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Founders Building, Royal Holloway
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I'm a student at Royal Holloway -- Ask Me Anything!

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Reply 60
Original post by itsjo
Hi,

I have another question, if you don't mind. It's about exams and end of terms. On RHUL's website it says the autumn term will end on the 11th of December this year. Do you know anyone who had their exams after the end of term? Or are students okay to leave the campus on the 11th? I heard that's common at some unis, but then again some halls require students to move out during breaks. What is your experience with exam dates at RHUL?

Thanks in advance!

Hey!! I never mind extra questions --- sorry for being super late with replies, I am useless.

So after term ends, I'd say the vast vast majority of students are free to go back to their family home. Most if not all exams are in the summer term (so end of April to mid June) -- it might be different for other courses, to be fair, but most undergrads to my knowledge only have exams in the summer term, so that's not normally a problem! Students are pretty much all allowed and expected to leave campus after teaching ends for the term.

The only reason I've had to return to campus or leave it late is because of work -- signing up for a school visit the week before term starts, etc -- or if I have a big deadline in the first week back, I try and come back early so I have at least a week to focus on it with the library resources and the like.

Most halls at RHUL are 38 week lets (so the room is yours from September to June, and you don't have to move out during the holidays), with a few exceptions -- Reid I believe (? possibly? It seems to change every year, definitely worth checking the website) is 30 weeks, so you have to move out over Christmas and over Easter. But the vast majority let you stay if you want to, and go home if you don't. ❤️
Founders Building, Royal Holloway
Royal Holloway
Egham
Visit website
Hi, quick question. Do you know what laptops are best to buy for uni. I currently don't have one and am looking into buying one, Im hoping to study psychology and was wondering if there were specific ones which were better. Thanks
Reply 62
Original post by hollyeb3
Hi, quick question. Do you know what laptops are best to buy for uni. I currently don't have one and am looking into buying one, Im hoping to study psychology and was wondering if there were specific ones which were better. Thanks

Hey! So -- pretty much any laptop will work for psychology. I think the specialist programs you'll be using like SPSS are extremely lax and non demanding on your hardware. I have an Acer Swift 3, which has been absolutely perfect my whole three years; my partner has a Lenovo ThinkPad or IdeaPad, and that was perfect too. Honestly, the bulk of your laptop work is going to be in Google Docs or Microsoft Word, so as long as it can run those you're basically fine. The library has rentable Lenovo ThinkPads for all students, so clearly they're considered good enough for getting work done! I would probably just recommend against a Chromebook, since iirc they require an internet connection at all times and that can be a pain if you're finding somewhere to work off of campus. I'd also recommend getting one that's fairly lightweight; my partner had a 15-inch HP Pavillion before upgrading to the Lenovo, and it was a chunky boy that made it a pain to lug to the library and back. Other than that, pretty much any laptop will work great for student life!
Original post by octo
Hey guys!

Since open days and applicant days have been postponed indefinitely, I thought this might be a decent idea. If you have any questions about Royal Holloway -- whether you're year 12 or 13 or just bored -- ask me any questions you have! about RHUL, the local area, the course, what I had for breakfast, whatever. When I was looking around at universities, I really appreciated these threads -- so I think it's only fair to give back at a time like this.

A little about me: I'm 21, and I'm in my third year studying BA English and Creative Writing. I've lived in Wedderburn, off-campus in Englefield Green, and in a shared/twin room in Founders.

Have at it! I'm happy to help as much as I possibly can. <3

How is the social life there and what is there to do? x
Original post by octo
Hey guys!

Since open days and applicant days have been postponed indefinitely, I thought this might be a decent idea. If you have any questions about Royal Holloway -- whether you're year 12 or 13 or just bored -- ask me any questions you have! about RHUL, the local area, the course, what I had for breakfast, whatever. When I was looking around at universities, I really appreciated these threads -- so I think it's only fair to give back at a time like this.

A little about me: I'm 21, and I'm in my third year studying BA English and Creative Writing. I've lived in Wedderburn, off-campus in Englefield Green, and in a shared/twin room in Founders.

Have at it! I'm happy to help as much as I possibly can. <3


Where's Royal Holloway?
Reply 65
Original post by TSR Monster
Where's Royal Holloway?

Egham in Surrey, just west of Staines and slightly south of Windsor.
Original post by octo
Hey guys!

Since open days and applicant days have been postponed indefinitely, I thought this might be a decent idea. If you have any questions about Royal Holloway -- whether you're year 12 or 13 or just bored -- ask me any questions you have! about RHUL, the local area, the course, what I had for breakfast, whatever. When I was looking around at universities, I really appreciated these threads -- so I think it's only fair to give back at a time like this.

A little about me: I'm 21, and I'm in my third year studying BA English and Creative Writing. I've lived in Wedderburn, off-campus in Englefield Green, and in a shared/twin room in Founders.

Have at it! I'm happy to help as much as I possibly can. <3


hi, what is the difference between english and english with creative writing?
Hey, just a question about clothes storage. In the tuke/butler etc rooms, is there only a wardrobe with hanging space? Or does it have shelves inside or something?:smile:
Reply 68
Original post by karis2942
Hey, just a question about clothes storage. In the tuke/butler etc rooms, is there only a wardrobe with hanging space? Or does it have shelves inside or something?:smile:

Hey! It's been a long while, but I know for sure that my Founders room had little shelves inside the wardrobe (4 or 5 of them) as well as hanging space, and I'm fairly sure the Band A rooms were the same!! You also have a big shelving area close to the bed, and drawers built into the desk. I wish I'd taken more pics of my Wedderburn room because my memory is AWFUL </3
Reply 69
Original post by laila777
hi, what is the difference between english and english with creative writing?

