I know it is a silly question but.. So basically everyone needs to pay to wash even though some halls have integral launderettes?
So its quite risky provided that I am not very sociable to be honest
Yes, you pay regardless of whether you're using a machine inside or outside your accommodation.
You could think of it as paying for your wash cycle in cash rather than through an electricity bill. Also bear in mind that those washers and dryers are much better than domestic ones - the cycles are quicker on the whole. I found that I generally get through about one machine-load per week.
Hi TheTallOne Was wondering.. is Lakeside socially isolated? and what's the best accom. for someone who wants to work well, but needs a good lively bunch who ultimately like to socialise with and go out in birmingham etc with, and loads of stuff happens, for both en-suite/non ensuite rooms?
I found that I generally get through about one machine-load per week.
Either you're cleaner than me or you wear loads more clothes (or have less I guess) but I think I only did washing twice last term, although both were double loads.
Hi TheTallOne Was wondering.. is Lakeside socially isolated? and what's the best accom. for someone who wants to work well, but needs a good lively bunch who ultimately like to socialise with and go out in birmingham etc with, and loads of stuff happens, for both en-suite/non ensuite rooms?
For undergraduates who are from the UK? In some sense yes, perhaps because of the long 39 week lets and being the most expensive annual let (for 2010-11) available to first year undergrads. This causes a greater number of international students who are more reluctant to mix with the Home students. I'm not saying that this always the case, but there is always a tendency to stick to your own social groups.
The small number of people living there - 150 or so, OK seeing as you are all bunched together - it wouldn't be difficult to find people you enjoy spending time with. I mean other halls might only have 100 or so per block (or less) and they get along fine.
However, the location can be another factor. Being a good 10-15 minute walk from main campus means that you have to travel a fair distance to get to the bus stop if you are interested in heading to Cov/Leam/Brum and could be a factor in people saying 'I'm too tired/can't be bothered to go out.' Additionally, it can be more effort to get friends living in other halls to have a quick visit, or visit friend's rooms for that matter, so I knew a few people who actually spent most of their time with friends on main campus rather than in HB/LS.
The bottom line is that if you go out and look for friends and make the most of uni, you will find them. Find someone else and visit other flats in the arrivals weekend and meet people also in halls. Beyond that, there are people you meet on your course or through societies and sports clubs, although that is somewhat unrelated to which halls you are in.
If I were applying in 2010-11, I would have chosen JM, Rootes, Tocil, Westwood, Cryfield as my options (Arthur Vick, Benefactors, Heronbank, Lakeside and Whitefields were the other options - Bluebell, Claycroft, Hurst and Redfern were not available to UG Freshers in 2010-11), but there are other factors behind that as well, namely location and price. But I would personally avoid HB/LS because it is on the opposite side of campus to where my lectures/department is.
You can still get work done in the most lively of halls, but perhaps it is more difficult to get people to go out in the quieter halls. Who you get comes down to luck as well, and often that makes things easier.
The more quiet halls are HB/LS/AV, the more lively are Rootes. JM, Tocil, Westwood, Cryfield, Benefactors and Whitefields lay somewhere inbetween. Tocil and Whitefields are slightly different as the flats become more isolated so how active each flat is varies.
Remember, if things go the same as last year, you need to choose 5 or 6 preferences, at most one can be a 30 week en suite and at most one can be a 39 week en suite.
Remember, if things go the same as last year, you need to choose 5 or 6 preferences, at most one can be a 30 week en suite and at most one can be a 39 week en suite.
In 2009-10, you only had to choose a minimum 3, at most one could be an en-suite. In 2010-11, you had to choose a minimum of 5, at most one could be a 30 wk en-suite and at most one a 39 wk en-suite. You can choose a max of 6 preferences. In both cases, you choose a first preference, then second, etc..
I don't know what the situation is for 2011-12, unfortunately, but if there is a note somewhere which says something I would be grateful
Hi TheTallOne Was wondering.. is Lakeside socially isolated? and what's the best accom. for someone who wants to work well, but needs a good lively bunch who ultimately like to socialise with and go out in birmingham etc with, and loads of stuff happens, for both en-suite/non ensuite rooms?
