University of Southampton - Ask A Current Student Thread

Hey, I’m Phoebe excited to hopefully be starting at the university of Southampton this September as long as I get the grades.
Year: 13
Subjects Studying at school: Biology, Chemistry, History and an EPQ
Entry requirements if applicable: ABB + A in EPQ / AAB
Subject interested in studying at university: Physiotherapy BSc

Reply 2

Hi guys! I'm Steph, a student at the University of Southampton, and I stayed in Glen Eyre accommodation :smile:

Year of study: Year 1 (just finished!)
University course studied: History and Ancient History (joint honours)
A-levels taken: History, Biology, Product Design
A-level grades: ABB

Reply 3

Original post by stephinitely

Hi guys! I'm Steph, a student at the University of Southampton, and I stayed in Glen Eyre accommodation :smile:

Year of study: Year 1 (just finished!)
University course studied: History and Ancient History (joint honours)
A-levels taken: History, Biology, Product Design
A-level grades: ABB

Heyyyy! How did you find Glen eyre. My accom for September is there and I have really only been for a walk around the outside as it’s not open on one days. It looks really pretty but wondering how you found it?

Reply 4

Original post by Feeb_05

Heyyyy! How did you find Glen eyre. My accom for September is there and I have really only been for a walk around the outside as it’s not open on one days. It looks really pretty but wondering how you found it?

Heya!! Glen is overall a really lovely place, but I'll give you both pros and cons - the good outweigh the bad and I'm not trying to paint it in a bad light! I stayed in Richard Newitt (right next to Glen Eyre Main Hall), however most sub-areas of Glen are similar. There is one post room (by the bus stop) and a laundrette on both 'sides' of Glen.

Pros:
The closest accom to campus!! About 10-12 mins from Highfield, and 20 from Avenue. The U2B bus runs up to Chamberlain which is part of Glen which is super helpful with shopping, and you can catch the U2B at Cenotaph (big sculpture) in the town centre and get dropped off at home! They don't run as often as other buses though.

Really great facilities - My friends and I booked the cinema room out every Thursday for a catch-up, and it's always clean and well-maintained. However you can only use DVDs there, as the device pairing does not work. We also used the BBQ (there are 3 on my side of Glen) and were given a fire blanket and a little safety sheet. There is also a study room (which during my time was very quiet and a great resource! A lot quieter and easier to get a seat in than Hartley library, which is great but gets SUPER crowded on the lower floors during the day) and a music room. They are all free to use, but everything apart from the study room needs to be booked by QR code and pop to reception before you use it to activate your key fob! There are also bike sheds I believe, but I never used them. Same goes for the gym and squash court which is behind the laundrette!

Absolutely gorgeous - a lot of thought has been put into landscaping and making it a really pleasant and homey place to live! I'm aware it's not high on everyone's list, but it really put me at ease in a new environment with so much green space and fresh air.

Site staff - there is a manned reception the vast majority of the time, and I believe also a 24-hour hotline for problems and noise complaints. The security of the site is really good, and while people such as pizza delivery drivers were allowed on site, it feels like a very private area, and I had no trouble with non-students wandering around the site as some accommodation (such as Archers Road being on a busy public street - they do have extra door codes and security though!) have had this year.

Rooms - I chose an enhanced shared bathroom, and I had a very beautiful and large room on the ground floor with windows on two walls. I can't speak for other accommodations, but I had a much larger room than my friends who chose en-suites, and the shared bathroom was cleaned alongside the kitchen weekly. It has lots of room for stretching out, hosting parties and little late-night dance battles!

Halls activities - Every term there are multiple halls activities sessions which are mainly held in Glen Eyre Main Hall/common room (they're in the same building). I did the Nintendo Switch night and the Easter egg hunt, but there are heaps more like Taskmaster and pumpkin carving. They're all free and are a great chance to meet others in your accommodation block, although the ones I went to were not very well-attended - I reckon this is because they're not very well-advertised and you've gotta check the 'What's On/Halls Activities' on the MySouthampton app! They are run by second and third-year students, and so if nothing else are good for advice and a break from your room! I will be a halls ambassador next year and will be running some of them, so I might see you there! :cool:

Cons:
The wildlife is lovely, IF IT STAYS OUTSIDE! Unfortunately I had some trouble with flatmates leaving food uncovered and out on surfaces for multiple days at a time, and we ended up with a rat in our kitchen. 0/10 would not recommend! Rats are unfortunately common on the Glen Eyre site, and although they don't disturb pedestrians, be aware that due to the age of some of the buildings (especially Richard Newitt), they absolutely will find a way in if there's food on offer.

