I spent my first year living in University accommodation, and from social events in the hall bar to being woken up at five in the morning to the sound of the fire alarm for the third time that week (be warned – this will happen), it was an excellent way to start my university experience. To help you narrow down your search for the perfect place to live in first year, here are my top tips for choosing your accommodation, and making the most of it while you’re there.

1. Consider catered accommodation

Uni is all about independence, becoming your own person, and getting all the terrible cooking out of the way early… but while less popular, catered accommodation can be a great option. Not only does it take the pressure off having to balance meal prepping with uni work, but from my experience, it can be such a relief to know you’re coming home to a hot meal, instead of having to think about making some last-minute pasta… again. They also have formal dinners a couple of times per semester with – wait for it – gowns! Very Harry Potter.

2. Location is a good thing to think about, but isn’t the be all and end all

The university halls are spread across three campuses: City campus, Victoria Park, and Fallowfield. You may already have specific wants or requirements – a quick walk to campus (in which case most City and Victoria Park halls are a good option) or a lively nightlife (Fallowfield is the one for you). But bear in mind that wherever you live, almost everywhere in Manchester is reachable within a short bus ride, and you won’t be disadvantaged by living at one end of the city or the other – you’ll make friends in the place you are, wherever that is.

3. Shared bathrooms aren’t as bad as they sound! 

While having your own en suite might sound ideal, going for a shared bathroom is often just as good an option. Although there’ll always be someone who doesn’t respect their own, or others’, hygiene, nine times out of ten sharing a bathroom won’t feel any different than it would at home. My first-year accommodation had shared bathrooms, and there was rarely a time when there were no free cubicles! It also helps to keep the cost of rent down AND they’re less likely to be in high demand compared with en suite rooms. (Plus, you won’t have to go to the trouble of cleaning it yourself!)

4. Don’t worry if the accommodation you get isn’t the one you wanted

When you apply for your university accommodation, you’ll get to pick five halls (in no particular order) that you’d like – but, of course, you aren’t always guaranteed your first choice, especially if you’ve gone through clearing or applied later. But don’t worry – whichever accommodation you get placed in, you’ll soon make it your own and forget you ever wanted to live anywhere else! As I’ve said already, kitchen/bathroom facilities and location seem like a big deal until you get there, but won’t matter once you’ve made friends and settled in.

5. Make the most of the social events going on

When you arrive, there’ll probably be plenty of social events being held by your accommodation for you to get involved with, in freshers’ week and beyond – some highlights from my first year include a beach-themed party, a comedy night, and free pizza! Whatever it is, try to make the most of it; if you get invited to a ceramic-hedgehog-painting workshop by someone on your corridor who you’ve never spoken to before (even if it doesn’t sound like your kind of thing) give it a go! You might find you’ll make friends in the most unexpected places. Most importantly, remember that all of you are in the same position – try to get involved and enjoy all the opportunities living in halls has to offer.

Written by Natalie Newell, a 2nd year BA Theological Studies in Philosophy and Ethics student

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