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University of Sussex

Brighton

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I have to stay with a host family....

Just phoned the housing office at Sussex and apparently because it was my insurance uni I have to stay with a host family. I'm not even going to get to live with other students, I'm going to miss all the on campus stuff and won't be able to make friends on freshers because I'll be stuck in the middle of nowhere with a family I probably wont even get on with. I'm starting to dreading uni now...

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Reply 1

Wise One

Relax. It'll probably only be for a couple of weeks, at the most, until some accomodation is freed up. You're not going to miss the on campus stuff, and you won't be stuck in the middle of nowhere. In all likelihood, you'll in Brighton with a family that has strong links to the university.

It'll be fine. :smile:

University of Sussex

Brighton

Reply 2

dogtanian

I'm a bit scared now.. I don't have my accomm offer yet, and I was an insurance.

Considering they don't start sorting out the accommodation properly until the offers are unconditional, that's a bit unfair..

I think I'll ring them now.

Reply 3

dogtanian

Oh, I just rang up. Apparently a lot of people made their firm offers, so us insurance types are scraping the barrel when it comes to accommodation. I've been told to ring back in a week and they'll know more then. That really cuts it fine. I'm sorry, but I have my pride. I don't want to feel like a thirteen year old on a French exchange. If they've allocated yours but not mine, and you got stuck with the last resort, looks like I've got the same.
I don't get into my firm, I'm not as into the course at sussex, and now it looks like I won't get my own little space. Not looking good for my motivation here, is it?

Becca, what accommodation at Sussex did you apply for in the first place? And how much will you be paying the host family by way of rent?

... :frown:

Reply 4

TheZack

I doubt you'll miss much. I think people are too stressed about their accommodation. It's not like you'll be sitting around in their house all day long, you'll still get a chance to go out and make friends. And as Wise One says, it'll probably only be for a couple weeks, tops. I understand it's annoying - but it's not the end of the world. I wouldn't worry if i was you.

Reply 5

Becca28

Thye gave me the following average accomodation costs for a host family:

£90 with rent/food
£70 rent but self catered
£45 shared room

Apparently it is 50/50 as to whether you have to share a room which is not overly encouraging. Im starting to think about defering for a year now...

Reply 6

dogtanian

No, I think I'll worry, thank you.

Sorry, i know you're only trying to help, but I'm not happy.

Also, I'm worried about cost. What if everyone who drops out drops out of insanely priced en suite accommodation? Will i be forced to go there where I can't afford it, or will I just have to stay with the host family indefinitely?

Reply 7

Becca28

I cant remember exactly what accomodation I applied for, it was definately on campus, most likely Lewes Court/Park Houses i think.

Reply 8

dogtanian

Becca28

£70 rent but self catered

What? That's more expensive than the accommodation that I applied for! I assume that there's a commute on top of that. And I can't share a room, I've shared all my life. Heck, I shared a bed with my sister for a few years when I was young.

:frown:

Reply 9

Becca28

Im not sure whether we get the option of sharing or not so im worrying a bit! I was just about to sell me car as thought I'd be living on campus and wouldnt need it, but looks like I'll have a use for it now lol. I was surprised by the costs, hopefully as Wise One pointed out it shouldnt be for too long, and maybe some of the insurance people might want to get together and go into private housing sector rather than stay with a host family if the uni doesnt come up with any accomodation.

Reply 10

dogtanian

That sounds an alright idea. Might start looking into it all.

Hmmmmnj. I'll just have to calm down and wait and see, I guess.

Reply 11

Becca28

Yeh i've stopped freaking out now, was a bit of a shock at first, at worst I was expecting to be living in university accomodation off campus, at least it sounds like there could be a few insurance people in the same situation, im sure it will all work out tho :smile:

Reply 12

Folbr

Becca28

Here's my advice: ring up the accommodation office and ask them if they hae any single rooms on campus available, if not ask about shared rooms, when I came to sussex in 2004 I was allocated to a shared room in East Slope (ticked the wrong box on the form...) - houses with shared rooms were half empty all year, know someone who enjoyed a shared room alone all year just because no one wanted to move in!

Shared rooms in East Slope are horrible (my opinion) and you're unlikely to have any flatmates but at least you'll be on campus during freshers' week (whatever they say you'll miss out if you're staying off campus) and transfer easily - I got single room in Park Village after two weeks

Reply 13

Becca28

I phoned earlier and asked if I had any options other than host family, they told me it was either use one of the host families they have contacts with or try and organise my own accomodation in brighton, im not sure they have any spaces on campus at the mo or else they would be allocating them to the insurance people.

Reply 14

Wise One

Yup, there's been a massive surge in applicants this year. I'm not sure they were quite prepared for it. It's going to be a tricky first term for both new students and the university, methinks.

The number of students are growing year on year, slightly too quickly for the administration to handle effectively.

Reply 15

ktr18

thats crazy, i've never heard of students having to stay with host families. but i reckon if you ask the uni if theres other people, and find who they are and go into the private sector. its well easy to do that.

flat 31, the slope...

Reply 16

Scheherazade

Damn! I haven't been told about my accomadtion yet, so I guess I'm going to have to sort my own out. I can't live with a random host family or share a room, i sleep on the sof, just so I don't have to share a room with my little sister when my older sister comes back from uni.

D'you think I could just join the housing list for second year students looking for flatmates?

Reply 17

Elementalism

I know TWO people who were living with host families, both of them were on campus before the end of the first term :smile:

Don't worry about it, just get out there in Freshers' Week and make yourself known, once lectures start it'll seem a lot less important, and then it's just a case of waiting a few weeks.

A fair few people drop out before the end of the first term, either because they found Sussex wasn't for them, the course wasn't right or they just didn't like their accommodation. At the worst, you'll be moving into your flat at the start of the second term...I'm no expert, but I reckon you'll be on campus before December.

Reply 18

Becca28

im soo peed off everyone else on here has been given accomodation and im stuck with a blummin host family aaargh....

Reply 19

Becca28

They've run out of host families as well now lol, some people are going to be forced to find their own accomodation as not enough families want to provide accomodation for us students :smile:

eeek....

I have to stay with a host family....

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