The site staff, although helpful where they can be, unfortunately can't always help. When it came to technical problems with device paring in the cinema room, I'm disappointed to say the staff member asked me (and my group) to try again with an already unsuccessful method and while we were working on it left the room and returned to reception without informing us or helping us further.

Planon - Planon is the service on which you report any problems with your accommodation, and also how you book spaces on site. The QR code on the posters did not work for me, so I would recommend you report things on Planon through SUSSED (you will get this login when you join the university). I reported my door lock which gave up the ghost in my final term, and within 24 hours a workman came to fix it. However, when my flatmate reported the rat through Planon in December, it took until late February for any form of action to be taken. Although the rat was indeed caused by the rotting food some of my flatmates left out, the rat remained in our kitchen for three months, tearing into packets and leaving droppings. We ended up contacting the university to appeal the accommodation team's lack of action on that front, and we received compensation and a promise that both the reception team and the site staff who respond to Planon requests would not let that happen again.

So my time in Glen was mixed but overall good: I made much closer friends with my coursemates then my flatmates which may also happen with you - please don't worry too much if it does work out that way! Some of my friends are also really close with their flatmates, others like me didn't get on so well. It's all luck and who you are put with, but if you don't fall on your feet you will find them! Please do let me know if you have any other questions at all (more on Glen and its facilities, or about how things work in the uni, or anything else I can do for you!), I'm more than happy to help!! :smile:

Also just a reminder that these are my personal experiences, and may not be true across all subsets of Glen (Hartley Grove, Chamberlain, New Terrace, J-Block, etc) and also may not be shared by others from Richard Newitt!

Steph :smile:

Reply 5

Original post by stephinitely

Heya!! Glen is overall a really lovely place, but I'll give you both pros and cons - the good outweigh the bad and I'm not trying to paint it in a bad light! I stayed in Richard Newitt (right next to Glen Eyre Main Hall), however most sub-areas of Glen are similar. There is one post room (by the bus stop) and a laundrette on both 'sides' of Glen.

Pros:
The closest accom to campus!! About 10-12 mins from Highfield, and 20 from Avenue. The U2B bus runs up to Chamberlain which is part of Glen which is super helpful with shopping, and you can catch the U2B at Cenotaph (big sculpture) in the town centre and get dropped off at home! They don't run as often as other buses though.

Really great facilities - My friends and I booked the cinema room out every Thursday for a catch-up, and it's always clean and well-maintained. However you can only use DVDs there, as the device pairing does not work. We also used the BBQ (there are 3 on my side of Glen) and were given a fire blanket and a little safety sheet. There is also a study room (which during my time was very quiet and a great resource! A lot quieter and easier to get a seat in than Hartley library, which is great but gets SUPER crowded on the lower floors during the day) and a music room. They are all free to use, but everything apart from the study room needs to be booked by QR code and pop to reception before you use it to activate your key fob! There are also bike sheds I believe, but I never used them. Same goes for the gym and squash court which is behind the laundrette!

Absolutely gorgeous - a lot of thought has been put into landscaping and making it a really pleasant and homey place to live! I'm aware it's not high on everyone's list, but it really put me at ease in a new environment with so much green space and fresh air.

Site staff - there is a manned reception the vast majority of the time, and I believe also a 24-hour hotline for problems and noise complaints. The security of the site is really good, and while people such as pizza delivery drivers were allowed on site, it feels like a very private area, and I had no trouble with non-students wandering around the site as some accommodation (such as Archers Road being on a busy public street - they do have extra door codes and security though!) have had this year.

Rooms - I chose an enhanced shared bathroom, and I had a very beautiful and large room on the ground floor with windows on two walls. I can't speak for other accommodations, but I had a much larger room than my friends who chose en-suites, and the shared bathroom was cleaned alongside the kitchen weekly. It has lots of room for stretching out, hosting parties and little late-night dance battles!

Halls activities - Every term there are multiple halls activities sessions which are mainly held in Glen Eyre Main Hall/common room (they're in the same building). I did the Nintendo Switch night and the Easter egg hunt, but there are heaps more like Taskmaster and pumpkin carving. They're all free and are a great chance to meet others in your accommodation block, although the ones I went to were not very well-attended - I reckon this is because they're not very well-advertised and you've gotta check the 'What's On/Halls Activities' on the MySouthampton app! They are run by second and third-year students, and so if nothing else are good for advice and a break from your room! I will be a halls ambassador next year and will be running some of them, so I might see you there! :cool:

Cons:
The wildlife is lovely, IF IT STAYS OUTSIDE! Unfortunately I had some trouble with flatmates leaving food uncovered and out on surfaces for multiple days at a time, and we ended up with a rat in our kitchen. 0/10 would not recommend! Rats are unfortunately common on the Glen Eyre site, and although they don't disturb pedestrians, be aware that due to the age of some of the buildings (especially Richard Newitt), they absolutely will find a way in if there's food on offer.

