Halls shape your experience

The sense of community in halls is really strong and with social activities happening regularly, and you're always close to everything on campus.

Your hall plays a big role in shaping your university experience. There are so many opportunities to get involved in events, activities, socials, and sport, all organised through your hall, which makes it easy to meet people and feel part of a community.

Being involved in Freshers' week and hall events throughout the year is what really made me feel completely at home, and my closest friends were the ones I made in halls. My favourite memories from living on campus were the social events like summer and winter ball with my flatmates. I also loved the charity weekends and BBQs on the Bouley. 

Living on campus definitely helped me settle into University and make friends quickly - I got to know my housemates on the first day. We would head out from Falkner Eggington as a group and come back together too. You feel safe in halls because everyone is in the same boat. Our hall committee even organised tours of the town to help everyone settle in and know their way around both campus and town. They really do care about looking after you.

I think there is always a concern as a fresher that you might not get on with the people in your hall but I met my best friend within the first five minutes and still live with her four years later! I really liked that flats were mixed years. During my first year I lived with four returners and through them we made loads more friends in the year above. It was really nice having friends in the flat that were able to show us around and help us settle in. I really enjoyed my first year in halls, and most of my friends were returning for the second year as well, which made the decision to stay easy.

Why I chose Loughborough

On my open day, accommodation was key in deciding if I could see myself living and studying there.

I ruled out other Universities largely because their accommodation didn’t appeal to me. I also liked knowing that there were plenty of accommodation options available on campus that suited my budget. I chose to study at Loughborough because I was really impressed with the campus and facilities during my open day. I was looking for a large campus university with a lot going on, but I didn’t necessarily want to be in a city, and Loughborough offered the perfect balance.  

I already had a friend at Loughborough and she gave me an insight into what life in halls at Loughborough was like - including all the ways to get involved, from IMS hall sport to the friends she had made. Plus, the university’s consistent ranking in the top 10 and being the best in the world for sport-related subjects made it an obvious choice for me.

Affordable campus living

Having an en-suite was never in my budget so I was never particularly worried about sharing a bathroom, but it was better than what I was expecting.

I shared a bathroom with my two best friends and it got cleaned for us three/four times a week. I joined the hall committee in second year, and received a discount for my accommodation, which made it more affordable! 

The support teams were really helpful during my time halls. We became good friends with our cleaner – we would often have a chat and a cup of tea together. The Warden and Sub-Warden were always available, especially when it came to things like being locked out of your room! Security always responds quickly too. 

Really, I think the best thing about living in halls is the proximity to everything. You’re minutes away from lecture buildings, the gym and the Students Union. You also live so close to all of your friends - I don’t think there’s going to be any other stage in life where that happens. Academically, living in halls is so convenient too. I lived just two minutes from my lecture buildings so getting to lectures was quick and easy. I also had course-mates living in Falkner Eggington, which made it simple to meet up and study together.

Halls or town?

Living on campus is affordable and the best way to make friends and settle into university life.

The University is quick to address any issues, and getting your kitchen and bathrooms regularly cleaned for you is a huge bonus. 

Living in town is also good after the experience of living in halls. It is still easy to get to campus and you get to choose who you live with, and you can still stay affiliated to your hall if you want to. I moved to town after second year, purely because I found myself spending more time with friends who already lived in town. I felt ready for a change and I enjoyed being closer to the shops. 

As University becomes more demanding in final year, living in town helped me create a clearer separation between work and home. I would travel onto campus to study and then come home and properly switch off, which made it easier to maintain a work/life balance. I found living in town encouraged me to be more productive too, as I would pack everything I needed and stay out for the whole day rather than get distracted by the option to pop back home like I did in halls. Plus, it only takes me 10-15 mins to walk from town to campus which is even quicker if you cycle and the bus is free from the college.  

If you’re moving to town later in university, private landlords tend to be cheaper and issues tend to be sorted quicker as the landlord cares more about their own property rather than using an agency.