Second year accommodation

I am about a month in to my university course and everyone on social media is stressing me out massively saying I should be looking at second year accom already. I haven’t made any proper friends who I could live with just acquaintances. I have really bad money troubles as well so I need somewhere as cheap as possible but I fear if I don’t get a move on soon I won’t be able to afford whatever I can get. But I can’t find somewhere if I have no one to live with…

Do I really need to be finding somewhere already? What can I realistically do? It takes me a long time to form bonds with people and anyone I am forming bonds with is a commuter.

Edit: I attend uni of Sussex btw (so Brighton area)

Second edit: I FOUND PEOPLE TO LIVE WITH. I can finally say I have a few friends now and I am planning on living with two of them next year. You guys were right lol it all worked out and I shouldn’t have stressed this much…

(edited 12 months ago)

Reply 1

MaxiCupcake

6

Hey Lucas,

The simple answer is that you do not have to stress about it now - it is a socially constructed concept by first year university students.

Myself I was a first year university student when during October and November, many of my flatmates then and friends started to discuss this issue. They have made a whole big deal out of it, which just made me stressed out for no logical reason. At the end, some people have made accommodation allocations with their friends or flatmates, but I have not and decided to stay in university accommodation for my second year. Now I am a third year and must say that it is better to stay in university managed accommodation as it usually includes all bills and services that you would have to worry if living outside of it. When I became a second year student, the concern about accommodation arrangements were not even discussed during October and November of that year, and the same goes for this year. It is just a stupid thing made by first years.

So my message to you is not to stress and look through your accommodation options carefully. You have a lot of time, probably until March or April where it is ideal to book your accommodation for next year. Also give yourself sometime to think about your current accommodation, whether you like it or not, and would like to continue living in a similar style.

Hope that helps,
Max

Reply 2

Lucas.Cow

OP

3

Original post by MaxiCupcake

Hey Lucas,

The simple answer is that you do not have to stress about it now - it is a socially constructed concept by first year university students.

Myself I was a first year university student when during October and November, many of my flatmates then and friends started to discuss this issue. They have made a whole big deal out of it, which just made me stressed out for no logical reason. At the end, some people have made accommodation allocations with their friends or flatmates, but I have not and decided to stay in university accommodation for my second year. Now I am a third year and must say that it is better to stay in university managed accommodation as it usually includes all bills and services that you would have to worry if living outside of it. When I became a second year student, the concern about accommodation arrangements were not even discussed during October and November of that year, and the same goes for this year. It is just a stupid thing made by first years.

So my message to you is not to stress and look through your accommodation options carefully. You have a lot of time, probably until March or April where it is ideal to book your accommodation for next year. Also give yourself sometime to think about your current accommodation, whether you like it or not, and would like to continue living in a similar style.

Hope that helps,
Max

Thank you for your reply Max,
That was genuinely incredibly reassuring. I have been stressing about second year accommodation since before I even started my first year haha so someone finally telling me I have some time is great.
I definitely can’t stay in my uni halls for another year as much as I would love to, as is, my rent is over £2k more than my student loan so I am struggling to afford this year but as I arrived through clearing I had to take what they gave me. If I tried for uni halls next year it would most likely be the same accom again as 2nd years don’t get priority in housing.

But I’ll take your advice, wait it out and try to relax a little… or at least for tonight lol

Reply 3

MaxiCupcake

6

Original post by Lucas.Cow

Thank you for your reply Max,
That was genuinely incredibly reassuring. I have been stressing about second year accommodation since before I even started my first year haha so someone finally telling me I have some time is great.
I definitely can’t stay in my uni halls for another year as much as I would love to, as is, my rent is over £2k more than my student loan so I am struggling to afford this year but as I arrived through clearing I had to take what they gave me. If I tried for uni halls next year it would most likely be the same accom again as 2nd years don’t get priority in housing.

But I’ll take your advice, wait it out and try to relax a little… or at least for tonight lol

Hi Lucas,

Glad that you have found my message reassuring :smile:

!

As I said, give it time to look through other student accommodation options either within your university managed accommodation or private housing for university students. Maybe meanwhile, you might find some people to live with, either in a private or university accommodation. But as I said, you have time until spring - I myself have booked accommodation in April for my second year and for my third year was the same, but received an offer only at the end of August.

Currently I am living very close to my university, which is the University of Leicester, where I live in a flat of 5 people with shared bathroom and communal kitchen, and my own room with washbasin for £3,990 for 42 weeks (£95 per week), including bills. You can also try to get a small part-time job opportunity at your university or elsewhere, to finance a bit of your accommodation costs.