The site staff, although helpful where they can be, unfortunately can't always help. When it came to technical problems with device paring in the cinema room, I'm disappointed to say the staff member asked me (and my group) to try again with an already unsuccessful method and while we were working on it left the room and returned to reception without informing us or helping us further.

Planon - Planon is the service on which you report any problems with your accommodation, and also how you book spaces on site. The QR code on the posters did not work for me, so I would recommend you report things on Planon through SUSSED (you will get this login when you join the university). I reported my door lock which gave up the ghost in my final term, and within 24 hours a workman came to fix it. However, when my flatmate reported the rat through Planon in December, it took until late February for any form of action to be taken. Although the rat was indeed caused by the rotting food some of my flatmates left out, the rat remained in our kitchen for three months, tearing into packets and leaving droppings. We ended up contacting the university to appeal the accommodation team's lack of action on that front, and we received compensation and a promise that both the reception team and the site staff who respond to Planon requests would not let that happen again.

So my time in Glen was mixed but overall good: I made much closer friends with my coursemates then my flatmates which may also happen with you - please don't worry too much if it does work out that way! Some of my friends are also really close with their flatmates, others like me didn't get on so well. It's all luck and who you are put with, but if you don't fall on your feet you will find them! Please do let me know if you have any other questions at all (more on Glen and its facilities, or about how things work in the uni, or anything else I can do for you!), I'm more than happy to help!! :smile:

Also just a reminder that these are my personal experiences, and may not be true across all subsets of Glen (Hartley Grove, Chamberlain, New Terrace, J-Block, etc) and also may not be shared by others from Richard Newitt!

Steph :smile:

Thank you so so much that was so helpful. My room is also enhance shared bathroom and the girl I talked to on campus said that Richard newitt was the building with those rooms so it’s good to hear from your experience. I’ll definitely remember to cover all my food but I’m not a stranger to people leaving out food and animals getting in. Had an experience at a camp where my friends left cake out on the floor and ended up covered in ants it was horrible.
I agree that some people don’t have the landscaping as high on their list but it’s definitely on mine moving from the countryside to the city can feel quite daunting sometimes so it’s good to know that my accom can provide that relaxing feel to it 😂.
I’m also fully prepared for the possibility of not getting on with flatmates as my aunt did not get along with hers in her first year of undergrad but I am hoping to make good friends with those on my course as those I’ve met and talked to so far seem really lovely.
And thank you for the tip about the cinema room I’ll definitely make sure to bring my dvds with me!
Thank you so much once again you’ve been super helpful I’m so excited for September, just have to wait until August 17th to find out if I’ve made the grades or not 🫶

Reply 6

Original post by Feeb_05

Thank you so so much that was so helpful. My room is also enhance shared bathroom and the girl I talked to on campus said that Richard newitt was the building with those rooms so it’s good to hear from your experience. I’ll definitely remember to cover all my food but I’m not a stranger to people leaving out food and animals getting in. Had an experience at a camp where my friends left cake out on the floor and ended up covered in ants it was horrible.
I agree that some people don’t have the landscaping as high on their list but it’s definitely on mine moving from the countryside to the city can feel quite daunting sometimes so it’s good to know that my accom can provide that relaxing feel to it 😂.
I’m also fully prepared for the possibility of not getting on with flatmates as my aunt did not get along with hers in her first year of undergrad but I am hoping to make good friends with those on my course as those I’ve met and talked to so far seem really lovely.
And thank you for the tip about the cinema room I’ll definitely make sure to bring my dvds with me!
Thank you so much once again you’ve been super helpful I’m so excited for September, just have to wait until August 17th to find out if I’ve made the grades or not 🫶

I'm so glad you're excited for September - best of luck with the grades! I got ABB rather than AAB and still got in, and one of my friends here got ABD for the same course so please try not to stress too much!

I also just wanted to add about the rooms is that they all have fire doors - I know a lot of university 'move-in guides' say to bring a doorstop so you can chat to people as they move in, but I'm telling you now the doors are pretty darn hard to keep open! I have a lovely little highland cow doorstop AND a plastic wedge one and neither stood a chance! Perhaps bring a hefty looking rock... :biggrin:

Reply 7

Original post by stephinitely

I'm so glad you're excited for September - best of luck with the grades! I got ABB rather than AAB and still got in, and one of my friends here got ABD for the same course so please try not to stress too much!

