Are catered Uni halls less sociable

I’m trying to decide on accommodation for next year and I’m looking at catered halls but I’m worried it won’t be as easy to make friends? I’m super shy and kind of find it hard to talk to new people, but are you more likely to make friends quicker in self catering because you can like socialise with the people in your flat? Whereas catered you don’t have like that communal area and you’re all just on corridor? I don’t know if it makes sense aha

Reply 1

username4278554

I think it depends what uni. Ive heard Nottingham uni catered halls are rlly sociable as theyre on campus :smile:

Reply 2

hallamstudents

Official Rep

Like above, it definitely depends. My friend had a catered accom and they would always go and eat together. I don't think it particularly makes too much of a difference, but there is definitely bonding experience/time by sharing a kitchen with other people.

On the upside... there's also problems with sharing with others, which is kind of a pain.
It depends who you get.

I don't think it's anti social or anything! :smile:

Josh

Reply 3

ppeachbs19

Thanks , i think I wanna go catered but I kinda got the impression that In self catering it’s easier to make friends as your kinda like forced to socialise with the people in your flat, I don’t know if this is actually accurate aha. I don’t know how you’d make friends in catered like I know people say leave your door open but I don’t know haha I’m not confident enough to approach anyone with an open door

Yes, they are.

Original post by ppeachbs19

I don't think so, but it will depend on the university. At my university, catered halls are really popular and they are basically the sociable halls. Find out more specific to your university. With catered, you will have to sit down regularly with others to have your meals so imagine it could be more sociable.

Reply 6

Mj52

I have a friend at uni in catered halls, he found most of his friends through dinner times and now they eat together every breakfast and dinner. Although he has said he would prefer a communal area as he tends to be stuck in his/friends rooms a lot, which for drinking together are not very big at all and most people end up sat on the floor, so that could be something to take into consideration? And also one other (small) problem he's found is that he doesn't have a freezer because of being catered so has to go out every week to buy food just for the weekend and can't cook anything in bulk really, but that could just be the halls he is in, others might have them 😂

To summarise.. they're social, people will probably come and sit with you if they see you on your own, everyone is nervous and in the same boat and noone knows anyone so you will always make friends.

Reply 7

Mj52

Oh also if it helps at all, I'm 22 and going back to college then hopefully to uni and will be going into halls when I am turning 24. So I'm also very nervous about the whole situation but I've been assured by everyone that noone gives a f**k who you are, as long as you're not a massive poo head people will like and accept you 😂