The Student Room Group

I feel so catfished about this university

- My accommodation is disgusting
Since getting here I've probably had about over 20 maintenance calls made as when i got here my accommodation was horrendously dirty, infested with bugs, incredibly damaged and contaminated with human waste. Although most of this has been sorted i still feel so scammed as my accom is the most expensive one... I'm also having issues now with flat mates leaving allergens all over the kitchen despite knowing it could make me seriously unwell. I have a disability which effects how much energy i have yet I'm having to spend most of it cleaning up after others.

- Nobody responds to emails ever
The reason I was put into this accommodation in the first place is because i was unable to apply for accommodation for the first week the portal opened (I went to apply the hour it opened). I contacted them many times but nothing was done to fix the issue. By the time it actually got resolved there was no spaces left in my first choice and i got the accommodation i have now... I have given up on contacting anybody at this university as it is the same case in lots of departments.

- No extensions on most work
I spent over a month unwell (some of this time in hospital) and despite this no extensions were offered for any quizzes, because of this I've had to do as much studying and work as anybody who is well. I was worried about this as these quizzes effect your final grade and nobody seemed to care at all and was essentially told to either get on with it or lose parts of my grade. So I was working while bed-ridden with a fever instead of recovering.

- I don't know a single happy person on my course
Out of everybody i know taking my course not a single person i personally know is happy with the quality of teaching. I know for a fact I'm not the only person disappointed about this uni.


Since coming here my mental health has become extremely poor and I'm heavily considering dropping out from here. I used to be very calm but every day i spend here my heart is just racing at all times and I constantly feel on edge. My college was so kind and accommodating with my physical and learning disabilities and it just feels like I've lost everything. I even retook GCSEs because i was so set on coming to this university.


I just really needed to vent I honestly thought this place would be an amazing new start for me but I feel like I've just ruined my life.
Original post by Anonymous
- My accommodation is disgusting
Since getting here I've probably had about over 20 maintenance calls made as when i got here my accommodation was horrendously dirty, infested with bugs, incredibly damaged and contaminated with human waste. Although most of this has been sorted i still feel so scammed as my accom is the most expensive one... I'm also having issues now with flat mates leaving allergens all over the kitchen despite knowing it could make me seriously unwell. I have a disability which effects how much energy i have yet I'm having to spend most of it cleaning up after others.

- Nobody responds to emails ever
The reason I was put into this accommodation in the first place is because i was unable to apply for accommodation for the first week the portal opened (I went to apply the hour it opened). I contacted them many times but nothing was done to fix the issue. By the time it actually got resolved there was no spaces left in my first choice and i got the accommodation i have now... I have given up on contacting anybody at this university as it is the same case in lots of departments.

- No extensions on most work
I spent over a month unwell (some of this time in hospital) and despite this no extensions were offered for any quizzes, because of this I've had to do as much studying and work as anybody who is well. I was worried about this as these quizzes effect your final grade and nobody seemed to care at all and was essentially told to either get on with it or lose parts of my grade. So I was working while bed-ridden with a fever instead of recovering.

- I don't know a single happy person on my course
Out of everybody i know taking my course not a single person i personally know is happy with the quality of teaching. I know for a fact I'm not the only person disappointed about this uni.


Since coming here my mental health has become extremely poor and I'm heavily considering dropping out from here. I used to be very calm but every day i spend here my heart is just racing at all times and I constantly feel on edge. My college was so kind and accommodating with my physical and learning disabilities and it just feels like I've lost everything. I even retook GCSEs because i was so set on coming to this university.


I just really needed to vent I honestly thought this place would be an amazing new start for me but I feel like I've just ruined my life.


That sounds really difficult - I'm surprised if you were hospitalised that the EC policy didn't kick in? https://www.su.rhul.ac.uk/advice/academic/rights/extenuating/ Did you apply and get rejected or do you think you weren't properly advised on how and when to apply?

It does sound like leaving might be the best option - are there any other universities where you think you might be better suited?
Reply 2
That sounds really difficult - I'm surprised if you were hospitalised that the EC policy didn't kick in? https://www.su.rhul.ac.uk/advice/academic/rights/extenuating/ Did you apply and get rejected or do you think you weren't properly advised on how and when to apply?
It does sound like leaving might be the best option - are there any other universities where you think you might be better suited?

For most of the work we have had since getting here its been in the form of quizzes online but you can't ask for any sort of extensions or EC on them so you just lose portions of your final grade.

I applied for EC but nothing has come out of it.

I'm not sure where else i could go tbh, I've considered doing some sort of course online.
Please explore either a university transfer for second year, can sometimes move to a better school. Schools with a January transfer (admittedly will not be schools at the top of the league table) or dropping out and repeating first year at better university. I will say that if you would like to move to a better school, completing first year with 1:1 and then applying for first year at different school with alevels is also an option.
Really sorry to hear about your experiences. You mention you have a disability: are you registered with the D&N (Disability & Neurodiversity) office and have you approached them for advice/got them to try and fight your corner? There used to be a specific person within the D&N office who liaised with the accommodation peeps for disabled students living in campus accommodation (not sure if the person is still there/if that specific job designation still exists).

Really sorry you are going through this all. No one deserves to feel like this :no:

:console:
Hi,

Please reach out to [email protected] so we can discuss any concerns in more detail and find solutions to the problems you’ve outlined.

Best wishes,

Royal Holloway, University of London
Reply 6
Original post by Anonymous
- My accommodation is disgusting
Since getting here I've probably had about over 20 maintenance calls made as when i got here my accommodation was horrendously dirty, infested with bugs, incredibly damaged and contaminated with human waste. Although most of this has been sorted i still feel so scammed as my accom is the most expensive one... I'm also having issues now with flat mates leaving allergens all over the kitchen despite knowing it could make me seriously unwell. I have a disability which effects how much energy i have yet I'm having to spend most of it cleaning up after others.
- Nobody responds to emails ever
The reason I was put into this accommodation in the first place is because i was unable to apply for accommodation for the first week the portal opened (I went to apply the hour it opened). I contacted them many times but nothing was done to fix the issue. By the time it actually got resolved there was no spaces left in my first choice and i got the accommodation i have now... I have given up on contacting anybody at this university as it is the same case in lots of departments.
- No extensions on most work
I spent over a month unwell (some of this time in hospital) and despite this no extensions were offered for any quizzes, because of this I've had to do as much studying and work as anybody who is well. I was worried about this as these quizzes effect your final grade and nobody seemed to care at all and was essentially told to either get on with it or lose parts of my grade. So I was working while bed-ridden with a fever instead of recovering.
- I don't know a single happy person on my course
Out of everybody i know taking my course not a single person i personally know is happy with the quality of teaching. I know for a fact I'm not the only person disappointed about this uni.
Since coming here my mental health has become extremely poor and I'm heavily considering dropping out from here. I used to be very calm but every day i spend here my heart is just racing at all times and I constantly feel on edge. My college was so kind and accommodating with my physical and learning disabilities and it just feels like I've lost everything. I even retook GCSEs because i was so set on coming to this university.
I just really needed to vent I honestly thought this place would be an amazing new start for me but I feel like I've just ruined my life.


Leave and reapply for somewhere else next year or transfer! Life's too short and your mental health is more important. Take care.

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