How to choose your first year accommodation

We caught up with our student ambassador Deborah to find out her top tips on the important factors you should consider when choosing accommodation to suit your lifestyle needs.

Choosing your first year accommodation is an exciting part of your university experience and I would recommend that you allocate some time to finding the right accommodation for you as it can impact your first year university experience. In this blog I will offer you some tips and advice on what you should consider when choosing your first year accommodation, based on my own experience.

Price

First, and probably most importantly, I would recommend that you find accommodation options that fit your budget. I remember the accommodation available at the University of Warwick ranging in price from £75 per week to £189 per week. Therefore, you should give careful consideration to what you can afford and what the extra facilities are that you are willing to pay for. As you can imagine, more expensive accommodation options tend to be furnished to a higher standard and often have additional facilities available to you. However, you should consider whether these factors are important to you or not as the price of your accommodation can profoundly influence your living costs. Personally, I decided to save some money and chose a lower-priced accommodation option which allowed me to invest in other things such as social activities.

Location

At the University of Warwick, the on-campus accommodation is split into four different villages: Central Campus, Lakeside, Westwood and Cryfield. First year students often fall into the trap of looking for accommodation which is closest to where they will be studying and spending most of their time. This may seem like a good idea, but in reality, WBS students can have classes in other building across campus. During my two years at university so far, I have had classes at every single central campus building; in general, no matter where you live, you will get to your classes in roughly 15 minutes or less. So, when choosing your first year accommodation, I would advise you to look at the overall location and make your decision based on that. Also, I would recommend that you think about your priorities, for example if you want to be close to the centre of campus or if you are looking for more quiet and relaxing surroundings where accommodation on the edge of campus may be more suitable for you.

Length of rent

It is also important that you pay attention to the length of rent for your accommodation which can either be 35, 40 or even 43 weeks. You should therefore consider your plans for the year ahead and decide accordingly. If you are an international student, for example, you may plan to go home throughout the year and a shorter let length may be more suitable. However, it is important to consider that if you choose a 35 week let length, you may have to move all your belongings out of your accommodation during the 5 week break.

Facilities

I would recommend that you look at the facilities that your accommodation has to offer and decide what facilities are important to you. For example, it might be vital for you to have a double bed, your own bathroom, or a sink in your room. Alternatively, you might prioritise having a common-room and a lively flat over everything else. You should also consider the number of people that your accommodation can accommodate as you will have to share your kitchen. Also, remember to check the average size of your room, as it may not be directly proportionate to the cost of the room. You should check the size of the room beforehand to avoid any surprises.

Personality

It is a well-known fact around students that each accommodation has its own unique characteristics, and after living on campus for a couple of months you will find yourself very familiar with those. Although you will likely hear some stereotypes about your desired accommodation, don't let it influence you. Even those that are labelled as the 'party flat' can be really quiet and calm. Additionally, the university will send you a personality test before admission, so you will have to chance to show your personality and preferences in terms of lifestyle. So, no matter your accommodation, you will be living with people who respect the very same values as you do.

In conclusion, I would advise you to choose your accommodation wisely, taking into account all the factors that I have mentioned above. It is important to remember that it isn’t the end of the world if you don’t get allocated the accommodation you most wanted. No matter where you live on campus, you will meet so many people and you will have plenty of opportunities to make friends outside of your accommodation.

Discover more about Deborah’s course, BSc International Management.

If you would like to know more about student accommodation at Warwick, you can find out more on the Warwick Accommodation website.