What you wish you'd been told before coming to Warwick?

screenager2004

This indeed. It's ridiculous that in the sixth week of term girls in my seminar groups were having panic attacks about who they were living with in their second year. Some people had signed private contracts despite only knowing their housemates-to-be for a few weeks!
All this was, without a doubt, the worst part of university. I don't know what it was - maybe I just wasn't confident enough or something - but all my friends in university got in groups together to live in the next year and I was left to apply as an individual. My biggest regret of university by far. :frown:

Reply 41

screenager2004

14

ttoby

All this was, without a doubt, the worst part of university. I don't know what it was - maybe I just wasn't confident enough or something - but all my friends in university got in groups together to live in the next year and I was left to apply as an individual. My biggest regret of university by far. :frown:

It's such a shame really. I heard that last year (2009-2010) was particularly hectic because the Private accommodation companies released their housing lists two months earlier than usual. But I suppose there must be a little element of it every year.

The people living in the floor below us had 'the talk' in week 8 or 9, I think, and our floor had 'the talk' the next week. Which is a horrible experience, where you're told "right we're meeting in the kitchen today at 8pm, go round the circle and say where/who you want to live with".

Reply 42

Zweihander

3

How does the whole looking for 2nd year acommodation process work anyway? I've heard some people say the uni helps you find accomodation, and I've heard some people say it's all DIY. I've also heard about some guys who lived in a 10 bedroom McMansion for their 2nd year, how do I swing me one of those?

Reply 43

screenager2004

14

Zweihander

How does the whole looking for 2nd year acommodation process work anyway? I've heard some people say the uni helps you find accomodation, and I've heard some people say it's all DIY. I've also heard about some guys who lived in a 10 bedroom McMansion for their 2nd year, how do I swing me one of those?

To put it basically.
There's an accommodation site on Warwick's website, which lists loads of properties that are managed by the uni.
You log in with your uni account (and create a group with your friends who you're going to live with) and click on a house to reserve it for a viewing. If you like it then that's your house for next year. Hurrah.

So you can see how both the uni helps you by having the accommodation website, but its DIY as well.

Some people decide they want to just rent a house privately with their friends. Instead of going through the Uni website, they walk down to a estate agent in the city and rent a house there.

There are a few McMansions both through the Uni's accommodation service and in the private housing market. If your group is of 10-12 people there are one or two houses that big. But the big houses are so few, the chances of getting in are rare, and its more likely you'll have to split up into two groups of 5 etc.

I didn't get in

screenager2004

It's such a shame really. I heard that last year (2009-2010) was particularly hectic because the Private accommodation companies released their housing lists two months earlier than usual. But I suppose there must be a little element of it every year.

The people living in the floor below us had 'the talk' in week 8 or 9, I think, and our floor had 'the talk' the next week. Which is a horrible experience, where you're told "right we're meeting in the kitchen today at 8pm, go round the circle and say where/who you want to live with".

At least they invited you to join in. Where we were, people only really talked about houses when I wasn't there, and some very close groups had started to form. When I approached a group that I wanted to be with, I was met with "there's quite a few houses for five people available but not many for six people, sorry".

Reply 46

TheTallOne

18

Yeah - I think I managed to go through 3 housing groups in 2 weeks towards the end of term 1.

If you are heading for Warwick Accommodation, get your group ready a week before reservations open and reserve the house you want most at 1pm or whenever the deadline is in the first few weeks of term 2. Houses (especially in Cannon Park/Canley) get snapped up quickly with Warwick Accommodation.

Deals in term 1 generally turn sour. If you don't sign in term 1 but form a group, expect a lot of musical chairs and double dealings. If you have a couple in the group then it will probably fall apart in term 3 at the latest. Or if you actually move in you better pray they stay together.

Large mansions (8+) are rare with Warwick Accommodation, there are only 2 or 3. If you want your entire hall/corridor living together, things are often more expensive and you will probably have to go private. The up side is that the group is large enough so that any disputes won't have a detrimental impact on the overall group, and perhaps it is easier to find a replacement for any dropouts.

