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Halls - any alternatives?

BillieTheBotBillieTheBot Posts: 8,721 Bot
edited March 27 in Work & Study
I'm partly ranting, partly asking for assistance.

I feel kinda odd writing a thread for this forum, seeing as I'm not currently a student. However, since I left, I've already been thinking ahead about next year. I was pretty certain that I'd go back to halls next year. However, this week's raised some doubts. On Friday afternoon, I went to get my sister from halls. (she's coming home for a couple of days) When I went into her room, all the memories of the weeks I spent at halls came back to mind. I'm now having serious doubts about whether halls is the right option for me.

Let me explain a bit about this. I'm extremely unhappy with the way the uni treated me, and they know it. They put me in with three of the most awful blokes imaginable. Well, I say three - I never actually met one of them, and neither did anyone else. I even checked with the office one day to ask if anybody was there, and they insisted there was. The two I did meet, however, were unimpressive. One was this postgraduate student, who I had absolutely nothing in common with. Him and me were in completely different places in our lives, and we didn't get on. However, what really took the piss was the fact one of my flatmates was this Albanian bloke who was probably twice my age. The fact he had a bald patch suggested he wasn't in the first flushes of youth, wouldn't you say? I'm prepared to be open-minded about who I was living with, but this was bluntly taking the piss.

I actually asked that, were another room to become available in the hall, that they offer to move me there. Ironic then, that the first room that did become available was mine! Anyway, the experience has left me seriously peeved and very angry. If this is the way that someone over 21 (so-called "mature students") is treated in the allocation process, then I don't know why I bothered. I've been talking to a high-ranking official at the university about all this, and the answers so far don't inspire confidence. The fact is, I'm getting older every year. If all goes well - and that's a big if - I'll be 26 at graduation. Is halls even a suitable option for me anymore?

If it isn't, that leads to another problem. Are the alternatives any better? Let's say that I went to live in a student house. There's every possibility I could end up with another bunch who are just as bad. What's a guy to do?
Beep boop. I'm a bot.
Post edited by JustV on
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Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    To be honest, I've been in halls for three years now with strangers every time. 2nd year was awesome, made tons of friends in my hall and had a blast with them, but the other two years - my flatmates are ok, but i dont see them much, barely ever speak to them (usually to say "hi" & thats it) & never hang out with them. So what??

    I have friends from my classes, friends from my social clubs, friends I met in my 2nd year's halls, friends I met through friends, friends I cant remember how I met them, etc etc. My point is yeah its nice to have flatmates you know & get on with, but I mainly use my room for sleep & work anyway, so I can sleep & work in peace without being interrupted by my mates, who all live elsewhere.

    Yeah, you could get student housing, but its exactly the same there. You never know who you're going to get.

    Just go for it. Uni isnt all about your flatmates :thumb:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    stargalaxy wrote: »
    If it isn't, that leads to another problem. Are the alternatives any better? Let's say that I went to live in a student house. There's every possibility I could end up with another bunch who are just as bad. What's a guy to do?

    you meet them first and don't rely on the university to put you in with some random people. some universities set up days when you can meet other first years looking to rent accommodation externally to the university. that way you can meet them and see if you'd get on with them before committing yourself in any way.
    if you did go for university accommodation you could ask to be put in with non-mature students - making it blatantly obvious to them.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It sounds like part of the problem is you are being treated like a mature student rather than an undergraduate.

    If you're not far off the age of most undergraduates then you could ask to be treated like one of them rather than as a mature student.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hey, don't get me wrong here - I appreciate that most of those who apply for halls will be 18 years old, as that's the age most students are when they start. I've no problem with that. I've never had a problem getting on with 18-year olds - I met quite a few of them in Manchester, who I'm still in touch with now. That isn't the problem. But what baffles me is why I was put in with postgraduate students. What have I got in common with someone who's been at university for the last three years? We're at completely different stages in life.
    It sounds like part of the problem is you are being treated like a mature student rather than an undergraduate.
    If you're not far off the age of most undergraduates then you could ask to be treated like one of them rather than as a mature student.
    Well, I'd be 23 at the time I go back. Whether that makes me a lot older, you decide. I'm considering asking the university whether they could treat me differently, but I'm not sure if it's possible, or even how to ask them without being extremely difficult.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I don't think it matter about your age, if you haven't had to fend for yourself, be independent and learn how to get along with or at least tolerate people of all ages from all walks of life, then standard first year non-mature student accomodation would be better for you.

