Commuting vs Moving away

I started uni at 20 and also stayed at home, I just finished my first year and didn't feel like I missed out on the university experience at all. I managed to make loads of friends, and actually made sure they were real friendships rather than just being friends with someone because you're forced to live with them, or just bickering because you see them so often. I went to a lot of the freshers events during the day which meant I met people when they were sober rather than becoming drunk bffs with people on nights out. My uni also had an event for local students/stay at home students to meet one another prior to freshers week.
I met my closest friends on facebook during the summer before uni started though. There was a facebook freshers group and I met a few course mates on there, they've been my best friends ever since.

You'll find a lot of people will say they feel sorry for you not being in halls and missing out on the uni lifestyle, but when you're actually there, a lot of people will wish they were in your shoes. Able to go home and sleep in their own bed and eat real food. Not having to put up with hundreds of loud students when you're trying to sleep or study, not having to put up with 7 other people's kitchen mess etc. There are no cons to living at home, in my eyes. Plus, I've managed to save a huge chunk of the amount I'm trying to save for a deposit. I couldn't have done that in halls.

I started uni at 20 and also stayed at home, I just finished my first year and didn't feel like I missed out on the university experience at all. I managed to make loads of friends, and actually made sure they were real friendships rather than just being friends with someone because you're forced to live with them, or just bickering because you see them so often. I went to a lot of the freshers events during the day which meant I met people when they were sober rather than becoming drunk bffs with people on nights out. My uni also had an event for local students/stay at home students to meet one another prior to freshers week.
I met my closest friends on facebook during the summer before uni started though. There was a facebook freshers group and I met a few course mates on there, they've been my best friends ever since.

You'll find a lot of people will say they feel sorry for you not being in halls and missing out on the uni lifestyle, but when you're actually there, a lot of people will wish they were in your shoes. Able to go home and sleep in their own bed and eat real food. Not having to put up with hundreds of loud students when you're trying to sleep or study, not having to put up with 7 other people's kitchen mess etc. There are no cons to living at home, in my eyes. Plus, I've managed to save a huge chunk of the amount I'm trying to save for a deposit. I couldn't have done that in halls.

'Sleep in your own bed' what? You don't share bunks in uni mate. 'Eat real food' huh? 20 years old is too old to still be relying on mammy to cook proper food for ya. And as for the noise... If you have siblings under 10 under 15 of any age you'll understand me when I say halls is a monastery compared to home.

Combine that with an hour's commute and assured decrease in social life... Boggles the mind why anyone would willingly stay at home during uni. "Oh but I'll save money for a deposit"- CHRIST man lay off the werther's.

I think when I'm paying pretty much the same at home for rent, as I would at halls, I get a much better deal. Reliable washing machine, better food and a double bed. I'm only thinking about the first year living at home anyway, a lot of people have lived at home in the first year and moved out to the uni once they've made friends.

Never heard of an unreliable washing machine in uni halls because you have mechanics on the end of the phone literally 24/7. It also broke far less than my parents washing machine.

Better food - clearly you are just bad at cooking. My parents picked me off with a lit of their recipes its hardly difficult.

Plenty of halls have double beds. Plus, sureley at home its not like you get to utilise it in the same way.

Seems to me you have created nonexistent downsides to living in halls to justify your situation to yourself.

OP you are where you are so have to make the most of it, just put extra effort into making friends and being as sociable as possible and you should be OK.

I didn't get halls because I live too close anyway... Don't know if I'd be able to change student finance, as I can't afford to move out otherwise

That's what I mean, you are where you are, it doesn't matter if you made a mistake or not, you just have to make the best of it

Is there any provision for students out of halls in fresher's week?

and I've left it too late to try and find people to share a house with.

Tbh, I haven't checked. I will now though!

Leaving home for uni is honestly one of the best things I've ever done.



Nah, there will still be spare rooms available. Rooms come up for all sorts of reasons - people who drop out, estate agents who do a special offer on a house with an extra bedroom, and groups that fall in love with a house that's just that bit bigger than they really need. Indeed, I'm now onto my third year of house sharing and I've never not had a spare bedroom at the start of the year.

Oh really? I'll definitely have to have a look! Just need to see if I can change my student finance

'Sleep in your own bed' what? You don't share bunks in uni mate. 'Eat real food' huh? 20 years old is too old to still be relying on mammy to cook proper food for ya. And as for the noise... If you have siblings under 10 under 15 of any age you'll understand me when I say halls is a monastery compared to home.

Combine that with an hour's commute and assured decrease in social life... Boggles the mind why anyone would willingly stay at home during uni. "Oh but I'll save money for a deposit"- CHRIST man lay off the werther's.

Mammy cooks my food? I don't think so. I've cooked my own food since I was 12 years old because I hate the foods my parents eat. I just have the freedom to eat decent food rather than survive on cheap vodka and noodles like most of my friends in halls.

You're telling me that your bed in halls is more comfortable than your bed at home? Man, you must have luxury accommodation. My friends in halls CONSTANTLY talk about how excited they are to get home to sleep in their own bed and not the crappy thing they're given in halls.

Some people place more importance on saving money for a deposit than living in filth with strangers that you may, or may not get on with. I live in comfort at home, can save my money for the future and still get to enjoy my social life. Woe is me. What a hard life I have.