Uni accommodation – although the start of university might seem some way off considering the current Coronavirus pandemic, it’s important to remember that at some point, (hopefully in the near future) life will return to normal. Knowing this and with all the time in the world at the moment, it’s a great time to get planning for the upcoming year.
For returning students, it’s much easier to get the right type of accommodation. Normally you know what to look for, what’s a good price and most importantly which areas of the city are best for the type of student lifestyle you want to live. For first years, or even seconds, knowing the top spots and what a good deal is can be tricky, especially with the vast amount of options out there.
Knowing where your campus is and where you need to get to
With some cities having multiple campus buildings, let alone more than one university, finding exactly where you’re going to be studying can sometimes be a minefield. Google Maps is always a big help, but having an idea of where you’re going to be having lectures every day can give you a good indication of where to set up base. Although it might not seem like a big deal being far away from campus, early morning lectures after a heavy night out can be painful and the closer you are the more likely you are to make it in!
Student accommodation tends to be cheaper the further away from campus you are, as well as its location to the city centre. However, although the accommodation is cheaper, if you’re having to take public transport every day you’ll quickly see it works out around the same as being closer to uni.
How close do you want to be the heart of student life?
There are often different areas which become hotspots for certain universities and are well known for great uni accommodation. For example, Ecclesall Road in Sheffield is known for hosting a lot of Sheffield Hallam students and The Golden Triangle in Norwich is a hotspot for students at the University of East Anglia. There’s always tons going on in these kinds of student areas, fancy dress, bar crawls, pub nights and house parties. For those who don’t want to be so close to hub of student action, it might be worth looking at alternatives for a quieter life.
Do you want uni accommodation in the heart of the city?
Living in the heart of any city has obvious bonuses and pitfalls. Being right in the middle, you’ll never be too far from a nice place to eat, or somewhere to enjoy some drinks, you’re right in the middle of the action and can avoid any pesky taxi fares, or relying on public transport. Don’t underestimate the benefit of having short walks to all your local amenities. Of course if you do fancy venturing out to any nearby parks or countryside, you’ve got the benefit of having public transport on your doorstep, so in terms of travelling around it’s a great option.
Despite the many bonuses, there will be the pitfalls. City life can be hard, especially if you like your own space, sometimes it can feel as though you’ve got no escape! With so much going off in a city centre, sometimes you can miss out on the opportunity to explore the rest of the city, especially when it comes to seeing some of the greener spaces on offer. Top Tip: Getting some fresh air and being with nature will be a welcome break when going through the motions of student life. The biggest problem with being in the city centre, however, undoubtedly comes with costs. Uni accommodation in city centres are always the more expensive places to live and often you won’t get as much for your money.
How many people do you want to live with?
Choosing who you live with and how many people you live, will perhaps have the biggest influence on how much you enjoy your uni life. Your housemates become your family and if you don’t get along with them, it can cause all kinds of problems. Think very carefully about who you choose to live with, sometimes friends of friends aren’t always the best option, even if it seems like being in a bigger house means more parties. Try to choose people who you know well and who you don’t think have any habits that will drive you up the wall!
There are lots and lots of factors which will determine how much you enjoy university life, but your uni accommodation and living arrangements will have a massive impact, so choose wisely.