I unlike TheTallOne am actually a first year who lives in lakeside, at home for Easter holidays though at the moment.I personally don't mind the walk to and from campus, typically I leave at quarter to or ten to the hour to get to my lectures on time (which start on the hour).
Socially, yes, Lakeside is isolated. It seems a difficult challenge for people here to get other people to come here for predrinking before nights out - it's only happened 3-4 times that I can think of. People living more central in campus can't be bothered walking to Lakeside to visit etc. Lakeside also has a high proportion of international students. I don't mean to generalise or stereotype but a lot of them are relatively quiet (compared to British people anyways) and a lot of them socialise mainly with people from their own country or other internationals (fair play to them, I would do the same if I was studying in China).
Lakeside also seemingly has an issue with flat assignment. When applying for accommodation you are given the option to write a brief bit about yourself so that you can be put into a flat/kitchen with similar people. I figure whoever made the decision about who lives where in the Lakeside undergraduate block ignored this (possibly to prevent complaints about noisy flats etc?) but it kinda sucks. There is not a single flat that is full of lively people who are up for going out, drinking games etc. Instead we are all dotted around over many flats (6+). My flat only has 4 people who are really quite fun and go out a lot and we all put down we were loud etc on the application. The other 4 - 2 are very quiet British students, 1 is an international student who is very quiet and I rarely ever see and the other is an international who socialises with other people from their country mainly. By contrast, in Rootes the general principle seems to be that loud/social people are given flats on the ground and lower floors, and quieter people live upstairs. When I visit Rootes in particular (I have a friend from secondary school there who lives on the ground floor) it is a lot more lively than Lakeside ever has been, and literally everyone on the ground floor goes out and they are all very friendly and fun.
So yeah personally I would not advise applying to Lakeside as a first year. I imagine its a great accommodation for 3rd year and maybe postgrads (not sure if any of the blocks are post grads), but I wish I had not put it so high on my selection.
Which reminds me, I know of people who put Lakeside as their 4th choice (out of 5 or 6 I can't remember) and still got it. So I think you can afford to put it pretty low on your choices and still have a reasonable chance of getting it if you do really prefer an ensuite. Put more popular halls above it in your choices so you have a chance of getting those.
And which hall have you decided to pick? Im not bothered to do the same JM seems nice. Bluebell has the 39 week lets though.
Haha, yeah don't, I got to know the ones I liked through comments I think, but took ageeeeesss!! I'm going to go for Jack Martin (hopefully will get one of the new kitchens), and then rootes will be my second =)
Yeah bluebell looked great! Although it's flats isn't it?! I think I want to go for halls
Yeah bluebell looked great! Although it's flats isn't it?! I think I want to go for halls
The flats are in blocks - there are 4 flats per floor. Each flat has a front door so it is up to you and your flatmates if you want to keep it open or not.
Do i have a chance of getting into Rootes if i have Warwick as an insurance? Or is Westwood really the best i'm going to get? I read that somewhere....tbh i'll be happy anywhere as long as it's on campus!
Could anyone tell me how do Tocil, Whitefields, and Rootes differ? I would really appreciate that!
Check out the guide at the start of the thread for information on that - people have given reviews for each of the halls so you can also gain a sense for the environment.
Do i have a chance of getting into Rootes if i have Warwick as an insurance? Or is Westwood really the best i'm going to get? I read that somewhere....tbh i'll be happy anywhere as long as it's on campus!
There's no harm in trying
In 2009-10, some people got AV through insurance. But in 2010-11, the uni overshot its target and most people who came through insurance had to live off campus.
Do i have a chance of getting into Rootes if i have Warwick as an insurance? Or is Westwood really the best i'm going to get? I read that somewhere....tbh i'll be happy anywhere as long as it's on campus!
I doubt you'll end up getting put off campus this year as they have put up the entry standards for lots of courses/ built extra accomodation so the whole over-recruitment stuff won't happen again.