Independence and accessibility

As a disabled student and para-athlete, the best thing of living in halls is having my independence.

With all the facilities around Claudia Parsons (E.g dorm room, kitchen, laundry) everything is accessible, and I am right in the middle of everything from the lecture halls to the training facilities making my student life as easy as possible.

I never had any concerns before moving into halls as I knew that Claudia Parsons had all the requirements I needed for accessibility around the flat and would give me complete independence. 

The wardens and various support team have massively supported during my stay in halls. They are always friendly and are always keen to help or check if I need anything as well as ensuring the key measures are in place when specific situations arise such as fire alarm drills etc. 

Claudia Parsons Hall was by far the most talked about hall in Loughborough, and as an elite athlete I liked that it was so close to the sport facilities. Accommodation options certainly influenced my choice of university as I chose Loughborough as it offered me the best opportunities to complete my degree whilst also helping me with progressing as an elite athlete in wheelchair basketball – as I would be just minutes away from training.

For the social aspect, the hall committee plans as many fun activities as possible to allowing everybody living in the same halls to meet each other.

Being in halls allows me to meet new people who I share a flat with and it helps me to create friendships. This makes life in university a lot easier as I know that there are people that I can trust and who willing to help me if I need anything. 

Bringing things that remind me of where I am from have helped me to feel more at home within campus accommodation, but the sense of community around campus from seeing people doing their own routines every day and interacting with people brings a sense of better community each day. 

I just really enjoy being around people and getting to know them. One of my favourite bits about living in Claudia Parsons is hearing the chants and cheers when the hockey is on, which is right next to the accommodation. It's always fun to try and guess who is winning. 

Living in Claudia Parson’s Hall also gives me good academic benefits as it is very close to my regular lecture theatres, which are most commonly the Edward Herbert Building, allowing me to be prompt every day to each lecture and there are plenty of study areas located on campus such as the lecture halls or library (which is also very close by).