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Uni accommodation advice

Has anyone ever done this before and what was your experience?

I'm thinking of living in a different city from my university next year, it's only an hour away with easy, free transport.

Reply 1

cksiu

Universities Forum Helper

Original post

by Anonymous

Has anyone ever done this before and what was your experience?
I'm thinking of living in a different city from my university next year, it's only an hour away with easy, free transport.

Living near the uni would be better unless there is some reason otherwise. Though practical, 2-hr commuting could be exhausting, particularly if your course is coursework/laboratory intensive.

Reply 2

De Montfort University

Official Rep

Original post

by Anonymous

Has anyone ever done this before and what was your experience?
I'm thinking of living in a different city from my university next year, it's only an hour away with easy, free transport.

Hello there!

I was in a bit different situation, as I moved to another country for uni. University accommodation is a great opportunity to learn how to be independent and take care of yourself. Also it's a great place to meet people and make friends. However, I also met quite a few students on my course who commute. It's also a good option since you save on accommodation, but at a cost of spending two hours on a train each day. So ultimately - it's up to you. My only advice is that you can try living in accommodation in your first year, and switch to commuting if you do not end up liking it.

Take care,
Ilya,
Cyber Security student at De Montfort University :smile:

Reply 3

ARU Graduate

Official Rep

Original post

by Anonymous

Has anyone ever done this before and what was your experience?
I'm thinking of living in a different city from my university next year, it's only an hour away with easy, free transport.

Hey!

Yeah people definitely do this, so you wouldn’t be alone at all!

I’m not sure if you’re planning on moving away and commuting back, or staying in your home town… but I actually stayed at home and had about a 50 minute commute into Cambridge for uni. So pretty similar to what you’re describing.

Honestly, I didn’t mind it at all. The journey can actually be quite nice… especially after a busy day, it gives you a bit of time to switch off and decompress before you get home. When I was getting public transport I’d sometimes use the time to be productive… go over notes, watch lectures back, or just get little bits done so I didn’t have to do as much later. And even when I was driving, it kind of became a bit of mental headspace time… just music on, bit of a reset between uni and home.

In terms of the social side… I didn’t feel like I missed out at all. I still made friends, stayed behind some days, and joined in with things when I wanted to. It just meant being a bit more intentional about it rather than everything being on your doorstep. If anything, it made me value the time I did spend there a bit more. And you can always stay later or plan ahead if you’ve got something on.

Staying at home has quite a few benefits too… you’ve got your own space, home comforts, usually less financial pressure, and a bit more stability which can actually make a big difference when uni gets busy. It can take a lot of stress off compared to juggling rent, bills, and everything else on top of studying.

Also… it’s not a fixed decision at all. If you try commuting and decide it’s not for you, you can always move closer later on. Loads of people switch things up in second year, either moving into the uni city or even going the other way and moving back home to commute. There’s a lot more flexibility than people think.

One thing I’d really recommend as well, if you haven’t already, is doing a bit of a “dummy run” of the journey before your first day… I’ve done this for pretty much every first day I’ve ever had, whether it was uni, work, college, anything like that. It just takes so much of the pressure and stress off. You get a proper feel for the route, timings, any delays, where you actually need to go… and it just makes that first day feel a lot more relaxed because nothing’s completely new.

Overall, if the transport is easy and reliable, an hour really isn’t too bad… it’s quite a common commute. It just comes down to what kind of lifestyle you feel suits you best. But yeah… it’s definitely doable, and plenty of people make it work really well!

Good luck! Sophie 🙂

Reply 4

Malak - UOS

Official Rep

Original post

by Anonymous

Has anyone ever done this before and what was your experience?
I'm thinking of living in a different city from my university next year, it's only an hour away with easy, free transport.

Hello,
I moved one hour away to my university and into student accommodation. I really enjoyed living there. You give me the opportunity to have independence over my way of living and I met a lot of my friends at accommodation. I personally would recommend it, if you are able to. Keep in mind an hour is not a short commute, but if transport is feasible, and you are willing I don’t see why not. :smile:

Good luck!
Malak-UOS

Reply 5

BCU Student Rep

Official Rep

Original post

by Anonymous

Has anyone ever done this before and what was your experience?
I'm thinking of living in a different city from my university next year, it's only an hour away with easy, free transport.

Hey @Anonymous #1. This is a valid question and my case is slightly different in the sense that I have been living in Uni accom for three years now but I actually moved from a different country. But many people move away nationally, internationally or even within the same city! I would definitely recommend because there is a sense of independence that you learn, and as odd as this might sound, being away from home actually helps you love it more because absense does make the heart grow fonder. 😂

I will be honest, my experience was a bit difficult at first because of homesickness. This was something that was completely new and I felt so alone. It was until I accepted my move and realised it was up to me to make the most of it that actually helped. Most accoms tend to have events to help people mix and mingle so I highly suggest attending those because you familiarise with the people you live with. And if you are lucky, you might even meet your best friends there!

Staying in accom has helped me:

•

Become more independent

•

Learn myself

•

Grow my self confidence

•

Make amazing friendships

It can feel very strange at first, but with time you will definitely adjust. And I would suggest making the most of calls and visits because they help with homesickness. If you have any more questions, feel free to reach out 🙂

Ru
BCU Student Rep.