My flatmate for next year wants to move into a dangerous area of Aberdeen

It's not dangerous at all during the daytime, because it's right next to Union Street. I'm more worried about nighttime, especially seeing as it can get very dark very early in Aberdeen, especially during the first semester (September - December).

We are both first year students, and seeing as we both lived in halls this year, next year will be our first year living together. Also, I'm a student at the University of Aberdeen, and she's a student at RGU, so we kind of have to get a flat near/around the city centre :/ (Very inconvenient, I know. Especially seeing as the buses in Aberdeen really aren't very reliable, and they are also very expensive, and we will have to get the bus into uni every single morning.)

I have been looking around at ads for flats near the city centre, and I found an ad for a flat on Crown Street, which is a side street directly off of Union Street. We were going to have a viewing for a flat in Rosemount (which is a way safer area) earlier this week, but the letting agency messed up our viewing time, and so we didn't get to view that flat

When I explored Crown Street a bit, I realised that it takes a while to walk from Union Street to the flat that we are going to view later this week. And that was just from leaving from Trinity Centre - it would be a longer walk if I was actually walking down King Street, and then across the entire length of Union Street.

My flatmate for next year doesn't seem to really leave her flat that much - don't get me wrong, I'm not a party animal or anything; I'm just in a lot of societies, and I also have volunteer work that goes on until 9pm every Friday. Many of my societies also end rather late at night, or at the very least it will be dark by the time it's ended. Meaning that walking down Union Street and then also down Crown Street alone, in the dark, is out of the question. Because I may get a stalker, or I might get attacked, or worse.

She also seems to be really keen on this flat that we are going to view, despite the bad location. I have told her about my anxiety surrounding this, and she more or less just brushed it off and said it will be fine, even though I know that Aberdeen is not exactly a safe place to walk alone in at nighttime.

I want to keep looking for flats (because more will show up in the next few weeks, and they will hopefully be in better areas), but I think she's going to try and make an offer when we go and see this flat. What should I do?

It's not dangerous at all during the daytime, because it's right next to Union Street. I'm more worried about nighttime, especially seeing as it can get very dark very early in Aberdeen, especially during the first semester (September - December).

You might also ask for opinions in the Aberdeen forum
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=288

Two girls + Very dark= Trouble

I suggest you get or ask your current boyfriend to drive or walk you home.
I warned you, so don't come crying back when some very digusting things happen to you e.g. someone rubbing their snot on you.

Just do what you want.
Ever heard of that saying, if your friend jumps off a cliff, will you follow him/her?

Discard your friend and ask someone ask to share a flat with you.

I agree. I totally agree.

I actually don't have a boyfriend at the moment (which would have made this situation much easier...). I do have someone who's kind of close to being a boyfriend, but I wouldn't say we were that far on yet...

And I was thinking of worse things than people rubbing snot on me == I think you know what I'm talking about.

And it's a bit late to just ditch her, because I wouldn't be able to find another flatmate for next year at this point. And living alone would be even less safe than living in a slightly shady area of town with a friend. And she's also kind of a close friend (I wouldn't say she was my closest friend, but we still know each other pretty well), so suddenly ditching her now would be very awkward for both of us.

What should I do?

Your just viewing the flat? So you've made no commitment?
Just express your concern to your friend... if you decide not to live with her without doing this then your a shitty friend.

I'm trying to help but your making things so hard...
Sometimes you have to make choices, your safety or friendship?
Look for a new flate mate on wbesites, e.g. here
Idk, i have no solution.

If i was in your situation i would hook up with that boy asap and have him walk me home. I'm a male, so i doubt he would say no.