'Moving into halls was really stressful': Five students' experiences of changing accommodation

The Croft Magazine // Unhappy in your halls? Students who moved accommodation after challenging experiences share their thoughts.

Lara Dodd, fifth year Engineering Design:

I moved into Favell House and wanted to go out in Freshers' Week but my flatmates just wanted to stay in. I remember going to my room and crying. I can empathise with others who might not want to go out when all their friends do, as they'll feel pressure as well. Someone I knew had a spare room, so I moved in after only two days.

A major part of my happiness in first year was thanks to my new flat.

I think it would be great if there was a scheme where first-years were given the option to move after their first week. I can't imagine what my life would have been like if I hadn't moved - I wouldn't have made the friends I have now.

Megan Paul, fourth year Physics:

I was in Richmond Terrace. I started in a temporary shared room where they had basically just squeezed two beds into a single room but I had the opportunity to move after about a week where I moved a few floors up in the same building.

I think I was very lucky. I didn’t really have to start again and ended up staying really good friends with the original flat I was in. I had the temporary accommodation due to Bristol being my insurance choice and I had to apply pretty last minute.

Isaac Haigh, fourth year Chemistry:

I moved flat within my halls which was Nelson House (an old one). I didn't think I got on with my flatmates so I moved. However, I got on with the new ones even less. I should have made a bit more of an effort with the first ones and taken responsibility for the issues I was creating.

Instead I moved when things got difficult as they sometimes do when you live with people, especially with random people in freshers. It helps that I have four years of hindsight and experience now but I did what I thought was best at the time.

Anonymous:

A few days before moving to university I got an email saying a pipe had burst in my Badock accommodation and 26 of us were going to be moved to Langford for a few weeks. It completely made me dread university, but it actually worked out for the best. The 26 of us got very close as not only were we all in the same situation but we were spending all our time together.

It wasn’t the most conventional Freshers' Week but I don’t think it could have been any better.

It just shows how these situations can actually end up working in your favour.

Tom Jones, second year Psychology:

Moving into halls for me was really stressful. I struggled to get on with my flatmates as our kitchen was always left in a disgusting mess and I was kept up almost every night with loud music. Along with another flatmate, I contacted the Accommodation Service and although they listened to us, nothing was done about it until three weeks into term. I managed to move to a new halls and was lucky enough to meet some really lovely people who I am now living with in second year.

Don’t just think ‘it’s only a year’ because how you feel about where you live will make all the difference to your university experience.

I would advise anyone who is not happy with their halls to do something about it as soon as possible. Moving accommodation was definitely the best decision I made in first year.

If you are unhappy in your accommodation and would like to transfer, go to the Accommodation Transfer page for more information.

Featured image: Richmond Terrace | Epigram / Rosie Angel-Clark

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