UCL Student life

I was wondering does living out for 1st year really matter? like for the uni experience.

I live near london so I am probably gonna end up commuting.As it would be cheaper mainly.

Is it best to live at accommodation?

Reply 1

BCU Student Rep

Official Rep

Original post

by Anonymous

I was wondering does living out for 1st year really matter? like for the uni experience.
I live near london so I am probably gonna end up commuting.As it would be cheaper mainly.
Is it best to live at accommodation?

Hi @anonymous #1

I do not live in London so cannot give advice specific to London, however I did move into accomodation in Birmingham.

I have really enjoyed the experience of living in accomodation. Some of the benefits I found during first year was that I was really close to everything and made friends with the people that I lived with. However, there are lots of opportunities to meet new people, for example through societies, that you could do even if you commute.

It can be a difficult decision to make, and I know people who commute and live in accomodation. Some people live in accomodation for the first year and then move back home.

Does anyone have experience with commuting?

Hope that helps!
Sophie.
BCU Student Rep.

Reply 2

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

Original post

by Anonymous

A lot of UCL students seem to be Londoners and commute in. There's also a few at least who commute in from slightly further out (I know of at least a couple such students other than myself).

That said you may find some social events through societies etc less easy to engage with if you live fully out of London and have to commute back if they run e.g. in the evening or similar. Also "nights out" will be hard to manage if you don't live in London unless someone lets you stay at their place. Whether that's important to you or not I can't say though - it's not the be all and end all of being a student in my opinion although many put a great deal of weight on it...

Bear in mind if you're living in your parental home, you get a reduced maintenance loan I believe. So factor that into your consideration of costs - the difference may or may not make up the savings from living at home rather than in accommodation, especially when you factor in train tickets if living further out than the tube reaches.

Reply 3

07arx

Original post

by artful_lounger

A lot of UCL students seem to be Londoners and commute in. There's also a few at least who commute in from slightly further out (I know of at least a couple such students other than myself).
That said you may find some social events through societies etc less easy to engage with if you live fully out of London and have to commute back if they run e.g. in the evening or similar. Also "nights out" will be hard to manage if you don't live in London unless someone lets you stay at their place. Whether that's important to you or not I can't say though - it's not the be all and end all of being a student in my opinion although many put a great deal of weight on it...
Bear in mind if you're living in your parental home, you get a reduced maintenance loan I believe. So factor that into your consideration of costs - the difference may or may not make up the savings from living at home rather than in accommodation, especially when you factor in train tickets if living further out than the tube reaches.

Hi yeah thank you sm for your advice i really appreciate it!!

Reply 4

tr2223

I'd add that the further you live from campus the less motivated you are to go to your lectures lol. We start up hopeful and promising to do but the fatigue always kicks in from those commutes :smile: