Applying to university far from home

I live near Portsmouth on the south coast, and am considering applying to The University of Glasgow.

I've heard that a lot of people don't like going to university so far from home, or there are issues with it etc.

What's the deal with going to uni far from your home? What issues might there be? What's it like?

Reply 1

ByronicHero

20

Some people want to be close to family and friends etc. Moving far away can make it harder to visit home and can be daunting for some people. Many people find it as easy as any other move though.

Reply 2

hamburgerandbeans

15

Some may like the thought that their parents are just round the corner and, if necessary, can visit them if they are unhappy/missing them. Even if you don't see them a lot, it can just be nice having that thought in your head.

Also, in the holidays it is a lot quicker to get home. Travelling from Portsmouth to Glasgow (or Glasgow to Portsmouth) is probably 10 hours at bare minimum. While for some people, it is only an hour away from home.

Reply 3

robawalsh

OP

2

Original post by hamburgerandbeans

Some may like the thought that their parents are just round the corner and, if necessary, can visit them if they are unhappy/missing them. Even if you don't see them a lot, it can just be nice having that thought in your head.

Also, in the holidays it is a lot quicker to get home. Travelling from Portsmouth to Glasgow (or Glasgow to Portsmouth) is probably 10 hours at bare minimum. While for some people, it is only an hour away from home.

Is it normal to travel back home at the end of every term?

Reply 4

FDR

10

Original post by robawalsh

I live near Portsmouth on the south coast, and am considering applying to The University of Glasgow.

I've heard that a lot of people don't like going to university so far from home, or there are issues with it etc.

What's the deal with going to uni far from your home? What issues might there be? What's it like?

It is far away, but surely you would be able to fly from Glasgow to Southampton, the take the train to Portsomouth - Can't be more than a 3 hour trip altogether?

I think the issue with living far from home depends on the person. Some people decide that they want to visit home regularly (and I mean very regularly - there are people who come home every other sunday for sunday dinner etc), or because it's costly to travel, whereas some people may like the idea of moving away and having to be completely independent, as well as not having the threat of parents visiting all the time.

Reply 5

mementomori

8

I've applied to St Andrew's (which is literally in the middle of nowhere) and Edinburgh... and I live in London. So quite a trek.

I think ultimately you have to consider the universities themselves and whether their advantages outweigh the distance. You can totally Skype your family and friends which is actually a lot better than it sounds because being able to actually see them makes a huge difference.
You'll make good friends no matter where you go, and many will be in the same situation as you, far from home.
Unless you're someone who is incredibly dependent on your parents and a bit of a social recluse, I'm sure you'll adapt fine. Apparently the first term is always the hardest for everyone but it just gets better from then on.

Reply 6

jelly1000

21

Original post by robawalsh

Is it normal to travel back home at the end of every term?

Yes, and many people go home for the odd weekend as well.

Reply 7

hamburgerandbeans

15

Original post by robawalsh

Is it normal to travel back home at the end of every term?

Yes it is normal. As jelly1000 said, sometimes people go home occasionally at the weekend (sometimes just for the day and sometimes for the whole weekend).

Reply 8

Cicerao

14

I'm about 4 hours away. It's fine for the most part (minus medical appointments etc where I have to go back.) :smile:

Reply 9

SunsetRising

I'm from Winchester and I go to St Andrews. I think it really depends on the person, I haven't felt that homesick and instead of going home for reading week I'm going to visit friends in Cambridge. My mum and sister did come up for a weekend not too long ago, but I'm not going home for christmas. Also there are so many people that come from further away, there are loads from America and almost every other country in the world, so it doesn't seem so far away in comparison. That said, plenty of people are going home for reading week or go home for the odd weekend, so it just depends. There's plenty to do here anyway :smile:

Reply 10

GeorginaLucienne

4

I live in Middlesbrough and one of my choices is Portsmouth how strange :tongue:

all my choices are really far away, the nearest one i've applied to is Leicester and that's still like a 3 hour drive. Really worried that i'll go somewhere and not like the city and be stuck, i've chosen these uni's purely on the fact the courses were exactly what I wanted. hmm:/

Reply 11

GeorginaLucienne

4

Original post by Cicerao

I'm about 4 hours away. It's fine for the most part (minus medical appointments etc where I have to go back.) :smile:

do you not change doctors when going to uni?

Reply 12

jelly1000

21

Original post by GeorginaLucienne

I live in Middlesbrough and one of my choices is Portsmouth how strange :tongue:

all my choices are really far away, the nearest one i've applied to is Leicester and that's still like a 3 hour drive. Really worried that i'll go somewhere and not like the city and be stuck, i've chosen these uni's purely on the fact the courses were exactly what I wanted. hmm:/

this is nearly 4 years old

Applying to university far from home

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