Moving University

Hi it is my second day at University and I am really struggling already and hoping to move University but need advice.

I moved from up north (liverpool) to down south but do not want to name where I have moved to, as I don't want to slate where I am. It took me six hours to travel here and I have given it a chance but I am regretting it and it has gotten me down so much already.

I live in halls but we have been thrown in a flat of 4 with only 2 of us, so instantly we do not get the halls experience and both feel very isolated, and it has made me very homesick. We have tried going the Student Union to socialise, and both events already, but people are sticking with their flatmates and people down South do not seem very sociable whatsoever, so yesterday we went home 1 hour before closing, and today the same - as we are genuinely now a laughing stock. I have no problem socializing with people and have very sociable friends back home.

The events are held in clubs where there is nothing going on elsewhere in the town, and even these specific freshers events are virtually empty, and that is a freshers night. There is no people throwing up outside kebab shops, no taxis, no queuing up, no atmosphere whatsoever. Infact, multiple foxes can be seen outside at 10pm in the street as it is that dead, and this is during freshers week. I can speak on behalf of everybody from Liverpool that freshers week is madness and not only is one club packed, but almost every club is. Here there is nothing, and if you are lucky to see people, good luck conversating with them. On freshers, an event here on freshers has less people than a typical weekday in your average Liverpool club.

I am mature and my grades are certainly a priority, but I am also mature enough to know I need a balance and being able socialize is important. I received an unconditional offer from a Uni closer to home, and a conditional offer from a uni closer to home which I exceeded the entry criteria. These were my firm and insurance choices, but I changed last second to move here instead to move far away. This is not about me wanting to get "on the sesh" or anything, this just genuinely feels like solitary confinement and my flatmate said it making me sick, he said he hates people and even he is on the same page as me with feeling isolated. The halls are completely dead of a night if you walk around outside past windows too.

I am really missing home and my dog, and 3 years of being so far and being so isolated is unimaginable for me and I will not cope. This is not a case of me isolating myself, I have done everything I can to integrate. Why should I go through this and have it on my conscience, when I could just be in a University closer to home?

I have been informed to speak to the accommodation manager in the morning, however I am worried that their only interest is to make me stay as it is a business.

Anyway what I am wondering is this:
I am due to enrol tomorrow and my student finance is due tomorrow after I enrol. If I enrol, I assume I am going to have to pay my 9 grand tuition fees, and possibly accommodation and I will receive my maintenance loan for the first period, but what is the best way of going about this?

My plan was to get my maintenance loan and pay a train to the other university, or even if I have to go through some sort of clearing I don't know, but after being here two days and not even starting I do not want to pay the tuition fees and accommodation if I don't have to, but I guess if I don't enrol I won't get my maintenance loan to pay the travel and posting of my tv and other possessions.

Can anybody please advise me how I go about changing University or if it is possible, and if I still have to pay the tuition fees and accommodation for where I am, and whether or not I should enrol tomorrow. Thank you.

Reply 1

999tigger

Original post by Sport209

This post was way too long and meandering.
If you want advice then its helpful if you get to the point by giving a brief summary of the situation and questions you want answered.

I make the following observations.

1. You cant have thought this through.
2. Sounds like you went somewhere like Plymouth or Falmouth.
3. Its only 2 days in and you are letting it work in your mind that the rest of your uni experience is doomed. Find other people in the same situation.
4. You are getting paranoid if you think you are a laughing stock. I doubt out of the thousands anyone knows who you are and there are lost of nervous freshers keen to make friends.
5. Fair point of you feel the social life does not compare to Liverpool. You seem to have not done your research and you want a specific type of uni.

Advice

It is your uni experience.
You have made an effort for 2 days and want to leave, so you need to formally withdraw. As we dont know the uni i cant help you, but look on the website or go and see a student advisor..

1. If you definitely want out then then do not enrol and you may be able to escape liability for any fees. It depends on the uni, but it is not uncommon you can leave without liability in the first 14 days.

2. If possible dont take any student finance at all. If you do, then you will just have to sort it out with SFE and the uni because the fees will need to be reallocated. It just gets messy.

3. UCAS are no longer doing fresh clearing applications so direct to the unis would seem the way and ask about late placement/ clearing and whether they will accept you.

4. Move and start again, although you may have missed freshers. Flatmates are always a bit pot luck.

5. Make sure wherever you go meets your social life criteria.

6. Its important to leave asap to avoid further liability for accommodation. they may make you pay until you find a replacement.

7. If you do it quickly enough then you may escape liability for fees and minimise liability for accommodation. the latter depends on the rules of the uni and your agreement. They may insist on liability till you find a replacement or they may let you off once notified.

8. Make a to do list and push through to get it sorted.

9. If you cant get it sorted, then just go home and take a gap.

10. If you find out the liability for fees period. Ask a student advisor or look on the website. Then you have until then top hand in your notice, but i think its easier not to enroll. Ofc you make a good point as to whether that blocks you from maintenance and whether you need it. As soon as you cease to be a student then your entitlement to that money ceases and they will ask for it back immediately. It gets messy.