Hey!! So English is single honours (100% English) and English and Creative Writing is joint honours -- you do 50% English and 50% Creative Writing. So for example in 1st year you'd have 4 English modules as an English single hons student (for our year it was Reorienting the Novel, Medieval Literature, Shakespeare, Thinking as a Critic/Introducing Poetry). Creative Writing students only do two of those (Reorienting the Novel and Thinking as a Critic/Introducing Poetry), and then have two Creative Writing modules (Theory of Creative Writing and Introduction to Creative Writing) instead of the other two.
Original post by octo
Hey!! So English is single honours (100% English) and English and Creative Writing is joint honours -- you do 50% English and 50% Creative Writing. So for example in 1st year you'd have 4 English modules as an English single hons student (for our year it was Reorienting the Novel, Medieval Literature, Shakespeare, Thinking as a Critic/Introducing PoetWhich ry). Creative Writing students only do two of those (Reorienting the Novel and Thinking as a Critic/Introducing Poetry), and then have two Creative Writing modules (Theory of Creative Writing and Introduction to Creative Writing) instead of the other two.

Which one would you recommend for a person who wantes to be a writer/ journalist/ author, etc? I also found a course that does english and music. Does this mean that I wont be qualified or good enough to be a writer/ musician as I only do half of the course?
Reply 71
Original post by laila777
Which one would you recommend for a person who wantes to be a writer/ journalist/ author, etc? I also found a course that does english and music. Does this mean that I wont be qualified or good enough to be a writer/ musician as I only do half of the course?

For an author, I think doing some Creative Writing is really helpful -- but you wouldn't be locking yourself out of writing by only doing English, or by doing a different degree altogether! There are always opportunities to take modules from other degree courses, and as a student who does English in any degree you'll be able to take Creative Writing modules in second and third year if you want to. I wouldn't say either course is better or worse for journalism, as the Creative Writing side of things is only regarding fiction, poetry, or playwriting/screenwriting -- but there are dozens of student papers on campus, from The Tab to Orbital to The Founder, that you can write for and hone your journalistic writing outside of class hours.

A Joint Honours doesn't give you less of a qualification or impact the skills you're learning! You'll be equally qualified in English studies and Music studies -- you won't be behind someone who does full honours, and if anything a joint honours can give you some fantastic knowledge around different subjects that you might not have experienced on a Joint Honours course. :smile:
Hi! Was wondering if the rooms have ethernet cables? I was thinking about bringing a pc and was wondering if it would be possible or not, I’ve applied for band A (tuke, butler and gowar) as my top accom, any help is appreciated as i wasnt really sure where best to ask, thanks.
Reply 73
Original post by Mia Jones
Hi! Was wondering if the rooms have ethernet cables? I was thinking about bringing a pc and was wondering if it would be possible or not, I’ve applied for band A (tuke, butler and gowar) as my top accom, any help is appreciated as i wasnt really sure where best to ask, thanks.

All the rooms have ethernet cables! In Band A they're positioned really nicely behind your desk so your console to sit on your desk; I had my Switch and a tv in Founders this year and it was a bit of a nuisance running the cable across my bed, so Band A is definitely set up better for it, but all rooms should have ethernet! The cables are really long too, which is vvv helpful. ❤️
Original post by octo
All the rooms have ethernet cables! In Band A they're positioned really nicely behind your desk so your console to sit on your desk; I had my Switch and a tv in Founders this year and it was a bit of a nuisance running the cable across my bed, so Band A is definitely set up better for it, but all rooms should have ethernet! The cables are really long too, which is vvv helpful. ❤️

Thank you so much!! That’s perfect, just got my accom offer for Williamson so thats worked out well :smile:
Reply 75
Original post by Mia Jones
Thank you so much!! That’s perfect, just got my accom offer for Williamson so thats worked out well :smile:

Fantastic, and congratulations!!! You'll have a brilliant time in Williamson -- if you have any questions about Band A, I'm happy to help out any time. ❤️❤️
Hello I have an offer to study English and Creative Writing. What would you recommend I do to prepare for the course before coming? Any particular texts I should look at or prep that would be helpful? Thank you
Original post by Anonymous
Hello I have an offer to study English and Creative Writing. What would you recommend I do to prepare for the course before coming? Any particular texts I should look at or prep that would be helpful? Thank you

Hey, I'm hoping to do that course too!
What are you planning on doing when you finish that course?
Reply 78
Hi, I have just got an accom offer at George Elliot. Just wondering, are there more than a couple of GE buildings?
Reply 79
Original post by Esha3
Hi, I have just got an accom offer at George Elliot. Just wondering, are there more than a couple of GE buildings?

Just thought I'd add my experience to answering this!

I stayed at George Eliot in my first year and it's brilliant, the rooms are fairly spacious too!

Yeah there are blocks A all the way to Y and Z so definitely much more than just a couple :smile:

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