{"id":6154,"date":"2024-01-05T15:05:50","date_gmt":"2024-01-05T15:05:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/humanities-blog\/?p=6154"},"modified":"2024-01-17T11:42:10","modified_gmt":"2024-01-17T11:42:10","slug":"5-tips-for-living-in-university-accommodation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/humanities-blog\/2024\/01\/05\/5-tips-for-living-in-university-accommodation\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Tips for Living in University Accommodation"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"\"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 \u2013 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\u2019re there.<\/p>\n

1. Consider catered accommodation<\/p>\n

Uni is all about independence, becoming your own person, and getting all the terrible cooking out of the way early\u2026 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\u2019re coming home to a hot meal, instead of having to think about making some last-minute pasta\u2026 again. They also have formal dinners a couple of times per semester with \u2013 wait for it \u2013 gowns! Very Harry Potter.<\/p>\n

2. Location is a good thing to think about, but isn\u2019t the be all and end all<\/p>\n

The university halls are spread across three campuses: City campus, Victoria Park, and Fallowfield. You may already have specific wants or requirements \u2013 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,\u202falmost everywhere in Manchester is reachable within a short bus ride, and\u202fyou won\u2019t be disadvantaged by living at one end of the city or the other \u2013 you\u2019ll make friends in the place you are, wherever that is.<\/p>\n

3. Shared bathrooms aren\u2019t as bad as they sound!\u202f<\/p>\n

While having your own en suite might sound ideal, going for a shared bathroom is often just as good an option. Although there\u2019ll always be someone who doesn\u2019t respect their own, or others\u2019, hygiene, nine times out of ten sharing a bathroom won\u2019t feel any different than it would at home.\u202fMy 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\u2019re less likely to be in high demand compared with en suite rooms. (Plus, you won\u2019t have to go to the trouble of cleaning it yourself!)<\/p>\n

4. Don\u2019t worry if the accommodation you get isn\u2019t the one you wanted<\/p>\n

When you apply for your university accommodation, you\u2019ll get to pick five halls (in no particular order) that you\u2019d like \u2013 but, of course, you aren\u2019t always guaranteed your first choice, especially if you\u2019ve gone through clearing or applied later. But don\u2019t worry \u2013 whichever accommodation you get placed in, you\u2019ll soon make it your own and forget you ever wanted to live anywhere else! As I\u2019ve said already, kitchen\/bathroom facilities and location seem like a big deal until you get there, but won\u2019t matter once you\u2019ve made friends and settled in.<\/p>\n

5. Make the most of the social events going on<\/p>\n

When you arrive, there\u2019ll probably be plenty of social events being held by your accommodation for you to get involved with, in freshers\u2019 week and beyond \u2013 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\u2019ve never spoken to before (even if it doesn\u2019t sound like your kind of thing) give it a go! You might find you\u2019ll make friends in the most unexpected places. Most importantly, remember that all of you are in the same position \u2013 try to get involved and enjoy all the opportunities living in halls has to offer.<\/p>\n

Written by Natalie Newell, a 2nd year BA Theological Studies in Philosophy and Ethics student<\/strong><\/p>\n

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+44 (0) 161 306 6000<\/p>\n

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The University of Manchester
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