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Will I be disadvantaged if I do not live in Halls?

Hello Everyone.

I will begin studying at UCL in September all being well. Looking at accommodation costs, I can find some accommodation cheaper in other areas than those offered by UCL.

If I am not so far away from UCL, will I be at a disadvantage socially/friendship-wise or in any other ways you can think of if I do choose not to live in Halls? I thought at the end of the day that if I can save some money in this way then I can spend some more money socially! This would also help with years 2 and 3 when Halls are often not usually an option to Students. However, I also don't want to feel very left out.

Many questions I know, but any feedback would be most welcome.

Thank you very much.

UCS

Reply 1

ninety_nine

12

I've always heard that living in halls is quite essential for the social experience since you don't really have to make as much of an effort to make friends, they're across the corridor!

Reply 2

rockrunride

19

Unless you own a flat or something near to college, you really can't get much cheaper than halls. And halls are essential for socialness.

Reply 3

PorcineAviation

14

My friends who didn't live in Halls regretted it.

Reply 4

Couldxbe

16

rockrunride

Unless you own a flat or something near to college, you really can't get much cheaper than halls. And halls are essential for socialness.

Not really. I know atleast 3 people who live at home (one lives in Ipswich and travels 2 hours each way to Uni) and all have managed to make friends within the course, go out with us etc. Yeah, they can't go clubbing as such because of tubes shutting at 12 or whatever, but that's not the only way to socialise.

I don't know if you'll be able to find less than £90 pw for a single anywhere close, which is how much Max Rayne costs.

Reply 5

La Songeuse

12

You will be pushing it to find somewhere to live for the first year that's cheaper than the halls.

Halls aren't essential for socialising but you WILL miss out, the people on your course will stick together in groups, sometimes depending on the halls they live in, and the few people on my course that didn't live in halls did not socialise as much, found it difficult to go clubbing/out at night, and it seems much much much less flexible as opposed to living 10-30 minutes away, those people do seem to be a little out of it maybe.

It might not be for everyone but I'd definitely recommend staying in halls for the first year :smile:

Reply 6

NW86

12

Yeah, halls made me uni experience, I've spoken to a few people who didn't and they all regretted it for varying reasons such as not being so easy to socialise, only meeting people off of their course and not meeting students from other backgrounds

Reply 7

Couldxbe

16

NW86

Yeah, halls made me uni experience, I've spoken to a few people who didn't and they all regretted it for varying reasons such as not being so easy to socialise, only meeting people off of their course and not meeting students from other backgrounds

Depends who you get in your halls/what halls you get put in. Halls don't MAKE the university experience, YOU do. Also I've found that the majority of people on high contact hours make friends with the people on their course (and then move in with course friends in yr 2). I'm not telling the OP not to move into halls, I'm just saying that his university experience is what he makes of it... with or without halls.

Reply 8

rockrunride

19

Couldxbe

Not really. I know atleast 3 people who live at home (one lives in Ipswich and travels 2 hours each way to Uni) and all have managed to make friends within the course, go out with us etc. Yeah, they can't go clubbing as such because of tubes shutting at 12 or whatever, but that's not the only way to socialise.

I don't know if you'll be able to find less than £90 pw for a single anywhere close, which is how much Max Rayne costs.

Well, the OP said 'not so far away', so halls will be the cheapest within a five mile radius.

Reply 9

Vincente

14

You would be in my opinion unless you studied something like medicine. In terms of social life, living in halls just makes the process a bit easier if you are outgoing enough. Plus, you don't have to pay for utility bills, so take note of that when you compare rents!

Reply 10

thepinkpowerranger

13

I'm off to UCL in September but it's my second go of uni. The first time I stayed in halls and yeah you kind of get lucky with ready made friends (I was fortunate and had cool people which isn't always the case) but most of the time the main thing was going out and drinking loads. Which is fun, but nothing special (I'd taken a few years out before uni, gone traveling, worked etc and the people who'd taken gap years felt the same as me).

I'm not going to be in halls for UCL, it will be harder to make friends and there will be less drinking but I've been there, done that kind of thing... my liver needs taking care of!

You can make friends on your course - meet their hall mates, make friends at sports clubs etc.

If you can halls is good, but if not for whatever reason you'll be fine if you make an effort.

Will I be disadvantaged if I do not live in Halls?

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