I also just wanted to add about the rooms is that they all have fire doors - I know a lot of university 'move-in guides' say to bring a doorstop so you can chat to people as they move in, but I'm telling you now the doors are pretty darn hard to keep open! I have a lovely little highland cow doorstop AND a plastic wedge one and neither stood a chance! Perhaps bring a hefty looking rock... :biggrin:

I’ll find the best looking boulder haha
Thank you so much

Reply 8

civicpride2506

8

Year: (due to start in sept)
Subjects Studying at school: Studied History (A*), Sociology (A*), English Language (A)
Entry requirements if applicable:
Subject interested in studying at university: History

Hi I'm starting in september to study history and staying in glen eyre, i'm 20 i dropped out of notts october 2021 after contracting illness, took a gap year or so . Bit nervous but looking forward. What is the gym like, does it get really busy or am i best off going to one in the city? What is the transport like, and where do most people go to socialise?

Reply 9

saskiahdltea

10

Original post by civicpride2506

Year: (due to start in sept)
Subjects Studying at school: Studied History (A*), Sociology (A*), English Language (A)
Entry requirements if applicable:
Subject interested in studying at university: History

Hi I'm starting in september to study history and staying in glen eyre, i'm 20 i dropped out of notts october 2021 after contracting illness, took a gap year or so . Bit nervous but looking forward. What is the gym like, does it get really busy or am i best off going to one in the city? What is the transport like, and where do most people go to socialise?

the university gym is... okay. it isn't that big, only one of most machines, BUT the app does tell you how busy it is. i went for the first two years to that gym, then went to "The Gym" in portswood which is MILES better, much cheaper, better app, and better machines! Transport is very good, lots of buses, going very frequently, and lots of trains. People normally get coffee in Portswood, or go to Jesters, Sobar for clubbing/drinking. A lot of people just hang out in their flats!

Reply 10

benlsheldon

Hey, my names Ben, going to Southampton this year if I can get the grades, going to be staying in Glen Eyre in an enhanced shared bathroom, if anyone else is in glen eyre feel free to message me some socials so we can get some sort of GC going, just get to know some people before arriving

Reply 11

aleezayy

3

Original post by benlsheldon

Hey, my names Ben, going to Southampton this year if I can get the grades, going to be staying in Glen Eyre in an enhanced shared bathroom, if anyone else is in glen eyre feel free to message me some socials so we can get some sort of GC going, just get to know some people before arriving

hi hoping to get the grades but going to be in enhanced shared at glen too

Reply 12

benlsheldon

Uni of Southampton Students

well best of luck, and hope to see you there!

Original post by aleezayy

hi hoping to get the grades but going to be in enhanced shared at glen too

Reply 13

snow12345

2

Hi, I am starting the foundation year for engineering at Southampton. The subjects I take are Geography, Bio and Chemistry (AAA). I am staying at the accommodation this year. How is the accommodation at Wessex Lane? What are the pros and cons? Just curious

Reply 14

Official Rep

15

Original post by benlsheldon

Hey, my names Ben, going to Southampton this year if I can get the grades, going to be staying in Glen Eyre in an enhanced shared bathroom, if anyone else is in glen eyre feel free to message me some socials so we can get some sort of GC going, just get to know some people before arriving

Glen Eyre is a fabulous halls of residence! I stayed there in my first year and absolutely loved it. If you have any questions about halls, the uni or Southampton more generally, I would be happy to help!

Fingers crossed you get the grades you need!

Jasmine (an Official University of Southampton Rep) :smile:

Reply 15

izzyholliday

1

Hey,

I know this was posted 2 months ago and you may not see. I was just wondering if the bed was a single? I’m staying in exactly the same block and enhanced shared room.

Reply 16

Original post by izzyholliday

Hey,

I know this was posted 2 months ago and you may not see. I was just wondering if the bed was a single? I’m staying in exactly the same block and enhanced shared room.

Heya!! Not sure if this one's for me or not (enhanced shared bathroom Richard Newitt Block C) - the beds were single :smile:

There's also a small mirror above the sink which is a head-and-shoulders type situation - I'd recommend a floor-length mirror to lean on the wall if you fancy it, I forgot it in my original post! No mirrors in the shared bathroom (and bring your own soap and hand towel to share in the flat - the wall-mounted soap pump in my block didn't work and was never filled in my time there, I blu-tacked a plastic soap dish on top of the dispenser with a bar soap) :smile:

Reply 17

kiwi-

1

Original post by stephinitely

Hi guys! I'm Steph, a student at the University of Southampton, and I stayed in Glen Eyre accommodation :smile:

Year of study: Year 1 (just finished!)
University course studied: History and Ancient History (joint honours)
A-levels taken: History, Biology, Product Design
A-level grades: ABB

are there any good nature spots in southampton to know about?

Reply 18