Last year I was considering moving into a private student accommodation, meaning those old nasty narrow houses (aka "terrace houses"). However, most of them did not include bills, meaning that I would have to pay for electricity, gas, water, garbage bin license etc... out of my pocket like a real adult - meaning that it was financially less liable for me to rent a privately owned student accommodation by some random home owner than living in student halls managed by the university itself.

I wish you the best of luck! If you have any other questions, do not hesitate to contact me :smile:

.

Best wishes,
Max

Reply 4

vivek_b_80

3

Original post by MaxiCupcake

Hey Lucas,

The simple answer is that you do not have to stress about it now - it is a socially constructed concept by first year university students.

Myself I was a first year university student when during October and November, many of my flatmates then and friends started to discuss this issue. They have made a whole big deal out of it, which just made me stressed out for no logical reason. At the end, some people have made accommodation allocations with their friends or flatmates, but I have not and decided to stay in university accommodation for my second year. Now I am a third year and must say that it is better to stay in university managed accommodation as it usually includes all bills and services that you would have to worry if living outside of it. When I became a second year student, the concern about accommodation arrangements were not even discussed during October and November of that year, and the same goes for this year. It is just a stupid thing made by first years.

So my message to you is not to stress and look through your accommodation options carefully. You have a lot of time, probably until March or April where it is ideal to book your accommodation for next year. Also give yourself sometime to think about your current accommodation, whether you like it or not, and would like to continue living in a similar style.

Hope that helps,
Max

Hey, so did you end up staying at uni accomodation for all three of your years? Would you say it was worth it? I’ve stayed in halls for 2 years and now looking into 3rd year places, might apply with a friend to either uni halls or off campus places…

Reply 5

MaxiCupcake

6

Original post by vivek_b_80

Hey, so did you end up staying at uni accomodation for all three of your years? Would you say it was worth it? I’ve stayed in halls for 2 years and now looking into 3rd year places, might apply with a friend to either uni halls or off campus places…

Hi Vivek,

I was also interested and planning to stay with some of my friends in private accommodation for my third year, but as a result of many interpersonal complications, we have never done it.

In the end, I have decided to stay in the same uni halls I was during my 2nd year and I am loving it, much better than living in private accommodation, where the quality of the accommodation would have been lower and more expensive, as you would have to pay for your own bills (my accommodation has bills included).

If you are thinking of going to live with your friends, I would reckon to go to uni halls, but if you trust them more, with the fact that they would be able to co-manage the house with you well, then go for it.

Hope that this helps,
Max. H.

(edited 1 year ago)

Original post by Lucas.Cow

I am about a month in to my university course and everyone on social media is stressing me out massively saying I should be looking at second year accom already. I haven’t made any proper friends who I could live with just acquaintances. I have really bad money troubles as well so I need somewhere as cheap as possible but I fear if I don’t get a move on soon I won’t be able to afford whatever I can get. But I can’t find somewhere if I have no one to live with…

Do I really need to be finding somewhere already? What can I realistically do? It takes me a long time to form bonds with people and anyone I am forming bonds with is a commuter.

Edit: I attend uni of Sussex btw (so Brighton area)

Hi there,
You're not alone in feeling this way. Many students start looking early once they've formed friendships but it's good to weigh up your options before making a decision. If you haven't found your flatmates for next year yet, don't worry. You could speak to your commuter friends and ask them if they would consider moving out for the next academic year. Alternatively, joining societies or taking on volunteering opportunities at your university is a great way to meet new people.

Or you could check out private student accommodation and request to be allocated with similar people (e.g. other second year students). Subject to availability, the property teams will usually try their best to make this happen. I did this for my third year and I ended up really getting along with my flatmates.

-Nicky

Reply 7

FpI939nvi

1

Original post by Lucas.Cow

I am about a month in to my university course and everyone on social media is stressing me out massively saying I should be looking at second year accom already. I haven’t made any proper friends who I could live with just acquaintances. I have really bad money troubles as well so I need somewhere as cheap as possible but I fear if I don’t get a move on soon I won’t be able to afford whatever I can get. But I can’t find somewhere if I have no one to live with…

Do I really need to be finding somewhere already? What can I realistically do? It takes me a long time to form bonds with people and anyone I am forming bonds with is a commuter.

Edit: I attend uni of Sussex btw (so Brighton area)

Chill, ask people on your course if they would like to share. This is what i did. Like you i have not made many friends and am shy, but it does not matter. Friends or not, trust me, so many students will be willing to share with you.

Second year accommodation

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