    Apart from him being forty and albanian, what was worng with that housemate? And as for the absent one- bonus, one less person to nick your cheese!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    katralla wrote: »
    Apart from him being forty and albanian, what was worng with that housemate?
    On the face of it, I couldn't care less about his nationality. For all I care, he could have been an exchange student from the planet Neptune. Even his age shouldn't have been an issue in itself. However, when you add on the fact he was a selfish little troll who spoke less English than Manuel from Fawlty Towers, it started to matter.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    well, to be honest noone who applies to live in halls gets to choose who they live with - its just lucky if you do end up with people you get on with. if you choose to live in a house, you'll still be with randoms.

    If your uni does do something like a mixing day which mine did, then you could go to that. I basically got to go along to a day with other people looking for houses, do some getting to know you games and then choose people to live with... and to be hoenst, even that wasn't really a choice as you didnt have enough time to get to know anyone properly, it was all based on first impressions.

    I assume you were put with mature students because that's what you're technically classed as - the only thing you can do is ask your uni not to put you with mature students - they may think you're being awkward and may not listen to you, but if you dont ask you dont get.

    Student accommodation in first year is always a bit hit and miss. i;d say very few people get on with the people they get put with, but most people can put up with it for a year as they make friends outside of where they live and spend time with them.

    if you really dont want to take the chance of ending up with people you dont like then i would suggest looking on the internet for people advertising rooms in student houses. i dont know if your uni has this, but mine has a website where people can advertise spare rooms, or say they need one more person before they go looking for a house. if you do that you'll be able to meet people first and see if you do want to live with them. i realise this will be hard for you as i guess you wont be able to go backwards and forwards from your home to uni to meet people and look at houses, but if you're that worried then that's what id suggest.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    katralla wrote: »
    as for the absent one- bonus, one less person to nick your cheese!
    I wish my almost-constantly-absent housemate was like that...but it appears that she's the only one that IS nicking my food....and everyone else's....
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I suspect you got put with post grads etc because you all fell into the 'mature' student category.

    Being 23 is going to be a pain, a lot of the behaviour of the just turned 18 yr old freshers will annoy you, but then a large portion of the people in halls who aren't straight from school/gap year freshers are going to be slightly odd grads/post grads.

    If you reckon living with 18 yr old school leavers is likely to work out better than others who fall into the 'mature' category you can try talking to the accomodation office and see if they'll allocate you as a standard fresher rather than as a mature student.

    I know our accomodation office is pretty relaxed about which categories people get put into. A quick chat will get a young mature student treated like the non mature sort.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Halls is a bit of a Big Brother experience really...you could get very lucky, or completely sh*t upon! Generally speaking though, if you're unhappy, or you have specific requirements, the accomodation office will do their best to help you. My only real requirement was that they gave me ANYTHING but a ground floor room, and they were more than happy to help.

    There is such a mix in mine, 2nd years, 1st years, and a couple of masters students...but we all socialise and all get on...we don't necessarily have lots in common, but for us it's all about just getting to know each other and havin' a bit of cráic.

    capo2
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Maybe you'd be better in a more traditional halls where you have corridors with loads of people on them, then you'd be bound to find at least a couple of people you click with?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You don't HAVE to live in halls. They are generally a rip off compared to other accommodation in my experience. Why not just look for a private house to rent, then you can meet the other people before moving in? My time in halls was miserable.

