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University College London, University of London
University College London
London
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Living at home? or moving into UCL accomodation?

HI,

Just wondering how many of you 'Londoners' (already living in central/greater london) will be living at home and study at UCL from september/october if you get an offer and decide to do your course there?

I live in Southeast London (just around 48-50 mins away from UCL by train); and at the moment I'm just thinking what to do- shall I stay home or shall I go for Uni accomodation....pluspoint is I would be saving LOADS if I stay at home for sure; considering the excrutiatingly high accomodation costs in London. But again my mates argue that I would be missing out a lot in terms of social life- but i just cut them off saying that I have loads of other ways to socialise- after all we're all be living in London :smile:

and oh- I do have an offer from UCL....for chemical engineering MEng :smile:
Is anyone of you are in the same thinking tank as myself? would love your opinions!
Reply 1
Avatar for UPsilamba
UPsilamba
12
I have an offer from UCL and live in N. London.
For my 1st year I would definitely move out into uni accomodation. It would make it much easier in so many respects.
I might consider moving back home for 2nd or 3rd year though.
University College London, University of London
University College London
London
I'd recommend taking uni accomodation for the first year - even if only for one term, it'll make all sorts of simple things much easier.
Reply 3
Avatar for sierraleone
sierraleone
Yeah, I'd recommend living in halls for at least the first term (which you can do, you just need to give UCL written notice by Christmas that you intend to live). Also, apparently if you stay in halls for a whole academic year while living in London, you don't get an opportunity to do the same in your final year via the ballot they do to allocate places. So you might want to bear that in mind.
Reply 4
Avatar for absynth
absynth
I'm in a similar situation to the OP. Have an offer from UCL for Chemistry, live in SE London etc, etc. For me, the decision to want to live in halls was pretty much made up from the moment I applied. A friend of mine who is already at UCL didn't apply for accom and stayed at home, which she now regrets. So based on her advice and the advice of those above, perhaps moving out into accommodation isn't such a bad idea. I guess it all comes down to what you find most important; saving money, home comforts, saving money etc or close proximity, social life etc...
Reply 5
Avatar for Rokit
Rokit
16
If you have never lived in uni accommodation before then try it for like a term. It really should be experienced.

Then move home afterwards
Living at home is a surefire way to have a boring uneventful first year at uni.
Fact.
I live in NE London (40 mins by train) and will be moving out for the first year. Second and third year I plan to live at home, as I need to save money for my GDL and LPC! All my friends that didn't move out have regretted it so much!
Reply 8
Avatar for T.K.B
T.K.B
OP
3
ahhhh- thanx for all ur views guys. I totally changed my decision now- cos I just hate to regret and contemplate. I will be moving out to UCL accomodation for the first year- and i just cant wait :smile:
Reply 9
Avatar for Admonitor
Admonitor
11
holdyourcolour
Living at home is a surefire way to have a boring uneventful first year at uni.
Fact.


No offence, but you obviously don't know what you're talking about.
Reply 10
Avatar for Rokit
Rokit
16
Admonitor
No offence, but you obviously don't know what you're talking about.


:dito:
Reply 11
Avatar for pure_joy
pure_joy
9
I would recommend living in halls, had the option to live with my family in Hampstead (15 mins to UCL by tube), but ended up in Camden halls- I still have to take a bus every day, which is very annoying, but it's far more sociable. Halls often have completely spontaneous parties going on and if you live out you have to plan your free time with your uni friends, which sometimes doesn't really work out. From my experience, people on my course that live in halls are the ones that socialise most, those that live at home are less into parties- it's far, they're tired, so they can't be bothered and traveling home after a night out isn't really safe.
Of course the good thing about living at home are the home comforts, but you can always go home for a day off or a weekend and enjoy it.
i live in north london and ucl's about 20mins away, i'm staying at home, the convenience and the hot home cooked food, my own bed, no rent, laundry facilities i can use anytime of the day, my shower which is just the best:biggrin: my good friend is living out so if i want i could just crash at hers....
Reply 13
Avatar for Rexehuk
Rexehuk
Hey TKB :smile:,

I tell you from experience... I lived at home in my first term and I'm in the same location as you it seems. The train journeys were not the main issue... it was the social life that seemed to suffer and I still think that has been carried into the second term for sure!

But yeah I lived in Cheam if you know if it? Seriously consider halls for first term at least to get good footing friends wise, I've even had thoughts of leaving from such a silly decision when joining.

Anyway, congratulations for getting in and wish you the best.

Rob
Reply 14
Avatar for Rokit
Rokit
16
aminalia89
i live in north london and ucl's about 20mins away, i'm staying at home, the convenience and the hot home cooked food, my own bed, no rent, laundry facilities i can use anytime of the day, my shower which is just the best:biggrin: my good friend is living out so if i want i could just crash at hers....


Spoke to friends about this too. I am in a lovely 3 bed flat with its own patio, bbq area, my room is huuuge and with the amount of clothing, shoes and stuff I have there is no way it would ever fit into a halls of residence. It is a fantastic flat. I was considering moving into student accommodation but my mates who are already at UCL/Imperial talked me out of it as they are on campus accommodation and I can just crash at theirs. It is impossible not to make friends at uni anyway
It just annoys me when people say you won't have a social life if you live at home. I know plenty of people who manage it just fine - if you need to stay beyond when the trains/buses work then you can stay with someone else normally, but for some people it just works out incredibly cheaper to live at home and travel in.
Reply 16
Avatar for Rokit
Rokit
16
Definitely. The only reason why I told the OP to go for it was because it would be good to experience some sort of independence even if for a term

The ways of meeting people at uni are endless

•


freshers week
uni gyms
clubs and socities
your actual course
SU events
student hangouts



Actually getting involved in stuff

Strangely enough all my friends at uni were from my course and the SU

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