University of southampton accomodation questions

Generally speaking, is an enhanced shared room worth it in comparison to a standard shared room?

Is an en-suite room - which is the same price as an enhanced plus shared room in Wessex Lane - worth it or no?

Okay so, enhanced shared rooms at wessex are MUCH NICER than standard rooms at wessex. The ratio of bathrooms to people is very low so you essentially end up sharing a bathroom one between 2/3. If you have a chance to get enhanced you will have a much better common space as well! The standard en-suite bathrooms aren't the best (trust me I live in one) and the advantage of shared is that a cleaner comes and cleans your bathrooms, you get supplied loo roll etc. I'd recommend going enhanced shared unless you REALLY WANT an en-suite (if you're worried about bathrooms being busy trust me this is never the case haha).

Okay so, enhanced shared rooms at wessex are MUCH NICER than standard rooms at wessex. The ratio of bathrooms to people is very low so you essentially end up sharing a bathroom one between 2/3. If you have a chance to get enhanced you will have a much better common space as well! The standard en-suite bathrooms aren't the best (trust me I live in one) and the advantage of shared is that a cleaner comes and cleans your bathrooms, you get supplied loo roll etc. I'd recommend going enhanced shared unless you REALLY WANT an en-suite (if you're worried about bathrooms being busy trust me this is never the case haha).

do you know what the behaved rooms at Glen are like. I applied for Glen en-suite, Wessex and archers (all en-suite) and a shared for Glen and Wessex
Could you provide any info as to what they are like?

Do you know if this is the case for glen eyre as well? As I'm leaning towards picking the glen eyre enhanced room as it's cheaper than Wessex and it's closer to the uni.

I'm not sure honestly! I've only got friends in standard glen en-suite and I'm at Wessex so I don't really know. Enhanced will always be nicer and have better amenities (and be MUCH newer) than standard though so if it's in your budget I'd recommend going for those. Although it's never a guarantee getting your first choice as I got my fifth and I applied like a week after applications opened.

That's ok, thank you so much for your advice

Glen en-suite varies massively depending on what block you are in as I have friends in many different glen blocks and they all have different style/sized rooms. They're all very nice rooms though! The enhanced versions are also very lovely - I'm at wessex so I don't know much else sorry!

If you have any more questions about Southampton feel free to ask

Ok, thank you!
I applied when it opened but haven’t gotten a repose yet as I haven’t made my firm and insurance as I’m waiting for a final uni (I plan to firm Southampton though)
I also applied for standard shares at Wessex - do you have an idea of what it’s like. How are the room sizes and bathrooms? Do you share with about 7 people ?
any other info about Wessex would be great as well!

Sorry another question !
how do you find Southampton as a city and as a uni?
do you think the uni is good at supporting people? I visited part of the campus once but didn’t get to see much? What is the campus like, and are there any hotspots / good places to visit on campus and Southampton
What are the societies like ? Is it easy to make friends from there ?
How is student life in Southampton ? I always thought Southampton seemed like a pretty chill place from when I went - like a big city and small town at the same time. How would you explain it ?
how is living expenses there as well? Is it student budget friendly ?
What things would you recommend to do in Southampton - I plan on visiting again hopefully after a levels
sorry if it’s a lot of questions !

How do you find Southampton as a city and as a uni?
Soton uni is INCREDIBLE like the campus is lovely and it has amazing facilities. The city itself is super walkable with loads of shops and restaurants (and great clubs).

I visited part of the campus once but didn’t get to see much? What is the campus like, and are there any hotspots / good places to visit on campus and Southampton
There are so many lovely places on campus to study/hang out. I love studying at the Bridge which is one of the cafes on campus (that also hosts a really good quiz night every monday!). There are all sorts of other locations from the library, cafes, the student pub, to the gardens (if you wanna sit outside) and you can book out most rooms (and lecture theatres!) on campus.
Off campus there are also loads of places to work like Portswood has so many cute cafes and the common is huge.

do you think the uni is good at supporting people?
They are really quick and good with dealing with any problems (at least for me). I know they've also been really helpful for my friends with disabilities!

