Hi
@Herfest I have experienced a few different kinds of accommodation while at uni.
For my undergrad, I was in Trinity Collage Dublin, and lived at home with my parents. I would take public transport (bus) to/from my lectures each day. Unfortunately, even though I wasn’t very far from the uni (maybe a 35 min drive with no traffic) being in the city centre and having a bus route that passes many schools meant that each trip could be over an hour. It wasn’t ideal, but since there is a huge rental crisis in Dublin I didn’t have any choice. It did help me stay motivated to get up in time, and when I learned to manage my time well (i.e. staying in the library to study after lectures so I missed the rush hour traffic, and coming in early to avoid school traffic) it may have actually helped my studies. But it could also be frustrating, ‘wasting’ so much time each day just sitting on a bus.
When I first started my PhD in Cranfield, I lived on campus. This was great, it meant that my commute was only a few minutes walk, and I never had to wait for a bus (even though I didn’t have lectures, I still went to the lab). It was also a great way to get to know people when I had not only moved to a new area, but a whole new country.
I later decided to move in with a friend in Cranfield village, and have rented here since. While it was really nice to have easy and quick access to the lab/office when I lived on campus, it sometimes was hard to create boundaries between my home and work life. Living in the village I have the choice between walking (about 30-45 mins) to campus, or taking the bus (10 mins). Having the option to walk is great, especially when the buses may be less frequent (like on bank holidays), and also means it’s an easy way to get some exercise and time outdoors.
Overall, each option had benefits and drawbacks, but what is best depends on what options you have, your preferences, and your personality.
Hope this helps!
Ciara
3rd year Agrifood PhD student
Cranfield Student Ambassador