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Catered or Self-catering accomodation?

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited March 27 in Work & Study
I'm off to Leeds Uni in September and now I just need to decide about accomodation.

I'm unsure whether to go for catered or self-catering. The catered buildings seem nicer and have more facilities i.e. bars, libraries etc. but the only problem with it is the set mealtimes and food quality. Now self-catering has more independence concerning meals but I'm worried about having to share a flat with 5 people. People either like me or they don't (and it's usually the latter :( ) so I'm feeling quite apprehensive to being stuck with just a few people, I know you do meet more but essentially it's those few people you live with. I feel with catered halls there's more opportunity to meet more people and more places to commune.

Ack. Help. I'd just like some advice from those living or those who have lived in uni accomodation and which they see as a better set-up. I've spoken to friends and there seem to be pros and cons to both. The most important factor for me is meeting people and making friends.

Anyone at Leeds and know about the accomodation process and the accomodation itself?

Thanks muchly
Post edited by JustV on

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I don't know about Leeds Uni halls but I'm in self-catered halls this year but would have preferred to pay the extra to be in catered.
    It's not that I can't cook for myself, it's just that with sc halls you may (like me) end up stuck in a flat with a bunch of people who have absolutely nothing in common with you/ tend to not like you/ just blank you for no reason (not that I'm speaking from personal experience!)
    With catered halls, you get to know more people and I think there's more of a community feel to it. I have friends in catered halls and they think it's great!
    The only downside I see is that it can get a bit like school i.e. having to be in at certain times for your meals but it's a small price to pay.

    As you say your main am is to meet people, I would go with catered. It costs more but seems worth it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Re: Catered or Self-catering accomodation?
    Originally posted by ElysiumUnknown
    I'm off to Leeds Uni in September and now I just need to decide about accomodation.

    I'm unsure whether to go for catered or self-catering. The catered buildings seem nicer and have more facilities i.e. bars, libraries etc. but the only problem with it is the set mealtimes and food quality. Now self-catering has more independence concerning meals but I'm worried about having to share a flat with 5 people. People either like me or they don't (and it's usually the latter :( ) so I'm feeling quite apprehensive to being stuck with just a few people, I know you do meet more but essentially it's those few people you live with. I feel with catered halls there's more opportunity to meet more people and more places to commune.

    Ack. Help. I'd just like some advice from those living or those who have lived in uni accomodation and which they see as a better set-up. I've spoken to friends and there seem to be pros and cons to both. The most important factor for me is meeting people and making friends.

    Anyone at Leeds and know about the accomodation process and the accomodation itself?

    Thanks muchly

    From your post it sounds like you want to move in to catered halls but you just need reassuring ;)

    I've lived in halls of residence and student flats, and I had the time of my life in halls. You meet loads more people and if you don't get on with someone then they're easily avoided.

    The difference is that I didn't stay in catered halls. The set meal times would get annoying and food cooked en mass would turn my stomach (school dinners all over again!)

    Catered halls often have kitchens where you can cook meals if you like, although I don't know if Leeds does.

    Bottom line..... You'll meet more people in halls and you'd probably have a better time :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    To be honest I would go for the self-catering option if you can. I know it can be so annoying sometimes coming home and having to cook your own dinner but catered halls suck. I stayed in catered halls in my first year at uni and it sucked big time. We had to be down for breakfast between 7.30 and 8.30 (Yeah, like that ever happened!!) and dinner was only served between 5.30 and 6.45. It meant inevitably that you missed out on dinner either because of late lectures, or going for a quick drink with people from your course after lectures.. and they made such a fuss about providing any kind of food outside set hours.

    To top it all off the food was disgusting (and I have a stomach of steel!!) - they used to use the leftover veg from the night before, deep fry it and then serve it up on salads!! Leftover meat was thrown into stir-fry the next night. I could go on.....

    I ended up spending just as much money on food as my mates in the self-catered halls, except that I was also paying more money for the catered hall option as well!!

    Maybe your halls will be different, but I say go with the self-catering option. Meeting people won't be a problem, that happens anyway, you dont need mealtimes to do that.

    Hope this helps,

    Johnboy
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Its up to you at the end of the day but I believe that self catered halls can be great. I'm currently at uni and am self catering. I can eat when I want, where I want, with who I want and if I'm not hungry at all I don't need to eat. Self catering is also good if you don't eat things like sausages, lasagne, pizza etc which they may well give you in catered and you'd have to eat whats put in front of you I imagine.
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