What are the societies like ? Is it easy to make friends from there ?
If you have any interest then there's a society for you - I'm part of board gaming, meditation, gardening and all sorts! Most are free to join but some have a small one time entry fee.
Every sport imaginable is at Soton (we literally have a quiddich team) and there are different levels so you can join a sport even if you've never played it before.
It's so easy to make friends by joining a society as you're all in the same boat and get to spend so much time together at meetings and socials!

How is student life in Southampton ? I always thought Southampton seemed like a pretty chill place from when I went - like a big city and small town at the same time. How would you explain it ?
That's exactly how i'd explain it! Soton has everything you need whilst keeping that town feel so you don't feel overwhelmed. I personally love Soton as there's so much to do and it's very much a student city.

how is living expenses there as well? Is it student budget friendly ?
Soton is much cheaper than other cities with rents from second year being around £100-£130 a week (in my experience) and there's a big Aldi and Lidl on the bus routes which makes doing food shops much cheaper (there's also a costco if you venture further out). You can very easily live here on a budget!

What things would you recommend to do in Southampton - I plan on visiting again hopefully after a levels
I'd take a walk on the common and have lunch at the Cowherds if you want a nice chill afternoon. Shopping at West-Quay is always fun as there's the big shopping centre and then so many little independent shops nearby too. We're very multicultural and I would definitely recommend checking out some of the cultural stores as I always find so many new, delicious foods in there. If you're into football (or if you're not it's still a fun day out) i'd also recommend watching a Southampton football game at the stadium!

In winter they have a huge winter market with an ice rink and stalls so if you've got family I'd recommend them visiting you so you can explore those places!

sorry if it’s a lot of questions !
No worries! I love talking about Soton!

Thank you so much for answering my questions, I really appreciate it ! - it’s made me more excited to go in September now !
I’ll make sure to visit some of those places when I go next . What other cafes would you recommend to visit? (Any Starbucks nearby or other good coffee shops ) Also a bit random, but are there any good bubble tea places ?
what advice / recommendations would you give to first year students ? (Any survival tips lol)
do you know anything about bolder wood campus or the engineering department?
what are your favourite things about Southampton ?

There are SO MANY good bubble tea places in Soton - my friend group like Ding Tea and Tea-Rex which are both down by West Quay but there are definitely more places too!
Portswood which is a 10 minute walk from campus has so many cute independent/small chain coffee shops like Coffee #1, MUSE and the Nest.

For your first year definitely join a sports society ASAP - even if you don't play a sport. I recommend AU hockey or an IM netball team (netball is a mixed sport here with some great teams!) but there are plenty of other sports like ultimate frisbee and swimming. Sports societies are amazing for their socials, getting to know other people and for just enjoying your uni experience!

Make the most of your free bus pass and explore the city - use first year to really get to know and explore Soton. Keep an eye on the SUSU (southampton uni student's union) website as they run so many cool and free events like roller discos, crafts and much more.

Don't rush into booking a second year house, people say look early but I think January is the perfect time so you pick the right people to live with!

This one depends on your preference but in September/October one of the main (and infamous) clubs called Jesters runs an event called the Jestival where if you stay inside for 10 hours straight (like 3pm-1am) you get free entry and queue jump for the rest of the year. Honestly I wasn't a clubber before uni but I've saved so much money as most socials end up there!

If you're doing engineering (which engineering are you looking to study?) they have maths tests like weekly that don't count for anything but are to help you learn the maths content. I cannot stress enough DO THEM AND DON'T FALL BEHIND. You get into a false sense of security as they don't count but they're so helpful so just take the time to do them!

The engineering campus is lovely but you'll spend most of first year on the main Highfield campus so you don't need to worry about that yet.

I think most people agree that Soton is an engineering uni so the departments are INCREDIBLE.

My favourite things about Soton is how accessible everything is - you can get a bus to anywhere at most times; how many things there are to do and how lovely the campus is (we've been spending a lot of time in the gardens enjoying the weather!).

