{"id":7753,"date":"2021-02-23T16:36:46","date_gmt":"2021-02-23T16:36:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.york.ac.uk\/student-voices\/?p=7753"},"modified":"2021-02-23T16:36:49","modified_gmt":"2021-02-23T16:36:49","slug":"my-tips-for-choosing-your-accommodation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.york.ac.uk\/student-voices\/2021\/02\/23\/my-tips-for-choosing-your-accommodation\/","title":{"rendered":"My tips for choosing your accommodation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I\u2019ve been through the process of looking for accommodation twice now, in slightly different circumstances. In my first year, like most students, I lived on-campus in accommodation owned by the University<\/a>. My choice of accommodation would also determine what college I became a part of<\/a>, so there was more to consider than if I were simply going for private rented accommodation. But not much more. Whatever college you end up in, I promise you\u2019ll love it and hate all the others within two weeks, if not sooner. I want to give you my perspective on choosing between all the different options on offer and to help you work out what you value most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bathrooms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First, let\u2019s consider bathrooms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ensuite v Shared<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your choice here is between ensuite, where the toilet and shower are in a typically small room or alcove in your bedroom, or shared, where there are some number of bathrooms in the house that you share with other people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think the instinct here is to view ensuite bathrooms as clearly superior and shared bathrooms as nothing more than what you get left with if you apply too late, but there are actually advantages and disadvantages to both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cleaning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

First, especially in University-owned accommodation, shared bathrooms have a pretty good chance of being covered by the cleaning services. By contrast, you\u2019ll almost certainly be responsible for cleaning your own ensuite, and this can be unpleasant and time-consuming to have to integrate into your weekly schedule. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Socialising<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another advantage of shared bathrooms, though this may sound odd, is that they are more social than ensuites. Having a bathroom in your room can very easily encourage you to stay shut in working or procrastinating, and never stretch your legs or interact with your housemates. Being forced outside every now and then makes it more likely that you\u2019ll bump into people in a corridor and have a chat, not to mention the positive impact the change of scenery will have on your mentality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, having an ensuite will take up a lot of space in your room. If you go for a shared bathroom, you\u2019re more likely to have a roomier bedroom (though this varies by provider, and it\u2019s worth checking photos of the rooms). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do the maths<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One last tip about bathrooms is to find out how many people are going to be in the flat you\u2019re considering, and divide that number by the number of bathrooms to find out how many people will be sharing a single bathroom. You probably don\u2019t want more than three or four to a single bathroom because of the increased risk of Gross Housemate Syndrome, which is a real thing that definitely exists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cooking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now for a much broader subject: kitchens, and related services. If you\u2019re anything like me, you\u2019ll be spending a lot of time in your kitchen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cooking is fun, rewarding, and an excellent way to procrastinate (though of course, I would never do that last one). If you\u2019re not comfortable with the idea of cooking at least a few nice things for yourself, dedicate some time to learning to cook before coming to university<\/strong> \u2013 everyone can spot the person whose parents have cooked for them their whole life from a mile away, and you probably don\u2019t want that to be you. Not to mention the fact that six months of takeaway, freezer meals, and pasta is just a depressing prospect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My top tips<\/h3>\n\n\n\n