For students heading off to their first year at university, this is an exciting time. You’re finally branching out and moving out of home for the first time ever. A common question that many students have is whether it’s better to move into a university hall or find a flat with friends. There is no simple answer to this question as it will depend on your personality and the lifestyle you want. Let us break it down for you so that you can make the best decision for yourself.
Duties
One of the steepest learning curves people experience when moving out of home is learning to do everything for themselves. Many people have never completed everyday tasks like cooking a meal or doing their washing, as their parents have always done these things for them.
You will have to learn to do chores and everyday tasks eventually, but does it have to be right now? If you go flatting, you will be responsible for keeping the place clean and tidy and making your own meals. If you go into a uni hall, meals will often be cooked for you, many have cleaners that come in to scrub the place down, and some even change your sheets for you. If you are worried about doing everything for yourself when moving out of home, going into a uni hall first can ease the transition.
Cost
The cost of a university hall is generally far more expensive than rent in a student flat. However, there are other factors you need to consider, such as what’s included. The cost of a hall may consist of your rent, power, internet, cleaning, and food. So, to compare the two prices, you need to calculate how much you would spend on all of that in a flatting situation.
Write down the cost of a general power and internet bill split by the number of occupants. Then add your food costs and the rent. Now you have a more realistic figure for the cost of flatting. It will likely still be cheaper than living in a university hall, but you will also have more responsibility. So, keep in mind that with university accommodation, you’re paying for the convenience. Another factor will be how far your flat is from campus, as you may need to add in transport costs as well.
Social Aspects
Many people choose to move into halls because they want to meet as many new people as possible. When you’re living in a massive building with hundreds of students, you’re bound to make plenty of friends. That’s why most people end up choosing student accommodation.
However, you may already have plenty of friends going to your university. If you are heading off to uni with a solid group of friends who want to go flatting with you, then you may not feel the need to live on campus.
Our advice is that if you want to live the uni lifestyle of meeting lots of new faces during your first year, live on campus. You will have plenty of time to go flatting in your later years, and it’s harder to go from flatting to halls later on as many are only for first years.
Limitations
Now, let’s discuss freedom. University halls come with many rules which vary across the different accommodation options. Some standard rules are no parties, no drinking in dorms, and don’t make excessive noise. If you breach any of these, you’ll likely have an RA come in and tell you to turn the music down or even kick your friends out of your room!
Flats have no such rules – you can do whatever you like, within reason. You’ll be able to hold huge parties and have all of your friends over whenever you want. Flats might offer more freedom but also more responsibility. You’ll have to make sure during those parties that no one causes damage to the property, or you’ll end up paying for it. This can be stressful, so you may not enjoy having all of that freedom as much as you expect to.
Living Situation
At university accommodation, you will likely have a small room to yourself, with a shared bathroom for the floor. Then there will be common areas where you can eat and relax with your friends. This is quite different to a flatting situation, where you will probably be able to have a bigger room and live in a house with a kitchen and living room. This creates quite a different living scenario. Which situation you enjoy more will depend on how outgoing you are. In a university hall, you’ll constantly be around whoever else wants to hang out in the common areas. In a flat, you’ll just be living with your chosen flatmates.
Moving In
No matter which option you choose, moving in can be a hassle. As everyone starts uni at the same time, you and all of your friends will probably move into university halls or your flat on the exact same day. This makes it tough to rely on your friends to help you move, as they will be busy shifting their own belongings.
Make it easier on yourself by hiring professional movers to get the job done. Here at Easy Move, we provide specialist moving services to help get your possessions into your hall or flat without damage. Our expert team of movers are highly experienced in packing and cushioning items so that they arrive at your new place safe and sound.
You’ve likely never had to shift your own stuff before, so don’t start doing it now. You’d be heartbroken if you didn’t tie down the trailer properly and some of your boxes flew away. Get the peace of mind that your stuff will be packed safely and securely in our moving van so that you can have a fantastic first day with no last-minute moving disasters when you head off to university. Contact us today to make a booking
