Off campus students

Does anyone feel at a disadvantaged by not living on campus or commuting in from another city? What tips are there for making the most of time on campus?

Reply 1

EdgeHillStudent3

Official Rep

Original post by HarmonyB

Does anyone feel at a disadvantaged by not living on campus or commuting in from another city? What tips are there for making the most of time on campus?

Hi Harmony!

I lived on campus for the first year of my degree but then moved into town for my second year. Many of my coursemates have never lived on campus and commute from nearby cities.

The main difference I’ve found is how you study. On campus, there are plenty of different study spaces available – whether it's the library, your department's building, or other quiet areas. However, when living elsewhere, you’ll need to make sure you have your own study space at home or be willing to commute in for the university-provided spaces.

That said, living on campus is definitely an eye-opening experience, especially if you’ve only lived with family before. It really helps you develop a sense of independence and get involved in the university community!

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions 😀

Finlay
Second Year Film and Broadcast Production Student

Reply 2

UCLan Student

Official Rep

Original post by HarmonyB

Does anyone feel at a disadvantaged by not living on campus or commuting in from another city? What tips are there for making the most of time on campus?

Hi there,

This is a great question. I lived on campus whilst studying however I was friends with a lot of students who commuted. The days we were in, they came for the whole day rather than just coming for the lectures. I think that way you get to use the facilities on campus but also go to any events that are on during lunch or after lectures.

As mentioned already, the biggest difference is where you study. I think coming in on the days you are in for the day to make the most of the facilities. A lot of commuters did their work on the train in or on the way back from uni. Having a space where you can study is so important whether that is on campus or at home.

I would recommend still joining societies and just going to as many events as you can especially on the days you are on campus. I think trying what works best for you will take some time but being patient with it will help.

Hope this helps,
^Zac 🙂

Reply 3

University of Bath

Official Rep

Original post by HarmonyB

Does anyone feel at a disadvantaged by not living on campus or commuting in from another city? What tips are there for making the most of time on campus?

Hi there Harmony,

A really good question and its great to hear you're being open minded about your options.

I too lived on campus in the first year but moved home and commuted in second year.

I would say:

Living on campus
This gave me a sense of independence and I made some really great memories with flatmates which was lovely. I also found that whilst I was paying for my rent, I did not need to spend money on the bus and be reliant on public transport. I also found I did not need to wake up too early. Plus, it was easier to access societies and clubs whilst living on campus.

Commuting
Getting the bus 3 or so times per week was a bit of a bother, but it was a huge money-saving versus living in rented accommodation (e.g. on campus) and First Bus often do tickets which are tied to your uni's semesters anyway, to help with this. I preferred studying on campus and so I would make the effort to come in each day and use the library. I also found that commuting in provided a good separation between my work/uni life and my home life. I also liked being closer to family. I did have to make extra effort however to join in with things on campus such as events and society meet ups and have to come home quite late on days when there were socials, but it was more than worth it as I got involved with a lot more in second year and enjoyed it a lot. So as long as you're prepared for that and make sure to make the most of your campus time, you should not feel disadvantaged.

I hope this helps, post away with any more questions 🙂

Holly
University of Bath

Reply 4

Chester Student

Official Rep

Original post by HarmonyB

Does anyone feel at a disadvantaged by not living on campus or commuting in from another city? What tips are there for making the most of time on campus?

Hi there,

I lived on campus for my first year, and have lived off campus since. When living on campus, I felt well connected to student life. When living off campus, I noticed that I would sometimes not hear about campus events, especially if they weren't advertised too well or I didn't know where to look.

For tips, I'd say make sure to follow key social media pages to ensure you don't miss out. Keep a good schedule, and going into campus every now and then is a great way to feel more connected to campus life and the community there.

If motivation is something you struggle with like me, living off campus has made me a little less likely to go to the library. I've found that keeping a good schedule and planning ahead has definitely helped, and if I am already going for a class, I might as well spend some extra time there! Living off campus can also be a great opportunity to branch out and find new study spaces, such as coffee shops and libraries!

I hope this helps,

Isabella
Fourth-Year Geography (With a Year Abroad)

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 5

hallamstudents

Official Rep

Original post by HarmonyB

Does anyone feel at a disadvantaged by not living on campus or commuting in from another city? What tips are there for making the most of time on campus?

Hi @HarmonyB ,

I know lots of people who commute (most of my friends on my course) so I thought I could answer this too from seeing both sides of this!

I would say that similarly to what has been said already, where you study will probably be the biggest difference. I like to do lots of my work and studying on campus in the library or other study areas, but if you are living further away this will be more difficult. I would say to try and stay before or after your lectures to make the most of the study areas there are available on campus and this also helps me to be in the right mind to work!

If you wanted to work in a library but you don't want to come into uni, you could look and see if you have a public library near you. It will be free to join and will have areas for you to work where it is nice and quiet like it would be at your uni library.

I would also make sure you are taking advantage of the resources available while you are on campus - e.g. if you need to borrow a book from the library, or if you need to talk to a tutor, make sure you do this on the days that you are already in as this will help you out and save you from coming in on a day off.

Joining societies is a great way to make the most of university too. Some of these are lower commitment - you may need to only come to one session a week, or once every two weeks which is more doable as a commuter. These are great ways of making friends and they are really fun!

I hope some of this helps 🙂

Lucy -SHU student ambassador.