What are you experiences of shared Rooms during University

Hello,
I may be doing this a little early but the accomodation at Glasney Student Village comes with the option for shared rooms. I would potentially be able to afford the singular rooms however, i've read a few people's opinions and experiences with shared rooms and it seems overall to be positive. It sounds like it could be a great way to make friends and combat loneliness /isolation from being away from home. At the same time though a bad roommate sounds horrible and I'm not used to sharing a room.

My question is to anyone who knows of, or has first hand experience. What is it like in a shared room? Is it worth the cheaper price? Do you think it's affected your experience? If problems occured how was the Uni at solving them.

If you would be able to tell me both positive and negative experiences I would truly appreciate it.

(BTW any experience with shared rooms not just at Penryn would be really appreciated)

Thank you very much!

Reply 1

LJMUStudentReps

Official Rep

Hi there,

I think it's a great thing that you're looking at your accommodations options already!

I don’t have experience with a shared bedroom specifically, but I did live in a flat share in my first year with three other people, and overall I had a really positive experience.

I genuinely enjoyed living with other people and didn’t have any major issues. We all got along well, respected each other’s space, and there was never any serious conflict. The only minor downside was the usual stuff you get with shared living — things like keeping the flat clean and making sure everyone pulled their weight. Nothing dramatic, just small annoyances that come with sharing space. Socially, we were friendly and comfortable with each other, but we didn’t really spend time together outside of the flat, which suited me fine.

From my experience, living with others definitely helped with not feeling isolated in first year. Even just knowing you weren’t coming home to an empty space or chatting in the kitchen made a big difference, especially when adjusting to being away from home.

That said, I think the biggest factor with shared rooms is compatibility. A bad roommate could be challenging, especially if you’re someone who values personal space or quiet time. Things like different sleep schedules, cleanliness standards, or general habits could become frustrating more quickly when you’re sharing a bedroom rather than just communal areas.

Overall, I'd say for your first year shared accommodation would definitely be worth it! It will help ease you into living away from home and open you up to new friendships, making the transition into uni life that bit easier. If you're someone who is openminded and willing to compromise with others, a shared bedroom might be the one for you! But if you value your own privacy and struggle sharing your space, perhaps a single room would be more well suited.

I hope this helps!😊

Olivia
LJMU Ambassador

Reply 2

Gingerskinhair

Original post

by LJMUStudentReps

Hi there,
I think it's a great thing that you're looking at your accommodations options already!
I don’t have experience with a shared bedroom specifically, but I did live in a flat share in my first year with three other people, and overall I had a really positive experience.
I genuinely enjoyed living with other people and didn’t have any major issues. We all got along well, respected each other’s space, and there was never any serious conflict. The only minor downside was the usual stuff you get with shared living — things like keeping the flat clean and making sure everyone pulled their weight. Nothing dramatic, just small annoyances that come with sharing space. Socially, we were friendly and comfortable with each other, but we didn’t really spend time together outside of the flat, which suited me fine.
From my experience, living with others definitely helped with not feeling isolated in first year. Even just knowing you weren’t coming home to an empty space or chatting in the kitchen made a big difference, especially when adjusting to being away from home.
That said, I think the biggest factor with shared rooms is compatibility. A bad roommate could be challenging, especially if you’re someone who values personal space or quiet time. Things like different sleep schedules, cleanliness standards, or general habits could become frustrating more quickly when you’re sharing a bedroom rather than just communal areas.
Overall, I'd say for your first year shared accommodation would definitely be worth it! It will help ease you into living away from home and open you up to new friendships, making the transition into uni life that bit easier. If you're someone who is openminded and willing to compromise with others, a shared bedroom might be the one for you! But if you value your own privacy and struggle sharing your space, perhaps a single room would be more well suited.
I hope this helps!😊
Olivia
LJMU Ambassador

Thank you, that is helpful! I hadn't even considered differing sleep schedules.