    It's not really up to the uni to find you amazing people to live with, they are running a business with halls and want to make money and stick people together.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I never went in halls I lived in a shared house in the first and second year, first year with total randoms and second year with 2 girls off my course and 2 other randoms. I only didn't get on with one person and she was just plain weird. Your uni might have a housing fair? Mine did. The houses will be uni approved so hopefully you wont end up with a dump (although mine was hardly a palace)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    isn't that part of the experience, encountering different people? universities don't pull out a personality test and place people who are alike together..it's pot luck.

    i dont have anything in common with the people i live with which was upsetting for a while because they've all become close friends but i've made friends in the same block..just that they dont live in the same flat number as me.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    katchika wrote: »
    It's not really up to the uni to find you amazing people to live with, they are running a business with halls and want to make money and stick people together.
    All due respect, but I never said it was their job. None-the-less, let's have a closer look at that analogy. If they are indeed "running a business", I would expect a decent service from them, at the least. If anyone was receiving over £3,000 of my hard-earned money, I would expect to be treated properly. Hence why I believe students should shout from the roof-tops when things go wrong.
    kangoo wrote: »
    Your uni might have a housing fair? Mine did. The houses will be uni approved so hopefully you wont end up with a dump (although mine was hardly a palace)
    I've no idea if they have a housing fair, but I intend to find out.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    what exactly have they done wrong again?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    erm for 3 g a year what are you expecting?you need to get real and stop finding excuses for everything,with all due respect likes.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Are you going back to the same university? Sorry, a little confused as to your entire situation...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Phone the university accommodation office and ask if there are specific halls for mature students; ours had that.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My Uni had a little questionnaire about smoking, sleeping habits, taste in music etc which I found pretty :lol: I'm an easy-going person though, or at least I was back then, so I could roll with even the most annoying/badly behaved housemates. The saving grace for me was that I put on I'd be willing to live in mixed-sex accommodation, as the blokes I lived with were sanity-savers.

    They moved people pretty easily in my halls, I remember a lot of people chopping and changing rooms between September and Christmas.

    If you really can't handle the pot luck element and the chances that you're not going to like everyone you're living with (and their habits/scruples) then private rental might be the way forward. A 21 year old isn't going to be treated as your typical mature student because they probably assume the majority of them are still up for a laugh with the young-uns, though of course that doesn't explain your placement. There were loads of mature students in with "typical" students when I lived in halls, including the legendary Brucie with his camper van and trail of ex-wives :D

    You need to put some pressure on the Accommodation Office for information and help. If they can't guarantee you something that's going to be to your liking then I'd start looking privately, especially if it's going to save a hell of a lot of stress. I do think halls are worth fronting out, though, I loved them and even the people I know who had problems came to resolve them during the course of the year (or became experts in ignoring people/concealing food in secret parts of the fridge).
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    To those asking, yes, I'm going back to the same university.
    briggi wrote: »
    A 21 year old isn't going to be treated as your typical mature student because they probably assume the majority of them are still up for a laugh with the young-uns, though of course that doesn't explain your placement... you need to put some pressure on the Accommodation Office for information and help. If they can't guarantee you something that's going to be to your liking then I'd start looking privately... I do think halls are worth fronting out, though, I loved them and even the people I know who had problems came to resolve them...
    Don't get me wrong. There's some things I liked about halls - the way that one day is never quite same as the last, and the parties I went to were fun. (except when it's 3am on a Monday morning, and you've got lectures starting in six hours, of course) I just wasn't happy with who I was placed with. At no point did I say it was the fault of the uni, it was just bad luck. I did ask to move, but I'd gone before that could happen.

    I've sent off an e-mail this afternoon to someone at the Accommodation Office. I'll probably get a reply to that tomorrow now. I'm realistic about my prospects.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    stargalaxy wrote: »
    There's some things I liked about halls - the way that one day is never quite same as the last, and the parties I went to were fun. (except when it's 3am on a Monday morning, and you've got lectures starting in six hours, of course) I just wasn't happy with who I was placed with.