Reply 47

worthers

My experience was the end the end of the first term was full on arguments as people began to realise that certain individuals didn't like them. The house hunting part took us two days, but deciding who lives with who took us some weeks. It's all part of the experience where so many students are attracted to Leamington.

Reply 48

screenager2004

14

I still have no idea why people chose Leamington, but different strokes for different folks I guess.

Reply 49

georgia

14

Yeah I'm hoping that I get a particular house in Coventry for my third and fourth year...I know it, I like it, the area is absolutely fine, and it's dead convenient to get into uni. And Coventry is a heck of a lot cheaper than Leamington.

Reply 50

sinesquared.

9

ttoby

At least they invited you to join in. Where we were, people only really talked about houses when I wasn't there, and some very close groups had started to form. When I approached a group that I wanted to be with, I was met with "there's quite a few houses for five people available but not many for six people, sorry".

Aw thats so mean :eek3:

Reply 51

mituozo

14

I'm almost a bit worried about all this housing mallarchy now.. is it really that bad? Surely there's people on here who's experience went well?

Reply 52

screenager2004

14

mituozo

I'm almost a bit worried about all this housing mallarchy now.. is it really that bad? Surely there's people on here who's experience went well?

Don't worry. It's just a little scary at first because you've never had to do that kind of thing with your friends before and it's all new. I reckon for 99% of people it goes fine. It can actually be really fun to look round all the houses to chose one to live in, and once it's sorted usually you feel much closer to your friends.

Everyone at ANY university will have to sort out off-campus housing at some point. It's just a case of not panicking and enjoying the experience, that's all we're really saying. Some people (usually girls) completety freak out and adopt a leader role and force people to choose early out of panic.

Reply 53

CTDonnet

Narev

That the Term 1 math diagnostic tests are easy, there's no point to going to any MathPhy revision lecture the day before, nor studying like mad.

Ooo what are these?

Reply 54

TheTallOne

18

CTDonnet

Ooo what are these?

Information here. Worth a total of 1.5% of the year. 3 sections. Pass a section, get 0.5%. Fail and you get one more chance to retake. Pass that and still get 0.5% per section, fail and you get 0%.

Reply 55

cuaaw cuaaw

screenager2004

Don't worry. It's just a little scary at first because you've never had to do that kind of thing with your friends before and it's all new. I reckon for 99% of people it goes fine. It can actually be really fun to look round all the houses to chose one to live in, and once it's sorted usually you feel much closer to your friends.

Everyone at ANY university will have to sort out off-campus housing at some point. It's just a case of not panicking and enjoying the experience, that's all we're really saying. Some people (usually girls) completety freak out and adopt a leader role and force people to choose early out of panic.

Bad housing drama is a huge part of what caused me to choose to come to the UK instead of remaining at my previous university. It completely dissolved my group of friends. Keep your housing options open group-wise and always have a backup plan. I know I will.
Girls are catty.

Reply 56

Focus08

OP

16

cuaaw

Bad housing drama is a huge part of what caused me to choose to come to the UK instead of remaining at my previous university. It completely dissolved my group of friends. Keep your housing options open group-wise and always have a backup plan. I know I will.
Girls are catty.

That bad?

Reply 57

cuaaw cuaaw

Focus08

That bad?

Oh, it was realllyyyyy bad. I'm sure things usually aren't that terrible; my friends were just typical catty Californian girls. We lived on drama.

Reply 58

trollman

12

Focus08

Apply for PPE if you get sick A2 grades...

A*AA that'd be quite an achievement! But tbh I think I'm happy with law :sexface:

I dont think my rejection was down to grades tbh probs was ps, i had AAAAB at AS A*A*A predictions and 8A*3A1B at GCSE, the more likely reason was that i didnt do a level maths and my PS sucked.