Thank you so much! I’m definitely going to check out those bubble tea places - I’ve heard of tea Rex before, I think I was looking at it on Google maps one time
Southampton sounds really great so far! I’m looking forward to joining this year (will make sure to check out societies - I’m thinking of badminton if there is one?)
where are the best places to explore the city ? I know the docks look pretty cool, and the Titanic museum etc
also do you know what events they usually put on for freshers ?

mum looking to do civil engineering - weirdly enough I think I like the idea of a weekly maths test (but then again I do like maths lol) . Will make sure to note that and prepare for them when I’m there lol

I’ve heard really good things about southamptons engineering department, and the campus for engineering looks nice from what I’ve seen online

are there any places nearby Southampton that would be worth visiting while there - any day trip ideas , and also general uni advice for Southampton

thank you !

There is a badminton society!! My friend is part of it and they play and run socials so i'd defo check that out. (Also if you want to play netball in a cool, friendly IM team join the SUMS Athenas as we don't require any previous experience and we're a mixed team!).
I like to explore down by West Quay as there's loads of shops and places to eat plus the old city walls and that. I also like exploring the common as there's so many nice walks to do (and there's a parkrun on Saturday mornings if that's your thing).

The SUSU run so many things for freshers: they did a party, fairs, free food, funfair rides, petting zoos, flower bouquet making, treasure hunts and that's just what I can remember off the top of my head. In freshers week and beyond there's something happening every day. Even if the party is a bit crap it's still a nice thing to do to get to know your flat a bit better!

From the station you can get trains to Bournemouth for their beach, to the New Forest for walks, to Portsmouth to explore and London is only 2 hours away by train so I've done a few day trips there too! You can also get to Dorset in about an hour too.

General stuff for Soton is just the normal uni tips like stay on top of work etc. Although I'd say explore all the study places possible to find your favourite early on for exams (Building 100, the library and the bridge are my top 3 locations) as it can get quite busy. If you're a coffee drinker i'd recommend getting the pret membership for £30 a month as its 5 drinks a day and there's one right on campus (it's at the end of campus closest to the engineering campus too!).

That sounds really great! I’ll make sure to check out badminton when I get there. I’ve played netball in the past, and I don’t really mind it but I’d be willing to try it again!
West quay sounds really nice ! I saw a few shops when I went there and they seem really nice . Any recommendations?
The events run sound really nice ! I like how’s there’s quite a lot of variety in the events. How long does freshers usually last ? Is it after everyone moves into accommodation ?- also when about do 1st years start to move in?

The areas for day trips sound really nice- might have to check some of them out

I’ll ensure to check out as many study spaces as possible or else I might end up just staying in my accom lol. I am most definitely a coffee drinker lol- I haven’t tried much, but from what I’ve had I do like the taste of coffee- always willing to try something new lol.
The pret membership sounds great- I’ve never heard of it before, let alone a membership that cheap ! Even better that it’s near the engineering campus lol

Thank you so much for all the questions answered so far !

West Quay has most shops you can think of so there will defo be something for you - I'm a sucker for flying tiger though haha!
Fresher's week officially lasts one week but they run so many events after as well - there will be one set weekend where all freshers move in and they run events during this weekend so you can start to do stuff the second you move in. In my year it was between the 23-25th of September so later than some unis and you don't start lectures until October. Closer to the move in date you book a time slot to move in (earlier the better in my opinion so you get first dibs on fridge shelves and cupboards!). Bring a load of card games and easy board games to whip out in freshers to play with your flat to get to know each other (and maybe brush up on some drinking games if that's your thing)! During freshers make friends with your flat but also try to interact with other people in your block and on your course - some of my closest friends are from the flat below me!

My favourite drink from pret is a classic oat-milk latte with maybe a dash of vanilla - I'm not that big of a coffee drinker but I need it to get through my 9ams!

Ohh ok, that makes more sense, thank you for clarifying. Hopefully I’ll get to choose an early slot lol
by 23-25 , do you mean when freshers start or when people start to move in? Approximately when do they start to send out emails for move in and time slots ?
I’ll try and bring some cards! I’ve heard cards are good to bring, but I literally know no cards games. How is it living in a flat with others ? Have there ever been any issues, or are most people ok?

i do like oat milk lattes - I get it from Starbucks and it’s pretty nice lol, still need to try new places . Coffee definitely helps get through the day , but the crash afterwards sometimes makes it not worth it lol