    You can't be fussy with who you live with at Uni! You get allsorts!
    And if you were still able to go out lots and party then I don't see what the issue is?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    lipsy wrote: »
    You can't be fussy with who you live with at Uni! You get allsorts! And if you were still able to go out lots and party then I don't see what the issue is?
    I'm prepared to be open-minded about who I live with, but putting in me in with three postgraduates (two of them are in their 40s, I found out last night) was pushing it, frankly. Would you, Lipsy, be prepared to spend your first year at university living with people who were close to twice your age? Can anyone else here say, hand on heart, that it's a situation they'd be happy with?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    One of my good friends is in his forties and lived in halls for the first two years at uni. Really popular bloke. I think it's YOU with the problem, not the uni tbh. How are you being open minded by complaining about someone's age? If you'd moved out at 16 and spent the last five years in shared housing and close bedsits you'd already have learnt how to get on with other people of all ages, so maybe that was the uni's thinking about putting the 'matures' together. But, you've lived with your mum, who's old presumably, and worked with older people so you should know they're not another species!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    katralla wrote: »
    One of my good friends is in his forties and lived in halls for the first two years at uni. Really popular bloke. I think it's YOU with the problem, not the uni tbh. How are you being open minded by complaining about someone's age?
    His age shouldn't matter in itself. But when you add on the fact he was the most selfish person ever to exist, and also the fact he barely spoke a word no matter what you asked him, it did start to become a bugbear.

    In any case, I asked whether the alternatives were any better, not to get into a debate about a bloke who I'll most likely never meet again.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You get that with all people, it wasn't his age that made him an arse. It really is down to luck at the end of the day because even moving in with friends isn't a sure bet as people are different to live with than otherwise. Next time you'll be there longer and make more friends, so it won't be quite such a big thing about your housemates even if they are shit.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    stargalaxy wrote: »
    I'm prepared to be open-minded about who I live with, but putting in me in with three postgraduates (two of them are in their 40s, I found out last night) was pushing it, frankly. Would you, Lipsy, be prepared to spend your first year at university living with people who were close to twice your age? Can anyone else here say, hand on heart, that it's a situation they'd be happy with?

    I wouldn't be happy with it but I'd just have to get on with it! I had to SHARE a room in my first year and that was pretty much like hell. Hall accommodation is never perfect...if it wasn't living with an older person it would be living with someone who never washed up or soemone who nicked your food or someone who was the biggest arsehole on the planet. You get what I'm saying?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    stargalaxy wrote: »
    I'm now having serious doubts about whether halls is the right option for me.

    Well tbh from what I can see your other options are:

    1. Shared house, likely to cost more? Equally likely to have old or 'selfish' people there.

    2. Go to a uni close to home and live there.
    stargalaxy wrote: »
    They put me in with three of the most awful blokes imaginable. Well, I say three - I never actually met one of them, and neither did anyone else.

    The two I did meet, however, were unimpressive. One was this postgraduate student, who I had absolutely nothing in common with. Him and me were in completely different places in our lives, and we didn't get on.

    How does this make him "one of the most awful blokes imaginable" ?? :rolleyes:
    stargalaxy wrote: »
    However, what really took the piss was the fact one of my flatmates was this Albanian bloke who was probably twice my age. The fact he had a bald patch suggested he wasn't in the first flushes of youth, wouldn't you say? I'm prepared to be open-minded about who I was living with, but this was bluntly taking the piss.

    So what exactly was wrong with this guy ?

    1. His Baldness?
    2. His age ?
    Or because he was from albania?

    I honestly, don't see how this is the uni taking piss. When I read the first few paragraphs of your thread, I thought you must have been put with some kind of crack dealing serial killer.
    stargalaxy wrote: »
    Is halls even a suitable option for me anymore?

    i think the question is, is moving away from home a suitable option?

    stargalaxy wrote: »
    If it isn't, that leads to another problem. Are the alternatives any better? Let's say that I went to live in a student house. There's every possibility I could end up with another bunch who are just as bad. What's a guy to do?

    Not meaning to sound harsh. But all this "halls" business, sounds like a hell of a lot of excuses to me. If your prepared to do 3/4 years @ uni, your going to have a lot more things to deal with, instead of a bald older person in the room next door.

    I think you just need to decide if your ready to take the next leap.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Nah, I'm not going to rise to the bait. This is one fish who's staying in the water.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    lol dude your hilarious you should do stand up.
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