only like ten months! I don't see why people are making it seem so important. I think it's a nice experience for people to have if they want it and are able to have it, but it's not necessary to live in halls for ten months to 'develop' yourself.

And even if someone is staying at home to be lazy and to stay in their comfort zone - why is it your business? People living at home could just as easily say that people living in halls have just moved there so they can get drunk and party all the time. (Not my personal opinion, but the stereotype exists)

Everyone's situation is different. I've decided to live at home -it's about half an hour away from uni, but i'm still planning on joining societies and doing some volunteering for my c.v. The university experience is all about how much effort you put into it - that's the same for people living in halls too, they could just as easily lock themselves away in their room all year. (Which is up to them. Their life = their choices)

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 88

joey11223

20

I think there are pros and cons to both. I'm living at home BUT the main reason for this is because I have a large amount of exotic pets which need daily maintenance, multiple times for some(humidity levels and such). I knew when I got them years back it would cause this. I'm a very talkative person and I consider myself confident in new situations, I enrolled today, most folks had their lips zipped, I was nattering to a couple and getting them to actually relax, and it worked. All it means to me is I'll have to put more effort in to joining societies, course mates etc. My home is only 10-15 mins bus journey from Town, the buses run to nearly 4am. Otherwise I'd bribe someone with spirits to let me crash on their floor.

It's what you make of it, some folks(from personal experience of friends/acquaintances) move into Halls and are still hermits. Where as others in private accommodation away from the campus or at home, form more friendships.

I'm sure you'll disagree ch0llima and I do think your argument carries weight, but it's just my way of thinking.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 89

CynicaL

I'm thinking of applying to two london unis, about 40mins away from home. I would probably like to live in halls but I'm undecided. On UCAS, if I select that I'm living at home and submit my application, is that my final decision? will I not be considered for accommodation?
Or should I select Not living at home and then change my mind after? not sure how the UCAS side of this works. Help anyone?

Reply 90

TheSownRose

16

CynicaL

I'm thinking of applying to two london unis, about 40mins away from home. I would probably like to live in halls but I'm undecided. On UCAS, if I select that I'm living at home and submit my application, is that my final decision? will I not be considered for accommodation?
Or should I select Not living at home and then change my mind after? not sure how the UCAS side of this works. Help anyone?

I don't believe it makes any difference at all, although check with the unis to be on the safe side.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 91

UniFix

I'm renting a room with a lovely middle aged woman called Marion. It is absolutely brilliant and has everything I Could wish for. She's got all the equipment and I just need to make my own food.

The rent is also cheaper and I think it's so much nicer than the rather tatty Chester Student accomodation that I've seen!

Reply 92

rossjcooper

After reading just the first page of this thread its definately helped me make up my mind. I am applying for Uni's that are within travelling distance for me and I think I'll be staying at home. I don't really like the idea of being in increased debt just to share accommodation with some randomers. I'm in it mainly for a highly paid job with as smaller loan as possible. Friends come as they do I don't need to be in debt to make them :-)

Reply 93

Racheya

I'm in my first year but I've stayed at home. It's a 30 min bus ride to my Uni, I was okay with this. I'm a very quiet person, reserved, I don't go out much. Halls seemed rather pointless. I'm needed to help babysit my brother so my parents can work. Staying at home has always been an obvious choice and, in a similar way to how I decided my college (picked one that was a 20 min walk away), I chose Salford without very much consideration for much else. I didn't even visit the Uni.

I'm happy with where I am. The course is fine and the people are nice. I've made some friends, I've even been down to see one of them in his flat a few times, but other than that...

I have serious anti-social issues and Uni hasn't magically changed me like I slightly hoped. I'm considering moving into halls for my 2nd year, a bit strange I know, but I keep wondering that maybe I'll bring some life to me. I'm still undecided, but I'm going to have to decide at some point... I just don't know yet.

Would be it really strange to move into halls for a 2nd year? Would I just fall into shock or something. I've never drunk alcohol, been on a 'night out', I can't cook or do very much... I'm scared of what halls would mean, but also wondering if it's best.

Reply 94

TheSownRose

16

Original post by Racheya

I'm in my first year but I've stayed at home. It's a 30 min bus ride to my Uni, I was okay with this. I'm a very quiet person, reserved, I don't go out much. Halls seemed rather pointless. I'm needed to help babysit my brother so my parents can work. Staying at home has always been an obvious choice and, in a similar way to how I decided my college (picked one that was a 20 min walk away), I chose Salford without very much consideration for much else. I didn't even visit the Uni.

I'm happy with where I am. The course is fine and the people are nice. I've made some friends, I've even been down to see one of them in his flat a few times, but other than that...

I have serious anti-social issues and Uni hasn't magically changed me like I slightly hoped. I'm considering moving into halls for my 2nd year, a bit strange I know, but I keep wondering that maybe I'll bring some life to me. I'm still undecided, but I'm going to have to decide at some point... I just don't know yet.

Would be it really strange to move into halls for a 2nd year? Would I just fall into shock or something. I've never drunk alcohol, been on a 'night out', I can't cook or do very much... I'm scared of what halls would mean, but also wondering if it's best.

My personal opinion would be that, if you're happy with where you are, then stay there - why potentially upset yourself when your grades will start to matter, for no real reason?

Reply 95

Racheya

Original post by TheSownRose

My personal opinion would be that, if you're happy with where you are, then stay there - why potentially upset yourself when your grades will start to matter, for no real reason?

Well the idea would be that if I didn't like it - I'd get over it already. Also I have problems focusing on studying and revision here at home, I wonder if being in halls might help. Admittedly it's the internet that's the main problem, but being in the same place I have been for years and years, where I rarely have worked, is possibly part of it.

Reply 96

TheSownRose

16

Original post by Racheya

Well the idea would be that if I didn't like it - I'd get over it already. Also I have problems focusing on studying and revision here at home, I wonder if being in halls might help. Admittedly it's the internet that's the main problem, but being in the same place I have been for years and years, where I rarely have worked, is possibly part of it.

You sound like you're arguing a lot for moving out... Flip a coin. If you're disappointed with the result, you know what you really want. :wink:

Reply 97

laura_0409

I personally wish I'd lived at home for my first year, as I kept coming home most weekends anyway because of the short distance- in the end you're paying a lot of money to live somewhere just a few days a week.

I don't think you'll miss out. You'll make friends on your course- you don't have to just go out with people you live with, which is what I thought! Plus, when you want to do work and its noisy you'll wish you'd got home comforts, especially at exam time!

Do what you think would suit you best. If you're an incredibly sociable person then halls might be the right option, but saying that, I don't think you'll enjoy uni less if you stay at home and commute! You can always crash on friends' floors after a night out! And you'll still meet loads of people! :smile:

Reply 98

MagneticMeteor

10

I have to spend like 4 hours every day in transport (buses and train...) to get to and back from my uni... So it's very uncomfortable... The reason why I haven't moved out was money (I wouldn't be able even to pay my deposit) and I got a job late (too little, too late). It's a fairly short distance but morning traffic jams or (usually and) faulty trains (thanks Northern) don't help. It pisses me off big time when we start at 9 am, I have to get up about 6:30 am to be on time while many others live in halls close to the campus, and cba to come or they come quite late telling these ridiculous excuses (like alarm clock didn't go off or something). I have booked already a room in halls for next year and I'm quite excited !

I feel like I'm missing out on a big part of university life) when I'm living at home... it's just like another years at college.