What should i do?

Former Member · January 2003

I have a conditional offer at Brunel - london and locally at marjons (college of st Mark and St John) - personally i cant afford to move away as my parents cannot afford to. So local would be best

London seemed too far away - very unhomely - in fact i would hate it there!

I am waiting for news from Cardiff.

Did not attend the sheffield interview which is in 2 hours time. And did not get a chance at Brighton to even have an interview!

Local would be good london i dont feel easy there. Cardiff maybe but very expensive!

Please may i hear all sides and try and convince me either way?

I have a lot going on here - teachers say i should move away!

family-friends and clubs/societies im part of say stay.

Who have stayed at home and loved it/hated it????

Former Member · January 2003

Where do you live. I live in cardiff and its cool but can be expensive (Rent is fairly high)...When I was a student I deliberately decided to go as far away from my parents as possible becuase I wanted more freedom.

What are your parents like...will they be cool if you end up staying out late or with friends while still living at home.

I'd say move if you can find a way to afford it.

Former Member · January 2003

Originally posted by byny
Where do you live. I live in cardiff and its cool but can be expensive (Rent is fairly high)...When I was a student I deliberately decided to go as far away from my parents as possible becuase I wanted more freedom.

What are your parents like...will they be cool if you end up staying out late or with friends while still living at home.

I'd say move if you can find a way to afford it.

I live in Cornwall - The parents are quite good really but i dont get on well with the sister!

Former Member · January 2003

Just remembered that I now live in Newport but did live in Cardiff. It's a long way from Cornwall though!!
I think the thing with your sister is mainly down to age and it will get better.
Part of going to uni is asserting your independence and learning to manage without your family but some people have a good enough relationship with their parents that they don't need to escape.

Former Member · January 2003

Personally all the universities I've applied to are pretty far away, all over 5 hours drive away. I just see it as a new start, new friends, new environment etc, so I wouldn't want to stay too close to home.

You say how you'd like to go to the local one, and it seems the best option for you. I've heard from friends who've visited that Brunel is horrible, so I wouldn't recommend it. If you are gonna go far away, it has to be somewhere nice and a bit more welcoming.

Just out of interest, why didn't you attend the Sheffield interview? From the universirties you've listed, it seems the most appealing to me.

Everything you've said about London seems negative, so I would eliminate Brunel. You don't sound at all comfortable about going there. Wait until you have heard from Cardiff, and have all your offers, then decide on which ones seem the best. Theres a website called www.unofficial-guides.com which has information on all the unis about social life, clubs/societies, facilities, accomodation and comments from students. You might find it useful if you don't know much about the places

Former Member · January 2003

Only you can make the decision, but the way I see it you aren't the kind of person who will take well to London, you give that away in your description of it.

I lived in college in my first year so it felt like I had moved away. I didn't make many friends because I couldn't find anyone with similar interests to me in my college.

This year I live at home and commute and I am the happiest I have ever been. However, different people take to different circumstances in vastly different ways!

You say your parents will not be able to support you much, same here. That means at Cardiff you will probably have to get a job. You're doing teacher training right? Your schedule will be packed, plus you will have to do placements. Would you rather do these placements in a local area or somewhere else?

You belong to a lot of clubs etc. Do you think you will join similar ones if you move away, or do you think you will forget to?

My advice is this: weigh up what there is in your life to keep you at home and how important these things are.
(E.g. sports clubs - important in your life)
Then decide if you could find this thing if you moved away
(E.g. sports clubs - found at every university)

Weigh up the pros and cons, but if you have a lot to keep you at home....?

Also, some people say you can't get the whole university experience if you don't move away, but I don't think this is true in the slightest!

Former Member · January 2003

I intend to move away because I seek independence and freedom.

I suggest you give it a try, it'll be easier if you have thousands of people around you in the same boat, as opposed to having to do it on your own when you finally do leave.

Former Member · January 2003

Cardiff isn't that expensive. Can tell you lots about Cardiff if you want to know in the future.

Former Member · January 2003

I go to uni in london and it's pretty cool, though i could understand why people might not like it. I come from uxbridge which is where brunel is at, and it's very cool. London is just a tube ride away, but in uxbridge itself there are more pubs than people! Sadly only one shockingly poor nightclub, Royales that should be avoided like the plague! Rent isn't too bad here. I could have lived at home, but I find that the friends you have at uni that live at home you rarely see them out, and it's a shame. I'd say get out if you can. But biggest advice, GO TO OPEN DAYS! I didn't and boy do I regret it now!

Former Member · January 2003

Originally posted by Nostromo
I intend to move away because I seek independence and freedom.

No offence, but I have done both.

When I lived in halls in my first year we had to be quiet after a certain time, we had a certain level above which our music could not go, we weren't allowed certain things in our rooms, guests were monitored, we had to be inside college at a certain time, meal times were set, there were numerous other rules and regulations.

I live at home now with my parents and brother. I can come and go as I please, make food when I wish, bring back who I want and basically I have more freedom and independence at home. Mind you, I still have to do my own washing!!!

Former Member · January 2003

Jesus christ, where did you go to uni?! I was in halls in manc, aside from the mealtimes and a few rules like don't let scally burglars into your block it was nowhere near as boot camp-esque as your experience sounds!

Former Member · January 2003

I still go to uni - Hatfield College at Durham

I think most site regulars know how much I hate the university by now!

Former Member · January 2003

It sounds like you don't have a lot of spare cash right now, so I would go to the local uni and stay at home for the first term and try to get some money saved so that next term you can move out somewhere perhaps once you've found a group to hang around with and share a house.

What should i do?

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