Is living in halls worth it?

Going to university next year, is it better to get my own place or live in the uni halls? I'm thinking about my own personal comforts etc but then again I want to be involved in the social aspects that living in halls offers

Reply 1

Kevin De Bruyne

Original post by upperechelon

With the right flatmates it can be a great experience. Living with.. unsavoury.. human beings however, not so much.

If your uni is on an isolated campus or you'd have to travel some way then I wouldn't recommend it for first year at least.

What halls does is, if you're lucky, you get to spend a lot of time with your people and develop friendships in that way, and connect slightly easier with other halls or host parties etc etc but you can do that anyway if you've got the connections.

Reply 2

1582

Volunteer Team

I spent two years in halls at different locations (Langside College (now known as Glasgow Clyde College); and University of the West of Scotland Ayr campus) and I had vastly different experiences. When I was at Langside I was 18, most of the people I lived with were on drugs and tried to trick me into consuming them on multiple occasions, were liars and gossips, broke into my room and stole items, etc. It was a nightmare. But my experiences in Ayr at age 22 were fantastic. Lovely, respectable people - if they were going to be throwing a party they at least had to the decency to give me enough warning to cook myself some dinner first. At that point I was older than my flatmates and I was a confident cook, good self-motivator, could clean (and you bet I did ALL of the cleaning in the communal areas), etc so I think that definitely contributed to just a better quality of life altogether. If you're not already good at these things, make sure to learn before you move!

*There are huge advantages to halls. You always have other people around you in the same position. Your bills are usually combined into a single payment. Something broken? They'll be a pain in the arse about fixing it, but at least they should get it done if you keeping nagging. I was living off-campus in the final year of my degree and getting my landlord to fix our shattered landing light (and I mean it literally exploded) took four+ months. My bedroom window was stuck for NINE MONTHS until someone finally came out to fix it. My landlord in general actually was a pain. Although despite those things I absolutely preferred having a whole flat to just a room with en-suite - and the best thing was my FLAT HAD A BATH OMG. And I had more than one cupboard to use. Of course, it was also *cheaper, as my flatmate and I could split the rent, utilities, BT, and food bills 50/50. But I was moving in with a girl I had known since 1995 so I got lucky. If you're moving in with a stranger it's harder to predict how things will turn out.*

If you can afford to live alone and are confident in doing so, I'd personally recommend it if you can afford it! The experience of halls is different for everyone and if it's the social aspects you care about most it's likely you'll be invited to whatever is happening in the union or any parties etc anyway. But if you lack the knowledge or confident to be independent it can be very helpful to be around people in the same stage as yourself who can help you at any hour of the day.

It's a decision I'd personally let finances dictate at least. But you also need to weigh in whether you can really cope alone, or if it would be better for you to have people alongside you to help you out when needed. :smile:

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 3

jelly1000

Original post by upperechelon

If finances are no issue then it depends on what you want to get out of university. If study is your primary aim and you are mostly after peace and quiet with the occasional bit of socialising then your own place would be better. However if you want the full uni experience going on nights out, going to flat parties, getting to know as many people as possible and can deal with mess, then it is easier if you are living in halls for first year. Assuming you had another home to go to in the holidays then you would only be in halls half the year anyway. As far as finances go, do consider that student finance is unlikely to cover the cost of a place to yourself unless your parents earn very little and you will be living somewhere cheap, so you would very likely need to be able to top up potentially a few thousand for your own place.

Reply 4

999tigger

Pesonally I think halls are a good idea, especially first year. You cna make friends more easily and then move out with them in second year.
Own flat is too isolating in first year.
Flats in general in first year is hit and miss because get the wrong students and it could be a mare or the right ones and its friends for life.

The only thing abouit halls is whetehr its self catering or catered. I think ones that are catered have more community spirit , although soemtimes they are expensive and the food isnt brilliant. mealtimes are communal and social.

Is living in halls worth it?

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