commuting from birmingham to keele

I think people will struggle to answer this if you don't say where you are commuting from...

Reply 2

OP

Original post by black tea

I think people will struggle to answer this if you don't say where you are commuting from...

oh sorry i thought i said where. that's my bad thank you for letting me know!

Reply 3

Emma48493

Original post by qhoulia

hi! im a year 13 student who is firming keele for diagnostic radiography this year, and im planning on commuting to keele uni from birmingham.
i know it'll be difficult considering i will also have to commute to placements as well, which could really be anywhere, but my parents are quite strict and dead set on me not moving out. believe me, i have tried talking to them about it a million times to no avail so please no advice on how to convince them because it will not work :frown:

i just wanted to ask students or former students what it's like to commute to and from keele (almost) every day??
i would love to join societies and obviously make a lot of friends but im worried that because im not in halls i won't get to experience uni social life properly :frown:

i don't drink or go out partying so im not worried about that aspect but i know uni students go out to cafes and cool hobby places around the area and i would love to be able to do that with friends but is it even possible if i have to commute everyday?
also, i am working on getting my drivers licence, so hopefully, I will get it this summer or in the first few months of year 1 but i don't think that would make a difference?? not sure

at the start it’s ok to commute everytime but as the year goes on you will probably get tired of travelling so far all the time and the trains could be late so u would have to factor in this, plus some days you only have 1 hour lesson and your finished so travelling that far for potentially 1 hr lessons would be annoying, as for the uni life you will be fine join societies and make friends in lessons there are cafes on campus so if your worried about not having time you could go on your breaks.

Reply 4

OP

Original post by Emma48493

at the start it’s ok to commute everytime but as the year goes on you will probably get tired of travelling so far all the time and the trains could be late so u would have to factor in this, plus some days you only have 1 hour lesson and your finished so travelling that far for potentially 1 hr lessons would be annoying, as for the uni life you will be fine join societies and make friends in lessons there are cafes on campus so if your worried about not having time you could go on your breaks.

My current commute to sixth form is about 40 minutes anyway so I'm not too fussed about the commute, just the managing that along with social part of university.

I'd hate to spend three years there only to not make a single friend☹️

Reply 5

evantej

Original post by qhoulia

hi! im a year 13 student who is firming keele for diagnostic radiography this year, and im planning on commuting to keele uni from birmingham.
i know it'll be difficult considering i will also have to commute to placements as well, which could really be anywhere, but my parents are quite strict and dead set on me not moving out. believe me, i have tried talking to them about it a million times to no avail so please no advice on how to convince them because it will not work :frown:

i just wanted to ask students or former students what it's like to commute to and from keele (almost) every day??
i would love to join societies and obviously make a lot of friends but im worried that because im not in halls i won't get to experience uni social life properly :frown:

i don't drink or go out partying so im not worried about that aspect but i know uni students go out to cafes and cool hobby places around the area and i would love to be able to do that with friends but is it even possible if i have to commute everyday?
also, i am working on getting my drivers licence, so hopefully, I will get it this summer or in the first few months of year 1 but i don't think that would make a difference?? not sure

It depends where in Birmingham you live really.

If you are relying upon public transport then the train from New Street to Stoke takes about 50-60 minutes then you can catch a bus to the campus which takes about 30 minutes. Realistically you are looking at close to or more than two hours each way depending upon connections and how long it takes you to get to New Street.

I commute the other way and it can be hellish on a bad day driving on the M5 and M6. I travel 35 miles and have to give myself two hours leeway just in case traffic is bad, and even earlier for 9am starts. Going north might be slightly easier but you have further to travel than I do so you are still looking at lengthy commute even when you start driving.

Keele is a campus university so I think you will be disadvantaged socially if you have to commute such long distances. In terms of your actual course I do think you are perhaps underestimating the impact of commuting. If your parents won't let you move into halls then I would personally look at studying somewhere closer to home for a better balance / social life if it was me.

Reply 6

OP

I live about a 5 minute bus journey from city centre so I'm fairly close to the train station. I know how horrible traffic and delays can be so even though I live close, I know I'll probably have to leave very early to try and beat traffic.

I probably am downplaying my commute but that's just bc I know I've got no other choice so I'm just trying to make it not seem as bleak lol. I know it'll be difficult, especially since I will also be doing placements which can run really early or really late..

My mom was okay with me moving out originally but after I actually got into the uni I wanted to go to, she flipped and her and my dad said it wasn't happening. Keele is the closest uni I've applied to and got an acceptance from.
I will try to get into closer unis via clearing though.

Reply 7

evantej

Volunteer Section Leader, Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by qhoulia

I live about a 5 minute bus journey from city centre so I'm fairly close to the train station. I know how horrible traffic and delays can be so even though I live close, I know I'll probably have to leave very early to try and beat traffic.
I probably am downplaying my commute but that's just bc I know I've got no other choice so I'm just trying to make it not seem as bleak lol. I know it'll be difficult, especially since I will also be doing placements which can run really early or really late..
My mom was okay with me moving out originally but after I actually got into the uni I wanted to go to, she flipped and her and my dad said it wasn't happening. Keele is the closest uni I've applied to and got an acceptance from.
I will try to get into closer unis via clearing though.

I think that is sensible and would perhaps advise getting in touch with universities you are considering to see what your options are rather than waiting until clearing. I guess BCU is probably the closest?

Reply 8

normaw

Original post by qhoulia

I live about a 5 minute bus journey from city centre so I'm fairly close to the train station. I know how horrible traffic and delays can be so even though I live close, I know I'll probably have to leave very early to try and beat traffic.

I probably am downplaying my commute but that's just bc I know I've got no other choice so I'm just trying to make it not seem as bleak lol. I know it'll be difficult, especially since I will also be doing placements which can run really early or really late..

My mom was okay with me moving out originally but after I actually got into the uni I wanted to go to, she flipped and her and my dad said it wasn't happening. Keele is the closest uni I've applied to and got an acceptance from.
I will try to get into closer unis via clearing though.

Did you get any offers from unis closer to home? You can change your replies even if you have made your firm/insurance decisions recently.

Reply 9

OP