Minutes to everything

I chose to study at Loughborough due to the course content and the campus university environment. I think living on campus really does make it easier to settle into university, mainly because of the convenience of it all.

Living in halls provides you with an entire community of other students, so it is a lot easier to talk to people - not just your flatmates. I am a little more reserved in nature, so I mostly hang out with close friends, but there have been fun activities held throughout the year in halls. Common rooms provide a good location to hang out with new flatmates too. 

I moved to town for my third year but returned to halls for my final year as I realised just how great halls really are - they are tailored for students’ needs and include beneficial amenities – from the cleaning team down to the basics like each hall having a microwave, toaster and kettle. As an independent individual (which is a nice way of saying a bit of a loner) halls are the better choice for students. The convenience of having literally everything on your doorstep is hugely beneficial for you both socially and academically. 

If you’re applying for a placement, make sure you also re-apply for halls as a safety net. My placement fell through in third year which is why I moved to town. Don’t make the same mistake as me! If you do move to town anytime during your studies, I recommend going with an private landlord on Studentpad as they tend to fix maintenance a lot faster. The agency we used was slow to respond.

Halls make life easier

I wasn’t really bothered about sharing a bathroom with other students in halls, as you would have to share a shower if you were choosing off-campus accommodation too.

The cleaning team helps ensure the flat doesn't get out of hand. When I moved to town in my third year, I shared a house where things would get dirty and no one feels the ownership to clean up. Having a cleaning team in campus accommodation is of great value, and makes everyone in your corridor feel responsible for keeping the space tidy for the cleaning team. Wardens are also valuable in managing flatmates who may be a little noisy – though this is rare, it’s good to have that support system in place.

My best advice for students considering town accommodation after first year is to think about what you value most. Remember that if you live off campus, you’ll probably have daily journeys to campus for lectures, clubs, sports, library, union – the commuting costs can add up. Think about the extra necessities you have in halls, like the cleaning staff. If you share an off-campus property with friends, you may know what to expect, but if you share with strangers, they could be messy. 

When I moved onto postgraduate study, I decided to stay at Loughborough as it had much cheaper living and accommodation costs compared to other universities, plus it had that added familiarity. I also found that Loughborough has a much shorter distances between accommodation and lectures compared to other universities.